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Monday, May 24, 2010

Indonesian Church Closed by Authorities Due to Protests by Muslim Mobs

 Ruins of a West Java, Indonesia Church smolder after being burned by a Muslim mob. - FOTO ANTARA

Indonesia is the most populous Islamic nation in the world, and the general perception is that the Islam there is the least radical. But that is just not the reality on the ground if you happen to be a Christian. Here is news of a West Java church that has been shut down by local authorities because of a series of protests by Muslims:
Asia News: Bogor authorities (West Java province) ordered the closure of a local church building that belongs to Gereja Kristen Indonesia (GKI), a Christian group also known as Gereja Kristen Yasmin Bogor. This has outraged hundreds of faithful and induced the Indonesian Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) to file an official protest.

In an official statement, GKI followers called the decision to ban their religious and social meetings unlawful. They note, “The mayor of Bogor granted the IMB (building permit) back on 13 May 2006.”

The closure had initially been ordered by Bogor’s City and Gardening authority in February 2008, but was overturned because the matter falls under the mayor’s jurisdiction.

After a series of protests by local extremist Islamic groups, the city decided to close the church and suspend the GKI despite the fact that the Christian group had all the necessary permits to build its church and practice its faith.

For some time, local Islamic groups had been protesting publicly and violently against Christians, accusing them of “proselytising”. They are certainly opposed to Christians having any building, even if the latter did not have a religious purpose.

At the end of April, extremists attacked and set fire to a Christian centre in Bogor on the ground that Christians wanted to build a house of prayer disguised as an educational facility. Instead of stopping the rioters, the authorities banned Christians from engaging in any activities. . . . MORE

H/T Jihad Watch


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