Islam in Indonesia

Tolerating intolerance

Indonesia’s president is accused of turning a blind eye to religious violence

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Readers' comments



TS2912 in reply to ecoliterate

When one says 'European' the connotation would be Westernized, prosperous, technologically advanced and secular.

Slovenia (& Moldovia, Albania, Bulgaria, etc.) have none of these characteristics. Thus using Slovenia as an exemplar of a 'European Christian country' is invalid.

Laskar Kristus

meanwhile in Ambon, Moluccas, also in Eastern Indonesia, the islamic people held a coran reading event, and Christians are involved supporting the event, even Christians open their door to let those Moslems stay in their houses... Can you see what's wrong with that "religion"?

"Indonesian paradigm"? How would you define "Indonesian paradigm"? If you want Indonesian paradigm, then all the ladies will be bare-chested, since in the past it was the case (try to search in youtube about Bali during colonial era as an example). Or another Indonesian paradigm which are a widespread, constant and uniform practice across the country, is dangdut singer. So what paradigm? Remember, culture is dynamic and will only develop by acculturation. If you do not want Indonesian culture to develop, then just isolate the country from the rest of the world, although I would not recommend it.

If you are concerned with moral, then it is a nonsensical justification, as in Singapore the concert went well without any riots, fans running frenzy or whatsoever. Moreover, Lady Gaga is an altruist, as she established a charity for anti-bullying and also donated a large sum of money for disaster such as in Haiti and Japan. If you are concerned with her dress, this is more nonsensical view. There is no problem with her dress. Did her dress cause the fans to kill people under her name, or close discussion for her grace, or throw urine bag for her glory? Nope.

And I do not understand why you label western culture as barbarian. Actually, it is closing discussion and concert with threat of "chaos" that are barbaric. Furthermore, please stop viewing the world with the dichotomy of west and east. This world is now globalized, and this dichotomy is now irrelevant.

Akbar Sahata Sakapertana

This is how Indonesia filter the culture. Unlike middle east countries, we chosen what Indonesian will see not to reject. Remember that Katy Pery, Justin Beiber or even Dream Theater were openly allowed to show up in Jakarta. Otherwise Lady Gaga's song itself, Judas, extremely violate the first article of Indonesians Paradigm (wish Indonesian readers could slightly understand w/o thinking too much about what 'Indonesians Paradigm' is), then it is fairly understood why Lady Gaga concert was necessary to be canceled. Indonesia (should) put more caring on moral, this also is to be understood by you all global guy about the culture like we do understand your westernian (close to barbarian) culture.

Denny Abang Siregar

Hello, excuse me. You western media always put islam as a terrorist, intolerant bla...bla..bla...Part of Israel Zionist Protocol. While Israel bombard and kill Muslim in Palestina no one say anything. Btw This is the fact.

1. Jakarta, in FPI (claimed by western media as Islam hardliners) area there are 3 churches and it is running well up until now. The two churces that is not allowed to build because they dont follow government rule called as SKB 3 Ministers.

2. Friday is Muslim Holiday, do we push the Indonesian government to change the holiday from Sunday
to Friday?

3. About Lady Gaga we have the right to accept or not what is right according to the majority here. And it
is not Indonesia only rejected her the devil worship, illuminati members friend of Israel Zionist with
the Zionist Protocol, why you western media never yelling out to China, they rejected LG as well. Is it
OK if we export mad cow to your country? You have the right to say No. So dont push Indonesia to
accept anything you think it is OK in your country. We have the right to say No and then dont say
Indonesia intolerant. You western media said that we rule the democracy, but why you push us
anything from western? Where is the democracy?

4. In Indonesia the growth of Churces and temples are very high compare to Mosque
- Catholic churces increase 153% from 4.934 to 12.473,
- Protestan Churces increase 131% from 18.977 to 43.909,
- Budha temples vihara increase 36% from 1.523 to 7.129,
- Hindu temples increase 475,25% from 4.247 to 24.431,
- Muslim Mosque increase only 64% from 392.044 to 643.843.

5. If Muslim is a minority in the specific country, we are very tolerant
- in Hong Kong, Adzan, Call for prayer is not allowed
- In Netherland, there is no holiday to celebrate our big day such as Idul Fitri, while in
Indonesia every religion has their own holiday.
- In French, woman not allowed to wear veil
- Lately in US, in Minesota there is A mosque that not get a permit from the city council


The FPI is the same entity that shut down the Indonesian version of Playboy magazine, and the same entity that lamented the death of that valuable guy… Osama Bin Laden.

The sad fact is that the Indonesian government is pandering to this Islamist Sturmabteilung in order to get money and votes. Going this way, Indonesia’s fragile capitalist democracy will be converted into a giant Taleban-like Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in a question of just some years…

Gerry Attrick

Is there any Muslim Muslim state where minorities have equal rights? Case in point:
Malaysian woman loses bid to be recognized as Christian
May 30 2007
Malaysia's top secular court on Wednesday rejected a woman's bid to be legally recognised as Christian after converting from Islam, saying the matter must be decided by a religious court.
Lina Joy, 43, had sought to have the word "Islam" removed from her national identity card but the Federal Court threw out her case, deciding that only an Islamic sharia tribunal could legally certify her conversion.
Renouncing the faith is one of the gravest sins in Islam, and Joy's case has raised questions about religious freedom here as well as the exact legal relationship between the mainly Muslim country's secular and religious courts.
"Apostasy is within the powers of the Islamic law and the sharia courts. Civil courts cannot interfere," Federal Court Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim said in the majority decision.
"God is great!" a crowd of about 200 people, who had been holding a mass prayer, shouted in unison outside the court complex when they learnt of the verdict.
Islam is Malaysia's official religion. More than 60 percent of the nation's 27-million people are Muslim Malays.
But while the constitution defines the ethnic majority Malays as Muslims it also guarantees freedom of religion. The country's minority Chinese and Indians are mostly Buddhists, Hindus or Christians.
Joy's appeal to the Federal Court centred on whether she must go to a sharia court to have her renunciation recognised before authorities delete the word "Islam" from her identity card.
Judge Richard Malanjum said the NRD's demand was "discriminatory and unconstitutional," and it was unreasonable to expect a person to "self-incriminate" herself before a sharia court.
"In some states in Malaysia, apostasy is a criminality," Malanjum said.
Sharia courts have been loath to approve apostasy.



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