Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Why do Moslems fear freedom of religion?

Danny Carlton blogged From WorldNetDaily

I usually don't quote WorldNet posts, because sometimes they are a bit extreme, and I prefer to blog about posts from sources that people are not going to attack just because of the source, but I must address this one.
...Why do Moslems fear freedom of religion?
Because if one compares other faiths to what some of the extremists have modified Islam to appear to support, one would never select Islam.
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...a mob numbering around 200 came to the Church of Pentecost in Gunung Putri, Indonesia, during the Sunday morning service to protest the property being "misused" as a church building. The five-hour demonstration became so hostile, some of the women among the 190 congregants began crying hysterically.
They should respect our places of worship, as commanded in Surat al-Hajj, 40 (Qur'an 22:40): "if God had not driven some people back by means of others, monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques, where God's name is mentioned much, would have been pulled down and destroyed. God will certainly help those who help Him - God is All-Strong, Almighty."
Pastor Daniel Fekky was told by representatives of the Muslim mob, in a meeting arranged by police, the church would have to be closed based on a pending revision of the 1969 Joint Ministerial Decree (SKB) which dealt with church buildings and government approval. The pastor was able to get the mob to leave only by agreeing to shut the doors to his church....
This is interesting, because according to their faith God has pointed out in the Qur'an (Surat al-Ma'ida, 82 (Qur'an 5:82) ) "You will find the people most affectionate to those who believe are those who say, 'We are Christians.' That is because some of them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant."
Indonesian Christians say the new law will make it more difficult to open new churches, especially in rural, predominantly Muslim areas. They also point to already-established churches which have tried for years to get government approval, without success.
Government bureaucracy, the world over.
Article 29(b) of the Indonesian constitution guarantees Indonesian citizens the freedom to choose their own religion and to worship according to the dictates of that religion.

Pastor Daniel has led his church's services for nine years, but the residents of Gunung Putri and the local government did not protest his ministry until a year ago.
Someone draws a cartoon, they riot and kill. But they threaten a church until it's forced to close? Indonesia has roughly the same population as the US. It's frightening to think that a nation that size could be dominated by such intolerance.

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