Ahmadiyah As A New Religion?

Can it really all be that simple?Can it really be as simple as the Ahmadis standing up and saying, "OK, we are a new religion", and "please leave us alone"?If you were prepared to accept the word of Priyo Budi Santoso, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and member of Golkar, then it is. It would seem that the Democrat Party of SBY is also suggesting that the establishment of a new

What the Indonesian Government Really Means...

Religious freedom in its most basic essence, at least as I see it, is the idea that people are free to worship whatever they want and to be free from interference from others as they practice those beliefs. So, when Indonesia talks about religious freedom and a constitutionally guaranteed right to religious freedom is it really talking about this kind of pluralism or is it merely lip service and

Organised Mob Violence in Indonesia in the Name of Islam...

I love Indonesia. It is my second home. My wife, Dyah, is Indonesian and my son, Will, will always be aware of his Indonesian heritage. So, it is with a heavy heart that I read stories of religious intolerance and organised mob violence and murder in the name of religion. In this case the religion is Islam. Heinous acts of gratuitous mob violence of this kind is a stain on all those good

Gun Violence: Enough of a Reason to Restrict Gun Ownership?

The Constitution of the United States of America provides in the Second Amendment the right of her citizens to "keep and bear arms". The US Supreme Court has addressed the issue a number of times and has affirmed that the right extends beyond guns being kept solely for use in a militia (see District of Columbia v. Heller). I do not claim to be a US constitutional law expert, or even a

Luna Maya, Ariel and Pemuda Pancasila...

So, what is the Pancasila Youth (Pemuda Pancasila) doing at the Ariel sex tape trial?Part of the interest of watching a controversial celebrity trial is watching how the support for and against the defendant align themselves. A trial about sex tapes, and pornography generally, is certain to bring them out.So, how do they align in the Ariel distribution of sex tapes case?On, the one side you