News 07/09/05: Would You?
In 1969, a law is passed. One must ask permission from the community and its leaders, including the spiritual leaders, to open a place of worship. Only then consent is given by the government to erect a building for religious purposes.
Most Indonesians embrace Islam. It is almost impossible to get permission from Muslim leaders to build any place of worship other than mosques, let alone consent from the government. There had been extreme difficulties to build new churches. A lot of churches that was bombed or burned down didn’t even get permission to be rebuilt. Their blackened frames were left where they were set ablaze, reminding Christians of that dark Christmas night in 2000.
But Christians still need a place of worship. They want to commune with God and fellowship with fellow believers. They started meeting at houses.
In the past few years, a lot of Muslims crossed over to Christianity. This initiate Mr. Muhammad Mu’min to start a movement called AGAP (Anti-Conversion Movements) with a mission to stop the activities of house churches and so stop the crossing over of people from Islam to Christianity. They would send delegations to the house churches twice before sending their troops to force Christians to close down the, what AGAP called, “undisciplined” churches.
“This is a win-lose situation,” Mr. answered TEMPO when asked of their reason for using force to close down the churches. “We must win, and they must lose,” he said. For Muslims, dying for their religion is considered honour. It means their sins will all be forgiven not accounted for. “We are ready to start Crusade II… we will take the pastor as hostage” Mr. Mu’min Added.
This matter has been raised up to the higher leaders of the nation. Indonesian president has asked the religion minister to attend to this issue.
***
Would you intercede with me for Indonesia?
Most Indonesians embrace Islam. It is almost impossible to get permission from Muslim leaders to build any place of worship other than mosques, let alone consent from the government. There had been extreme difficulties to build new churches. A lot of churches that was bombed or burned down didn’t even get permission to be rebuilt. Their blackened frames were left where they were set ablaze, reminding Christians of that dark Christmas night in 2000.
But Christians still need a place of worship. They want to commune with God and fellowship with fellow believers. They started meeting at houses.
In the past few years, a lot of Muslims crossed over to Christianity. This initiate Mr. Muhammad Mu’min to start a movement called AGAP (Anti-Conversion Movements) with a mission to stop the activities of house churches and so stop the crossing over of people from Islam to Christianity. They would send delegations to the house churches twice before sending their troops to force Christians to close down the, what AGAP called, “undisciplined” churches.
“This is a win-lose situation,” Mr. answered TEMPO when asked of their reason for using force to close down the churches. “We must win, and they must lose,” he said. For Muslims, dying for their religion is considered honour. It means their sins will all be forgiven not accounted for. “We are ready to start Crusade II… we will take the pastor as hostage” Mr. Mu’min Added.
This matter has been raised up to the higher leaders of the nation. Indonesian president has asked the religion minister to attend to this issue.
***
Would you intercede with me for Indonesia?
*All quotations are taken from TEMPO, 11 September 2005, pp.32
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