Church Demolished in ‘Moderate’ Indonesia!
We are often fed the idea that Indonesia is a ‘moderate’ Islamic nation. Events on the ground would suggest something very different. The Australia News Network reports on the demolition of a Christian Church near Jakarta (1). Click HERE for the Australia News Network Coverage which includes a video about the issue.
Again, we don’t hear a peep from the supposed high priests of religious tolerance at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The OIC promoted UNHRC Resolution 16/18 that purports to confront threats to freedom of religion. It seems very clear that the OIC does not in fact favour religious freedom and Indonesia is an OIC member state. Perhaps to the OIC, religious freedom only means the freedom to expand the reach of sharia.
Reliance of the Traveller (2), which is a well-respected manual on sharia law states that non-Muslims “are forbidden to build new churches” o11.5 (7) p608. Perhaps sharia itself is seen as justification of the demolition in Indonesia? So much for the idea that sharia is just about private matters of faith!
The OIC wants global laws that forbid any criticism of Islam so events like this in Indonesia are not subject to criticism. Such laws would therefore undermine religious freedom as well as freedom of expression.
(1) Christian church pulled down in Indonesia (Australia News Network)
(2) Reliance of the Traveller: A Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law (Ahmad ibn Naquib al-Misri)
Another relevant article: Rights of Non-Muslims in an Islamic State, by Samuel Shahid, also addresses the issue of Church building.
Gates of Vienna
