Thread: Islam In Indonesia

I’m going to offer some personal views on this topic, and I most heartily ask any of my Muslim friends to immediately jump in and tell me where I am wrong.

Islam di Indonesia is by far moderate. I see it as equally a God given guide for us humans as how to live in the best way we can, as also a guide to find peace after death.

Islamic Indonesians do not attempt to force their religion on others. In fact, religious tolerance in this most highly Islamic popultated country in the world is hallmarked as the most tolerant.

Given Indonesia’s moderate Islamic views, the US has been woefully neglect by not embracing her as they did during the Vietnam War. Indonesia has been ignored by the current administration, and that is a sad fact.

Recently forced to give up Tim tim, or East Timor, in the wake of dissent, Indonesia in fact gave up what she was asked to take on from Portugal, during the height of the Vietnam War, and communist phobia. And now Australia, who was given the “go ahead” from the then current American administration, is doing its best to farm the off shore natural gas and oil to be found off the shores of East Timor.

Islam, and Islam in Indonesia, (which includes Bali) seems to share the same bad rap. While there are some very good reasons for criticism on both fronts, there are NO good reasons to classify Indonesia, or its greater Muslim population in some form of extreme designation as offered by the President of the United States, or his chosen foreign policy advisors.

A very sad fact is that I know way too many Muslim friends that now chose to be quiet. While their guidance and insight would be most useful, they have chosen to keep their mouths shut, lest they find themselves trying to explain themselves from behind bars.

The gradual, yet methodic alienation of the Islamic world is a real truth, and it is the worst fallout of the war in Iraq. If unchecked, and not addressed, it will have severe consequences, which are not suggested here as a threat, but rather, a reality.

As I write this post, Americans are currently voting. With some very good luck, and the intervention of higher powers, a signal may in fact be sent to the White House. If that signal includes a message that it is time to put hate, anger, revenge, and retribution behind us, then we have all taken a giant step forward.

Hi Roy,
and to ALL!
sorry I've not been keeping up with the fora as much as I used to.

Still here on the 'left' coast, usa;
Where the ballots are mail-in(paper-trail) and the representives are liberal.

Still, I dream of sending an absentee ballot from across the sea someday...

Made, you have been missed on this forum. Mats and I discussed this just a couple of days ago, and it is SO Balinese that you show up now again!

Personally I hope that you are not just poking your head through an open door to say “hi” and then disappear once again.

Thank you Bli Roy,
And hello to you as well, Mats.
It has been a busy summer for me and I have had little time to spend here at Indra's internet cafe(if one must drop a name...) to pilfer the wireless signal.

But now the rains have come and will stay for some months so you will indeed be hearing more of me to be certain.
Perhaps it is the forboding I feel towards the judicial bickering that is sure to follow the result of today's(yesterdays) mid-term elections, or maybe the autumnal chill of the pacific northwest that makes me return to my friends here, but it is most likely that thing that is "SO Balinese" that once again whispers to me.

Bali has not left my heart,
and the members of the forum are as close as I am able to be there.
I must do some catching up once more.

Originally Posted by Roy

Islam di Indonesia

I don't you can speak of this. Indonesia is such a large country with so many different people and believes, even within the Islam that it can never be right to speak about the Indonesian Islam.
Islam in Aceh, Bali or Middle Java for example is not the same.

Yes, for the most part the brand of Islam here in Indonesia is very tolerant. It's just not a big issue here to be friends, hang out, date amongst the various religions.

Any guesses as to why it is VERY different that the brand that exists in the Middle East? We've had our colonization, we've had our share of beat downs, crisis, economic turmoil, etc.

Extremism just doesn't survive here in Indonesia - it takes foreigners to ignite extremism...and now they're all on the run chased on by special military units!

I agree with Rien ,Roy is spouting off about something he knows nothing about,you should stick to being a Balinese lecturer.
Unless you have lived in in the real RI world..........and I mean realy lived the everyday orang kecil lifestyle ,not just sat around with some trendies in Ubud you wouldnt have a clue what is happening in your beloved arcipeligo".
Go and live amoungst the many levals of society that is Indonesia and you will see lots of different faces of this subject.From stoneing women for kissing in public........to total disrespect for womens rights......to full blown planned out brainwashing programs.And also the Pancacilla lot .......which I can tell is just in words.
Want to see people opressed like leppers ,children who live under bridges.women too scard to talk out...people who have to sell their children to pay for hospital bills ,School roofs rotten with no chairs or tables ,Whole villiges submerged in toxic mud ? Then come back and start a religous rave Roy, then go live the real RI experience not just the one in your coccon half hippy lifestyle.