You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
Southeast Asia
Indonesian Muslim Body Forbids Liberal Islam
2005-07-30
Indonesia’s top Islamic council issued a religious edict yesterday forbidding any liberal interpretation of Islam in the world’s most populous Muslim nation.
"Nope. Nope. Can't do it. It's my way or the highway!"
“Religious liberalism is haram (forbidden),” said a fatwa, or doctrine, issued by the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) and seen by Reuters. “This is a reminder for Muslims to follow the religion in a correct way and not to try to deviate from the principles,” Maaruf Amin, chief the MUI’s Fatwa Commission, told Reuters.
"Not one little bit. We're watching you, y'know..."
Another fatwa banned inter-religious marriages in Indonesia where 85 percent of its 220 million follow Islam.
"Don't want no damned infidels sniffin' around our wimmin!"
There is widespread debate in Indonesia over inter-religious marriages with some clerics saying Muslim men can marry non-Muslim women.
"But Muslim wimmin can't marry no damned infidels!"
But Amin said the MUI had decided to ban such marriages “for the sake of Indonesian Muslims”.
"Better to just stay away from it. Next thing y'know, you'd be sayin' 'yes, dear,' and takin' out the garbage. Go off on jihad for a few years and there she is, waitin' for you at the door when you get back, with a rollin' pin!"
“This is the strongest view at the MUI and we are doing this to improve the religion quality of the Muslim,” Amin added. The fatwas underlined the growing influence of hardliners in Indonesia, where most Muslims embrace a moderate form of Islam.
Even though they're not allowed to...
Indonesia is officially secular and recognizes Christianity and other religions.
There wouldn't be any Islam in Indonesia if the Hindus and Buddhists who ran things in the old days had adopted the same attitudes as today's Moose limbs...
Posted by:Fred

#9  SR-71.... I've oft thought the same thing. I hope like hell we're wrong. But this might very well be the regeneration of muzzie thought. :<
Posted by: Shipman   2005-07-30 11:15  

#8  AAAH, the Religion of Peace who's motto is "Believe It or Else."
Posted by: GK   2005-07-30 10:29  

#7  EC - Enough

I agree, Barbara.
Posted by: too true   2005-07-30 10:00  

#6  People keep hoping for an Islamic reformation, but I believe that this IS the Islamic reformation. I am more conviced every day that this is going to end badly for the world - and especially for Islam.
Posted by: SR-71   2005-07-30 09:56  

#5  Although I must admit watching Indonesia with bated breath over the past couple of years to see which way the wind would blow, I continue to have great hope and expectation for the country, and stand by what I’ve said before -- like at this link

The posted article’s claim that Indonesia’s top Islamic council was the one issuing a religious edict is quite sensational, but I believe also quite untrue. The Indonesian Ulemas Council is going after groups like the Liberal Islam Network, precisely because they can’t compete with groups like the Liberal Islam Network. Most Indonesians like the ideas promoted by Liberal Islam, like Women should Escape from the Circle of Oppression, Religion Must Benefit Humanity, and Renaissance and Religious Reformation.

The stated goals and activities of groups like the Liberal Islam Network must scare the daylights out of groups like the Ulemas Council -- so the fatwa . . . If groups like the Liberal Islam Network succeed, the totalitarian days of the sheiks, mullahs, fiqh councils, etc. are over.
If authoritarian, totalitarian Islam is to experience a reformation like what took place during authoritarian, totalitarian Christendom, it will be through people and groups like those found at Liberal Islam Network.

Posted by: cingold   2005-07-30 03:29  

#4  Q. Why are there no major Secular organizations in Indonesia?

A. Because Indo leaders, like the dictators of the Pakistan terror entity, get massive foreign aid from suicidal Secular states, notwithstanding their oppression of Seculars. No bend; no break.
Posted by: Vlad the Muslim Impaler   2005-07-30 01:37  

#3  EC - Enough.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2005-07-30 00:36  

#2  Ah, the nuclear target list just keeps growing by the hour.

Hmmm....how many Trident subs do we have?
Posted by: Ebbavins Chomoth3961   2005-07-30 00:32  

#1  10 days ago Indonesia banned the Ahmadiyah sect of islam. Not pure enough for the legendary muslim moderates.
Posted by: ed   2005-07-30 00:20  

00:00