Indonesia arrests an atheist for Facebook posting

[armandtanzarian]

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2012/01/31/alexander-aan-under-attack-for-blasphemy-suddenly-converts-to-islam/

Couple of days ago someone called Alexander Aan from Indonesia was arrested for a posting on his facebook proclaiming God doesn't exist. Indonesia essentially bans atheism; you must subscribe to one of six "official" religions; and the main religion is Islam. Couple that with the increased streak of radicalism in Indonesia, we get a situation like this.

Indonesian media is now reporting he is "repenting". He might continue to be charged with blasphemy though.

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/asiapacific/news/article_1688076.php/Indonesian-atheist-might-embrace-Islam-after-arrest-police-say

[largeham]

Ah fucking hell. This is shit. Seems that both Malaysia and Indonesia are suffering from a rise in fundamentalism.

[kefkaownsall]

What is strange is that Indonesian populce is largely secular
Also why does he have to do Islam why not Buddhism

[The Right Honourable Mlle Antéchrist]

Also why does he have to do Islam why not Buddhism

Inheritance of religion, probably. If his parents, grandparents, etc. were/are Muslim, he'd be labeled Muslim from birth and therefore an apostate if he tried to convert to another religion. In fundamentalist Islam, apostasy is considered to be one of the worst crimes a person can commit.

It's bullshit, of course, but if Indonesia adheres to those laws, he would be legally barred from being anything other than Muslim.

Welcome to the wonderful world of state-mandated religions.

[kefkaownsall]

Also why does he have to do Islam why not Buddhism

Inheritance of religion, probably. If his parents, grandparents, etc. were/are Muslim, he'd be labeled Muslim from birth and therefore an apostate if he tried to convert to another religion. In fundamentalist Islam, apostasy is considered to be one of the worst crimes a person can commit.

It's bullshit, of course, but if Indonesia adheres to those laws, he would be legally barred from being anything other than Muslim.

Welcome to the wonderful world of state-mandated religions.

I'll have to double check
I would like to point out that Jakarta is not like this

[Captain Jack Harkness]

This is absolutely terrifying to know.  The sad thing is that if fundamentalists had their way, the U.S. wouldn't be much different, except with Christianity instead of Islam.

[Eniliad]

My first thought as well.

[N. De Plume]

Not surprising. Which is sad.

[Lithp]

If the Fundamentalists had their way, you would not have 6 options.

[gyeonghwa]

Even 6 options are very limiting.

[rookie]

If the Fundamentalists had their way, you would not have 6 options.

Sure you would. But since religious freedom means getting to pick out which branch of christianity (screw you, spell check, I am not capitalizing the "c") you want as long as it isn't Catholic or LDS. So you can be a Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, whathaveyou.

[Old Viking]

He shouldn't be arrested for being an atheist. Posting on Facebook is another matter entirely.

[Kain]

My first thought as well.

That was one of my first thoughts as well.

[Lithp]

If the Fundamentalists had their way, you would not have 6 options.

Sure you would. But since religious freedom means getting to pick out which branch of christianity (screw you, spell check, I am not capitalizing the "c") you want as long as it isn't Catholic or LDS. So you can be a Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, whathaveyou.

That's what they say, but in reality, you'd have to agree with everything the victorious Fundamentalist group said.

Take a look at RR. Actually, they do away with the pretense entirely, & go on about how they "don't believe in religion."

[N. De Plume]

If the Fundamentalists had their way, you would not have 6 options.

Sure you would. But since religious freedom means getting to pick out which branch of christianity (screw you, spell check, I am not capitalizing the "c") you want as long as it isn't Catholic or LDS. So you can be a Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, whathaveyou.

No. There are plenty of Christian denominations that think they are the one true way. My father was once acquainted with a Lutheran church that believed their sect of Lutheranism was the only way to get to heaven, for example. If they can’t even accept other Lutherans, they sure as hell aren’t going to accept Baptists or Methodists.