Muslims fear persecution in Russia? Really? And even if they do, which is highly doubtful, what is that bit of information doing in a story about Christians in Indonesia? Why, it’s just setting up a bit of moral equivalence, so that reporter Peter Cave can continue comfortably in his dhimmitude, theological equivalence, and moral relativism. “Yes, I’m writing about Christians being persecuted by Muslims, but you see, my headline pretends that the fault is on both sides, and I mentioned Muslims being persecuted elsewhere, so you see, I’m not being ‘racist.'”
“Confrontations escalate between Indonesian Christians and Muslims,” from Australia’s ABC, with thanks to JE:
HAMISH ROBERTSON: While Muslims fear persecution in Russia, Christians in Indonesia believe they’re facing increasing repression there.
A new decree on places of worship has just replaced an earlier ordinance promulgated in 1969, which was widely criticised as repressing minor religions in the world’s largest Muslim society.
According to Indonesia’s Christians, this new edict takes repression one-step further and breaches the Constitution and human rights conventions.
Our Foreign Affairs Editor, Peter Cave compiled this report in Jakarta.
(sound of a young foot soldiers singing in Indonesian)
PETER CAVE: The young foot soldiers of radical Islam in Indonesia. Members of the Islamic Defenders Front who have become infamous for their attempts to enforce Islamic morals in Indonesia with attacks on nightclubs, liquor stores and more recently, the offices of the newly established Playboy Magazine.
(sound of a young foot soldiers singing in Indonesian)
Islamic fundamentalism has risen in Indonesia along with democracy since the overthrow of the repressive Suharto regime and Christians, who constitute Indonesia’s second largest religious grouping at around eight per cent compared to around 88 percent for the Muslim majority, say they’re bearing the brunt.
What worries them in the new regulations is a stipulation that new places of worship must have congregations of at least 90 people and that 60 people belonging to other religions in the area must give their consent.
Minority religious groups say the old regulation was used to close down 23 churches in West Java alone over the past two years and that Muslim gangs are using the new law to attack even established churches in their communities.
Read it all. It’s a contemptible dhimmi report, but nevertheless illuminating.