Let Ahmadis Live Side-By-Side With Us

I wonder why many people are so keen to expect the change of Ahmadis’ belief. It will be futile efforts. You can kill them as well as torture them. But as long as belief is concerned, you can do nothing about it.

In today’s era, religion is seen differently. In the past, only certain people – with claim of representative of God – take control how we should practice religion. But now we cannot accept this out-of-date idea. Religion is purely private area. It is between you and God. Nobody has special right to tell us what to do or what to believe in. We can discuss about my belief and your belief, but at the end of our discussion let me do my own way with my own brain and you do with yours.

Human rights – freedom of religion included – becomes the universal idea. Indonesia has ratified International Covenant and Political Rights in 2006 which state to respect freedom of religion. Unfortunately our government is not consistent with this by upholding controversial blasphemy law which provides criminal penalties for those who express religious beliefs that deviate from the central tenets of the six officially recognized religions.

Indonesia’s blasphemy law seems to be implausible. I pick up one officially recognized religion, for instance Islam. In Islam there are at least 2 large mainstreams, consisting of Shiite and Sunni. They have many things which are the same as well as many things which are different. Can we judge Shiite as blasphemy of Sunni and vice versa? Of course not, since nobody can decide which one is right, which one is wrong. At last we let the people choose what kind of way they practice Islam. In my opinion, given this example we should give the same opportunity to the Ahmadiyah’s adherents.

Moreover, the Abhamic religions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam – intertwine. On the advent of Christianity, the followers were also considered as blasphemy to the old teachings. So were the followers of Islam. That is the nature of a newly-born religion. To Jews, Islam can be blasphemy to their religion since Islam includes Jews’ prophets in Islamic teaching. So why should we be bothered with Ahmadiyah creating new style of Islam. Can you imagine if the Jews forbid Muslims and Christians to take King David as one of their prophet, because King David is a Jew?

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The startling moment of anti-Ahmadiyah violence is the absence of state in protecting its citizens. I have watched the footage on youtube the big-belly cop let the people lynch a powerless and bloody Ahmadi at hand.

And then after giving condemnation, the government officers were busy conducted meeting and meeting without doable resolution as if the occurrence in Pandeglang Banten was the first time of persecution.

Coward leader and incapable security officers must be blamed for this savage!

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