Aceh is not “conservative,” as the opening sentence of this Reuters piece has it; it is Sharia-adherent. In the mainstream media, you’re both conservative if you oppose Sharia and conservative you implement it.
Sharia forbids Christians to build new churches or repair old ones. So while Sharia-adherent Muslims demand the closure of churches in Indonesia, those who call attention in the West to these aspects of Sharia are branded “racist,” “bigoted,” “hateful,” “Islamophobic” and acting contrary to the requirements of “Muslim-Christian dialogue.” That branding, however, doesn’t save a single church.
“Hardline Indonesian Muslims call for closure of Christian churches in Aceh,” Reuters, October 18, 2015 (thanks to The Religion of Peace):
Aceh Singkil: Hardline Muslims in Indonesia’s conservative Aceh province on Sunday demanded the local government close 10 Christian churches, just days after a mob burnt down a church, leaving one person dead and several injured.
Tensions are high among the ethnically and religiously diverse population of Aceh Singkil district, raising the risk of further religious violence in Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation.
The vast majority of Indonesians practice a moderate form of Islam, but Aceh is the only province that adheres to Islamic Sharia law, putting it at odds with the rest of the country.
“Ten churches have been identified as not having proper permits and should be closed,” said Hambali Sinaga, head of the local chapter of the hardline group Islamic Defenders Front, adding that the government had until October 19 to take action. “We hope there will be no violence again tomorrow.”
A mob of hundreds of people burnt down a small church in Aceh Singkil last week, citing a lack of building permits, and forced thousands of Christians to flee to neighbouring villages.
One Muslim member of the mob was killed, authorities said last week, adding that at least 10 people had been detained on suspicion of inciting violence.
The government has since deployed more than 1300 police and military personnel, with hundreds more on standby, to patrol the streets and stand guard outside other churches that dot the small palm oil plantations in the district….
Christian residents of the run-down district attended a service on Sunday right next to the charred remains of their church, under the guard of about a dozen armed security personnel….

Angemon says
“Moderate”? You mean “heretic”. Or “non-practicing”.
Huck Folder says
Partially pregnant.
Peggy says
And they call us racist because we object to too many mosques built here. There was a protest by Reclaim Australia about a mosque being built in Bendigo. This mosque was too large for the number of Muslims there anyway and the protestor were being portayed as right wing and extremists.
Christians are not allowed to even repair their churches there. Our politicians turn a blind eye to all this.
tilda says
Andrew Bolt (quoting Rebecca Weisser) has pointed out that the Australian Islamic Mission is behind the proposal to build the mosque, and that some of the people associated with AIM “are so extreme they have been denied visas to the US and UK.”
http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/but_who_are_these_people_behind_the_bendigo_mosque/
Peggy says
Just wondering if you saw Sunday Night program last night. What did you think of that stupid redfaced idiot they interviewed. She said that what Reclaim Australia was saying was lies, but doesn’t say exactly what the lies are and what the truth is. They let her get awawy with it.
Made my blood boil.
tilda says
No, I didn’t watch it. However, it seems to be still available online, so thanks for the ‘heads up’ … have put it on my ‘watch this’ list.
sidney penny says
The Hindus and Buddhists have gone .
How the turn of the Christians.
Yes, Modern Moderate Democratic Indonesia.
This temple is always protected by armed guards 24/7.Airport security to get in.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/08/23/police-alert-over-threat-borobudur.html
Police in Central Java have tightened security measures at the Borobudur Temple in Magelang in response to an apparent threat made by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) supporters to attack the world-renowned cultural-heritage site.
Mazo says
Hindus are gone? Go look up the demographics of Bali. You must be smoking powerful weed. But don’t let them catch you doing it on Bali.
Katnis says
Heartbreaking to see this. It goes on and on and on. What can I do to help these people? I feel like my prayers aren’t enough.
TheBuffster says
Katnis, one thing to do is to keep educating yourself about Islam and keep making yourself an ever more knowledgeable and persuasive presenter of the truth to anyone who cares to listen.
To more directly help persecuted Christians you can donate to the Barnabas Fund. They’ve been at this for years. https://barnabasfund.org/
TheBuffster says
You can even choose which project to donate to, if you like.
Jay Boo says
Sinful supplications are the soil foundation for Islam’s sharia implementation.
Reveal the rotten core of every Muslim’s secret refuge.
When their sordid whisper turns to a prayer, remember, for Muslims no one is there.
John Price says
Someone is there! Allah is SATAN! Who’s Greatest achievement is to convince everone that he doesn’t exist!
Veronica says
What we have to realize is how much has changed in the past 14 years since the attack on 9/11 when the West was completely stunned by the concept of religious extremists blowing their “enemies” up. In the West we have spent so many years of relative peace and tolerance that we tend to think that is what people consider normal and what everybody wants for their lives. The concept of a God that wants people killed if they do not follow him/it does not enter our consciousness, but in the Muslim world they are indoctrinated with that idea – now that I realize THAT my whole attitude to the fact of Islam has changed – I do not want to be subjected to someone else’s ideas of religious truth whatever that is and now we have to defend ourselves against those who would MAKE us join. So – in this new reality what do we do – we have to somehow prevent THEM from gaining any control over us. No giving into their demands at all, and keep a watchful eye on everything they do. Very sad, but the reality now – they have given up their chance to be ‘integrated’ into a multicultural tolerant society and made us distrust them.
I have met and talked to many a sweet, loving Muslim person, how I relate to them will not change in my daily interactions, but my ‘antenna’ are now raised and it is not MY hate or bigotry that is to blame for that – now we have to hear hatred on a daily basis, the world’s Muslims are turning to extremism, Muslim leaders are encouraging the trend, and a full-scale religious war is brewing, I hate it !
John Price says
For every Christian Church they Close down or destroy, Close down a Mosque in the UK or in the USA.. Knock for Knock, Tit for Tat! We are far too tolerant of these EVIL, SATAN WORSHIPPERS! It is time that we stopped being tolerant and passive! The Muslims Complain about EVERYTHING! Then DEMAND that we give them what they want! Our Stupid Politicians bend over backwards to comply with their Demands! THIS IS STILL GREAT BRITAIN! The British people are sick and tired of these people who refuse to integrate into our society, they DEMAND Sharia Law, They are Paedophiles believing that a child of Six years of age is ready for marriage and at Nine years of age is ready for SEX, Mobs of Muslims are RAPING lone women because their Sharia Law DEMANDS that women should never be allowed out alone! Hey! You SICK Morons! THIS IS OUR COUNTRY! WITH OUR LAWS! OBEY THEM OR BE DEPORTED! WE WILL PROTECT OURSELVES AND OUR WOMEN! WE WILL STRIKE BACK BY STEALTH WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT! Blood will flow in our streets, MUSLIM BLOOD! BEWARE!