Indonesia's atheists face battle for religious freedom

[rug]

Alex Aan faces jail for posting 'God doesn't exist' on Facebook, renewing fears for atheists in the world's most populous Muslim country



Activists say Alex Aan’s is the first case in which an atheist in Indonesia is being tried in relation to 'pancasila', which requires belief in one god. Photograph: Kate Hodal

Kate Hodal in Padang
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 3 May 2012 05.22 EDT

When Alex Aan picked up a copy of Karen Armstrong's Holy War from his local library in west Sumatra in 2005, he had little inkling of his own religious battle to come. But after posting "God doesn't exist" on Facebook, the soft-spoken civil servant, 30, faces up to 11 years in jail for what is considered blasphemy in Indonesia.

His case has stoked a debate in the world's most populous Muslim nation, whose 240 million citizens are technically guaranteed freedom of religion but protected by law only if they believe in one of six credos: Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, Buddhism, Confucianism and Hinduism. Those who question any of those face five years in prison for "insulting a major religion", plus an additional six years if they use the internet to spread such "blasphemy" to others.

Activists say Aan's is the first case in which an atheist is being tried in relation to the first pillar of Indonesia's state philosophy – pancasila, which requires belief in one god. From the medium-security rural prison where he has been held for the past two months, Aan has little hope for the future. He has been beaten by angry mobs, rejected by his community and endured public calls for his beheading. For now he is lying low in his cramped cell, awaiting an imminent verdict and has told none of his fellow inmates about his supposed crime.

"The truth is way too dangerous," says Aan quietly, his hands clasped together over his prison-issue blue jeans and button-down shirt. "I'm really worried about my future. And I'm only just now starting to think about how I'm going to deal with it."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/03/indonesia-atheists-religious-freedom-aan

"Pancasila". Never heard of it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancasila_(politics)

[JNelson6563]

1. Not only do I fear the believers who would pursue this here

But even moreso I fear and disdain the countless believers who might not agree with such tactics but would turn a blind eye and remain silent.

And those are the folks who are everywhere.

Julie

[rug]

2. The chance that pancasila will be proposed in thr U.S. is quite remote.

That chance that it will gain even marginal support is remoter.

[JNelson6563]

4. While I do agree with you

There are those who would push us as far down that road as they could. There are great powers that would love to help such a cause along.

Julie

[cbayer]

3. I wasn't aware of this at all.

So you can choose from 6 religions, but you have to choose one. How bizarre.

[dmallind]

5. How do they square belied in one god with at least two of the allowed religions

Confucianism, Buddhism, and even basic Hinduism as practiced by most believers cannot really be called monotheistic.

[rug]

6. Good question.