Now Look what Secular Indonesia Has Done
Tuesday, 27. January 2009 - 3:10 PM
Indonesia seems hell-bent on achieving fast-track Islamic Statehood. Here’s the latest gem.
“The yoga practice that contains religious rituals of Hinduism including the recitation of mantras is “haram” (forbidden in Islam),” Ma’ruf Amin, a spokesman for the group, said.
“Muslims should not practise other religious rituals as it will erode and weaken their Islamic faith,” he added.
The council said Muslims could do yoga as long as it is was only for physical exercise and did not include chanting, mantras or meditation.
The largest Islamic country in the world–which ostensibly calls itself secular–is afraid that Yoga will “weaken” the faith of the Faithful. Oh, the insecurity!
Tags: Indonesia, Indonesia bans Yoga, Insecure Islam, Islam Watch, Society & Culture
27. January 2009 - 6:43 PM
“The largest Islamic country in the world–which ostensibly calls itself secular…”
I lived there for a long time and it is pretty secular or more accurately, the majority of Muslims are not ardent believers due to the country’s history. Many continue to have Hindu names despite being Muslim. It’s only in recent times, after 9/11 that the hard-line religious leaders are growing in popularity and still, the majority of population doesn’t really care much about religion. To call it an Islamic State is ridiculous.
28. January 2009 - 12:08 AM
I didn’t live in Indonesia but I did visit it, the fine island of Bali mostly. I do partly agree with Abi; Indonesia is definitely not an Islamic state in the sense even of Malaysia, let alone Saudi Arabia. Quite recently, it executed three Islamic terrorists who staged the deadly Bali nightclub bombings of 2002. Which other Muslim-majority state can claim the distinction of cracking down as harshly on Muslim terrorists?
Indonesia is also the only Muslim-majority country where the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata are still enthusiastically celebrated in popular culture. I wonder why that didn’t raise the hackles of the yoga-hating Saudi-funded Islamist bigots. Perhaps it is only a matter of time.
28. January 2009 - 1:34 AM
Indonesia might not be a full-blown islamic state yet, but I fear it is only a question of a decade or two..
28. January 2009 - 4:22 AM
@Abi,
That’s indeed heartening to know.
@ Ariel,
“Indonesia might not be a full-blown islamic state yet, but I fear it is only a question of a decade or two..”
Could we attribute this to the alarming increase in Muslim population of mostly the uneducated ones who will turn radical at the drop of a hat?
28. January 2009 - 9:18 AM
The Deoband school of thought seems to have taken a moderate stand based on Baba Ramdev’s ideas. They claim that there’s nothing wrong with Muslims performing Yoga, and have asked Muslims to chant the name of Allah or verses from the Quran while performing yoga/meditation instead of OM or other mantras which have religious connotations.
Whether OM is a religious mantra alone, might be a subject for another discussion.
28. January 2009 - 9:33 AM
AK,
Yes, but there are TONS AND TONS AND TONS of super-educated muslims as well./ I frequent many of them daily here in Eurabia and I don’t see much difference between a well-educated versus a poorly educated one as far as I have experienced.
Just like the 911 hijackers. Those were evil scum, but not really uneducated. Most people in the decadent West are (even the Dhimmis) well,-educated, but they cannot conceive a single independent thought without consulting the PC-police..
I personally think Eurabia will succumb to Sharia before Indonesia, because in Europe there are millions of willing future slaves and appeasers..
28. January 2009 - 10:44 AM
Seems that the fatwa is only against any chanting of mantras during yoga, not against practicing the aasanas.
28. January 2009 - 5:51 PM
More and more of us are waking up to the reality of Islam. This is good news. While we’re at it, lets boycott mainstream news channels. Lets demand an equivalent of Fox News for India, that is not afraid to report situations as they are.
Ariel,
I am touched by your story. And sorry that you are leaving your homeland because of Islamic/Pakistani/Arab thugs. If you do that though, then who will fight for Norway?