20 churches face demolition in Indonesia
June 22, 2012
Local officials in the Aceh Singkil Regency in Indonesia have closed 20 churches and will likely demolish them.
The officials cited a 2006 regulation requiring the approval of 60 local non-Christians before church construction can begin. Local Muslim leaders, according to an Indonesian press report, ordered Muslims not to offer this approval.
One of the churches likely to be demolished was built in 1932.
“The closure of so many churches in Aceh, continued attacks on churches in West Java, the persecution of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community and now the sentencing of [atheist] Alexander An all illustrate the rising religious intolerance in Indonesia,” said Andrew Johnston of Christian Solidarity Worldwide.
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Further information:
- 20 churches in Aceh face threat of demolition (Jakarta Post)
- Indonesia: Church closures and jailed atheist show rising religious intolerance (Christian Solidarity Worldwide)
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Posted by: wsw33410 -
Jun. 22, 2012 8:19 PM ET USA
And this is exactly "a gratitude" the West receives from Muslim lead communities in Aceh, which was rebuilt after devastating tsunami in December 2005, with billions of dollars provided by Christian organizations and governments of the US, many European, Australian ...
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Posted by: Justin8110 -
Jun. 22, 2012 6:50 PM ET USA
Again, "intolerance" is part and parcel of NORMATIVE Islam. Us in the West just don't get it or don't want to. Anyone who has studied Islamic history, kept abreast of current events or read the Koran would see that what I say is true. Error has no rights in Islam and unlike us Catholics who have basically jettisoned that teaching Muslims still take it seriously.
