This happened because of weak leadership. A leader must be strong, firm, honest and determined in order to unite the nation. Otherwise, radical groups can easily force their beliefs on the public and undermine the philosophies of Pancasila and Bhineka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity).

Those who adhere to Pancasila are now attacked and injured. As in Bali, Yogyakarta is firm about its commitment to religious tolerance, yet apparently well-funded groups of religious fanatics are asserting their beliefs by daringly forcing them onto the public and preventing members of other religions from expressing their faith.

Only a firm and honest government leader can eradicate these annoyingly uneducated people who simply do not realize that national unity is the key to all progress and prosperity in a nation; especially in a large archipelago nation like ours.

Moeljono Adikoesoemo
Jakarta

I wonder how the two presidential candidates have reacted to this important issue.

Recent racist remarks by Donald Sterling, the millionaire owner of a basketball team in Los Angeles, drew immediate condemnation by the American media and society as a whole, resulting in a large fine and Sterling losing ownership of the lucrative sports team.  

His racist remarks about African-Americans, though seemingly harmless, were damaging enough.  Despite the history of racism, such sensitivity shows the progress America has made with respect to racial tolerance.

That the damaging comment was immediately nipped in the bud shows the importance of fighting racism.

Indonesian society must be educated and made fully aware that discrimination regarding race, religion or ethnicity has no place in in the Pancasila-grounded nation.  

A presidential remark or condemnation can set an important tone about this very important issue. What President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono says matters: Will he show callousness or sensitivity?

James

This is an obvious failure on the part of the President. As the nation'€™s leader, Yudhoyono has maintained a silence that has indirectly emboldened the extremists, giving them confidence that the government won'€™t punish them for their violent behavior.

To me, Yudhoyono'€™s greatest failure has been his inability to contain religious violence '€” not just against Christians, but also against minorities like the Ahmadis and other Shia Muslims.

Malam

I can appreciate people embracing religion, but only narrow-minded people think heaven is the only reason to be a good person.

I think that is the problem with religion '€” people are taught from the beginning that doing good deeds is all about getting a reward later on.

What about morality for its own sake? What'€™s wrong with helping people for the sake of humanity? The fact is we can'€™t live on our own. We need each other to survive.

Ellen Utomo

Violence is a part of my past. Back then, I was an angry man and a bully. A couple of times I even broke bones fighting.

I regret everything I did, and I hope God forgives me for my actions. Since embracing religion, however, I am a calmer man and I thank God for it.

If I didn'€™t believe that heaven existed, I would stop being a good man and would not waste much time on charitable acts; I would care only for myself and I would take whatever I wanted so long as I didn'€™t get caught.

I would aspire to become a gangster king as in the Godfather trilogy. I would kill and leave no trace of the murder in order to get what I wanted.  

I would be a clever thief, and I would live happily. Though I would pretend to be a good person, especially in the eyes of the law, I would know the truth about who I really was.

The only reason I stopped dreaming like this was because I believe in my religion.

Even if no one sees what people do, God does. God knows all.

Gatot Santoso Wibowo

Topic of the day

Say no to smear campaigns

Both presidential tickets '€” Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo-Jusuf Kalla and Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa '€” promised not to resort to smear campaigns during a declaration of a fair and peaceful election on Tuesday, while a survey shows that about 40 percent of voters remain undecided with just over one month until election day. What do you think?

Send your thoughts by email, SMS, Twitter or Facebook. Include your name and city.

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