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Your letters: Religious intolerance

The article “Religious intolerance in Indonesia officially goes up a notch”, (The Jakarta Post, Dec

The Jakarta Post
Thu, December 5, 2013 Published on Dec. 5, 2013 Published on 2013-12-05T08:08:24+07:00

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T

he article '€œReligious intolerance in Indonesia officially goes up a notch'€, (The Jakarta Post, Dec. 2) upsets me.

As I understand it, the Constitution guarantees '€œfreedom of religion'€. However, in the 1950s a law (Article 64) was '€œcreated'€ (enacted) requiring everyone to carry an ID card stating their religious choice: Islam, Christianity, Roman Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism or Confucianism, as well as '€œother'€. This law, carrying an ID card, was '€œformally re-endorsed'€ but deleted the choice of '€œother'€.

As far as I know, the Koran is also the sacred book of Shiites and Ahmadis (persona non grata in Pakistan). Christianity and Roman Catholicism are considered different religions or different choices? As far as I know, both '€œreligions'€ read from the same book: the Bible. Buddhism and Confucianism are accepted as religions practiced by '€œethnic Chinese'€. Could it be that racism is not
tolerated in Indonesia?

I am confused. Please explain.

Olga Pitcairn
Pennsylvania, the US

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