Sharia Alert from modern, moderate Indonesia. From AP, with thanks to Jimmy:
Fitri Komalasari has heard of plans by Indonesia's increasingly vocal Islamic clerics to forbid the watching of celebrity gossip shows.But she says she can't imagine life without daily updates on the marital breakdowns, affairs and quarrels of the rich and famous.
"Life without gossip shows would be like vegetables without salt," said Komalasari, 27, who works at a city bookstore that also sells spicy entertainment news magazines. "I love to watch them. I love gossiping."
Religious leaders say some programs - like one that disclosed an alleged affair by a son of a former president and another that claimed a famous Olympic-winning athlete had an illegitimate child before marrying - are sinful because they are slanderous or exploit people's shameful secrets.
The generally moderate group, Nahdlatul Ulama, is considering issuing a fatwa against such shows - another sign, critics say, of the inroads of Islamic conservatism in the world's most populous Muslim nation, which has a tradition of moderation, tolerance and secularism.
Dozens of local governments across the sprawling archipelago have introduced Islamic regulations - from making it obligatory for women to wear head scarves to banning gambling and alcohol - and national politicians are considering bills to impose jail time for nudity in art, lewd dancing, even kissing in public.
Ma'ruf Amin, the leader of Nahdlatul Ulama, said last week the proposed religious edict, or fatwa, warns that the tens of millions of Indonesians who watch gossip shows "could end up in hell".
Fatwa in Indonesia are not legal enforceable, and it is unclear how many of the country's 190 million Muslims would obey it.
Amin said his group also plans to press the government for laws to punish the estimated 40 broadcasters that presently feed on "quarrels between husbands and wives, adultery or people living together outside wedlock".
Reactions from the gossip television industry so far have been reserved - possibly over fears of being seen as un-Islamic. They have asked for clarification about exactly where the line is.
"This edict has no legal implications, and it only applies to their (NU's) members," said Ilham Bintang, who produces eight of the country's major gossip shows and is widely regarded as the godfather of Indonesia's decade-old infotainment industry.
"As a Muslim, I agree that the act of disclosing disgraceful things of one's household should be forbidden," he said, adding that only a small percentage of his episodes deal with the content in question....
"Gossip is natural," she said ordering an iced coffee at a city mall. "It's my right."
"the world's most populous Muslim nation, which has a tradition of moderation, tolerance and secularism."
The slaveholding culture of the Ante-Bellum South also had a "tradition" of moderation, tolerance and kindness -- among a few landholders who personally happened to treat their slaves well. Alongside that "tradition" were other traditions, and an overarching system of inhumanity.
So, to say that a country or region has a "tradition" of good things means nothing, without knowing more about the larger picture.
Besides, as the persecution of Christians and other minorities show, as well as the colonization of Infidel parts of the archipelago, such as Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Lombok, et al prove, that statement - a tradition of moderation, tolerance and secularism - is a blatant lie.
When you are living a pure life there is nothing to gossip about...NO FREE THOUGHT...NO QUESTIONS ALLOWED.....you might question the religion and that can't be tolerated...fatwa to kill anyone gossiping can't be far behind...
besides they are WATCHING television shows...doesn't THAT break a rule...something about images...I seem to recall the taliban, THE PURE, killing people for owning televisions.
Something of a digression, and I probably should be able to find the answer myself, but other users may be interested by the knowledgeable reply I anticipate: why is Indonesia a predominantly Muslim country since it was never, I am pretty sure, conquered - or even invaded? - by Muslims, and was ruled by Holland for the last few centuries up to 1945?
Actually no. Islam does not preach such horrific sins. .........by above poster
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You are deluded. Your pedophile prophet preached KILL KILL KILL. He preached it's ok to rape. Beat. Subjugate. Behead. Cut off hands and feet. He married a little girl.
You have apparently been taught all your life that, these things AREN'T wrong. Civilization says, it IS wrong. You cannot sugar coat the koran. It is vile and you muslims continue to preach it and act out because of it.
If you actually believe all this, why are you not out telling (and stopping) your other brethren in hizbollah, Iran, Saudi Arabia, in Europe, America that what they are doing is wrong? Why are the lot of you not doing this? Why do we not hear that the "true" muslims are fighting to stop the "extremists" muslims? I know why. muslims believe in the same book.
We're on to your kind. Our eyes are WIDE OPEN.
Essential reading for everyone. Post it wherever you can. As good an analysis of current events as any you will ever find.
http://www.newmediajournal.us/guest/kraft/08172006.htm
I always thought there was something sinful about Sally Jesse Rafael...and Geraldo, dont get me started about him. Wonder if Oprah is on that list. And remember Phill Donahue...he already decended into Hades...and he's not even dead yet.
A life of gossip is just plain not good for you.
Look what it did for Rosie O, and if you take a good look at Roseann Barr, you can understand why muslim officials want to ban it. Jerry Springer look out!!!Allah has sent Iblis looking for you. He has a mean look on his face and is carrying a big stick. You want gossip??? Allah will give you gossip...
It's very small step from banning a show that exposes celebrity sexploits to having the celebrities killed for their sexploits.
philiph35- maybe because Holland was extremely tolerant and ALLOWED muslims to take over? Look there and see the near future of Europe.
Sir Henry Morgan,
Thanks for the link. That article really lays out the way it is. Mandatory reading indeed.
"Religious leaders say some programs - like one that disclosed an alleged affair by a son of a former president and another that claimed a famous Olympic-winning athlete had an illegitimate child before marrying - are sinful because they are slanderous or exploit people's shameful secrets."
Not that I'm into the Entertainment Tonight / National Inquirer brainrot, but is the concern here really the personal privacy of politicians, athletes and other celebs, or are the imams and mullahs really concerned about the faithful talking amongst themselves about the less than honorable conduct of their spiritual leaders? faithfreedom.org has lots of pictorial evidence from Iran of pedophile practices and this has also been an issue in the madrassahs of Pakistan.
And this is a bad thing because... I say score one for Islam.
I feel Muslims are always trouble makers. They cannot respect the other religions and they do not understand the co-existance. These trouble makers must learn the art of living and let the others live. The brought up of these Muslims has flaws which is creating unrest in the new generations. In countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan and India, unemployed Muslim youth is being attracted towards Terrorism and they are becoming enemies to the society. The thought process of Muslim leaders should be changed and they must look the ever changing world with a pragmatic view.
If people watch gossip shows, they will not end up in hell. However, if they allow Islamists to take over free societies, then they will end up in a hell that the Islamists will soon create.