Religious unrest in Indonesia, Part 2 Blog # 8

Crystal Bayne

SOC 202-01

March 18, 2011

4:07pm

On the fourteenth of this month a package addressed to an Islamic scholar, exploded in the office of the Liberal Islam Network. This horrific event injured four people, which included two police officers who were attempting to defuse it. The intended recipient was Ulil Abshar Abdalla, who is known throughout the country as being a very liberal Islamic scholar, as well as the founder of the Liberal Islam Network. All of this took place in Indonesia's capital city of Jakarta. Abdalla has been heavily criticized due to his very controversial ideologies. Many of this criticism has come from fundamentalist Muslims, however the same can be said for the more moderate Muslims as well. Some of his "outrageous opinions" stem from his personal disagreement of society's interpretation of The Koran as well as Sharia Law.

"While Ulil’s disagreement with the idea of cutting the hands of thieves and stoning adulterers upset only the most extreme elements of Indonesian society, his argument that wearing the headscarf is not obligatory for Muslim women and support for inter-religious marriages between Muslim women and non-Muslim men are sensitive among many devout Indonesian Muslims." (Abdullah Fahrizal Siddik)

This is just one of the many examples of religious intolerance that Indonesia has been facing in recent years.

And like many other events that have occurred, it has taken place between the same religious groups. In this country we are so used to hearing events like these, however usually they involve Islamic extremists and Christians. This shows some of the religious unrest taking place in Indonesia at this time. Muslims are turning on Muslims all because of their different opinions and views, within their own religion. However it would be unfair to say this only occurs in Islamic countries or with Islamic groups (as well as just Muslims). Things like this happen, unfortunately, everyday all across the world. Just think about within this country alone, we have so many different Christian denominations that argue over whose right and whose wrong. Look at the Westboro Baptist "Church" who believes that it's okay to protest at military funerals. Most Christians are very opposed to that idea, as well as everything that the Westboro Baptist "Church stands for", and find them to be very disturbing. However in regards to the most recent attack in Indonesia, like here in a America it is being done by religious extremists. These people, regardless of what religion have been around since religion came into existence. And religious extremists will, unfortunately, always be present. I don't think that will ever go away.

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/asiapacific/news/article_1627051.php/Bomb-explodes-in-Indonesia-no-injuries-reported

http://blog.heritage.org/?p=54866