Muslim Hardliners Storm Church In Indonesia
It is human nature to take things for granted. For us in Malaysia it is the relative stability and peace that we enjoy. Agreed, a lot of things are not right in our country but I don't think we shall ever deteriorate and descend to such a level as witnessed by Indonesians. The killings, maiming and wanton destruction of property there in the name of race and religion, dwarf whatever religio-ethnic differences and divisions we have here. And for that we must thank God and the sensibilities of our people and leaders of the different political parties. The report from Channel Newsasia follows.Muslim hardliners stormed a church in Indonesia during services, smashing images of Jesus Christ and demanding that it be closed down, the pastor said on Monday.Image - Source
Dozens of churches have had to be closed in the Muslim-majority country in recent years, and Sunday's attack was the second on the small Protestant church in the West Java town of Soreang since 2005.
Reverend Robby Elisa, who heads the church, said around 100 hardliners attacked while Sunday school was in session. He said his wife was beaten and that at least four stained glass depictions of Jesus were smashed. "They came and forced their way into the church," he said. "The attackers claimed to be from the Anti-Apostate Movement Alliance. The same group had already attacked the church in 2005."
The secretary of the church's headquarters in Jakarta, Reverend Budi Setiawan, said that the attack had been reported to the Indonesian Church Association (PGI). West Java, where Islam is strong, has seen a series of attacks on churches to force their closure.
The Jakarta Post newspaper said that more than 30 churches have had to close their door in West Java since 2004 because of attacks by Muslim hardliners. Dozens of churches have also been forced to close in other provinces, it said.
According to a current decree by the religious affairs ministry, houses of worship must obtain the approval of at least 60 percent of local residents and have at least 90 followers to be able to operated.
Elisa said that his church was small and only had a congregation of some 20 adults and 40 children and teenagers. "Where else can we go? We are too far from the city and our congregation needs a place to worship," Elisa said.
The district police chief could not be immediately reached for comment, and the officer on duty at the district police declined to comment.
Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim-majority nation with over 90 percent of its 220 million people adherents of Islam. Although the constitution gives all religions equal footing, laws make it difficult for religions other than Islam to establish houses of worship.
Labels: Religious Extremism.
posted by The Malaysian. at 6/05/2007 09:52:00 AM
7 Comments:
If the reverse happens in some other countries, I bet these
Islamists fanantics will start a killing rampage in Indonesia.
Does this imply that Islam is a violent religion compare to others ?
only a matter of time till that happens in malaysia they way things are going!
(The Malaysian - with your leave, allow me to address Anon & Nick's comments)
Anon - no religion, Islam included, teaches its adherents that violence is good. Religious texts, however, Islam's included, are frequently interpreted in ways that are self-serving, usually as a way to CONvince followers and as a means to exert influence and control. That's what's happening in Indonesia, and the one's perpretrating this are not the majority peace-loving Muslims, but radical splinter groups. Islam is a religion (which I may add is beautiful) made ugly by some of its hardline followers - giving the entire religion a bad name in the process. And please don't think that this is an apology on these bastards' behalf - what they've done is despicable, nefarious, evil, but most of all, totally un-Islamic in nature.
Nick - I'm more optimistic that the majority of Malaysian Muslims are rational, albeit verbally emotional at times... I only pray that my optimism is well-placed.
Indonesia has an awful history of mob massacre, sometimes officially sanctioned - e.g. 1965, 1998.
The odd thing is, in terms of official policy , Indonesia is in many ways more tolerant on religious matters than Malaysia. There are many mixed religion marriages involving Muslims (without conversion), Christian prayers conducted in Malay language, Malay language bibles. They are also quite open about their Hindu heritage.
The rabid Mob is another matter.
I guess every country has its faults.
I see thats how they keep their believers in line. A religion of moderation!
Some Malaysian Muslims are taking small approximations towards such dastardly acts. The Perak Mufti's incitement was a start towards getting the mob thing going. So too were the mobs storming the Article 11 forums and threatening violence if the forum wasn't closed immediately.
I have some first hand accounts from several Catholic friends that the church at the center of the Lina Joy conversion controversy received a dastardly threat during Xmas midnight church service a year or two ago.
The uncanny thing is this: that which is holding the country together is actually the ISA. The fact that the very Islamist groups (whose supporters issued a death threat against Malik Imtiaz) want to abolish the ISA should give you a firm indication of exactly where they'd like to take their rule-by-mob against rule-of-law.
We don't have these problems in the 60s and 70s and earlier, I would say all these arises because of the "Politicisation " of Islam by the government.
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