Article: No Model For Muslim Democracy
Author: Andreas Harsono
Date Published: May 21, 2012
Hyperlink: Click here to read this article
Author: Andreas Harsono
Date Published: May 21, 2012
Hyperlink: Click here to read this article
This article is about religious discrimination in Indonesia. The article states that Islamist extremists are attacking and destroying Christian churches. The Indonesia Constitution legally secures the right to religion. However, the article states that there as many as 150 religions are discriminated against and often denied rights. Many people outside of Indonesia are pushing its government to follow its Constitution and secure the freedom of religion.
I find the idea of religious persecution in Indonesia to be saddening. Indonesia is a large country with many diverse ethnic and cultural groups. However, many in Indonesia are persecution are punished for practicing a certain religion, usually one with ties to their culture. I find it disheartening that people are not being treated fairly and respectfully in Indonesia just for practicing their culture
This article relates to the culture of Indonesia in many ways. The major religion of Indonesia is Sunni Muslim. Due to the cultural significance of Sunni Muslim is Indonesia, other religions are practiced by a small minority of Indonesia's population. The article introduces that Christianity in particular is selected as a target of Islamist extremists. Due to religions other that Sunni Muslim being persecuted against, some minority cultures in Indonesia will start to fade away as its followers do not wish to be persecuted. As a result, minority cultures may lose some identity and dissolve into the greater Indonesian culture.