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May 04, 2012

Indonesian atheist faces long jail sentence for posting "God doesn't exist" on Facebook


Alexander Aan, an Indonesian civil servant who is currently in custody and facing an 11-year prison sentence for expressing his atheism on Facebook.

In Indonesia, the law guarantees citizens freedom of religion, but only as long as they adhere to Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, Buddhism, Confucianism or Hinduism. By expressing his atheism Aan - who posted the phrase "God doesn't exist" on a Facebook page – is held to have breached Indonesia's official state philosophy (known as the Pancasila), which requires citizens to have "Belief in the one and only God".

Aan is the first atheist to be tried for breaching this aspect of the Pancasila and, as the Guardian reports, his case has led to calls for his execution by hardline Islamists, and he was badly beaten while in custody by a mob who learned of the charges he is facing.

According to Indonesian human rights activists, Aan's case is part of a growing trend towards religious intolerance, with members of non-Muslim religious minorities also facing attack from the country's increasingly influential religious conservatives, despite the legal protection ostensibly offered to the followers of some non-Islamic faiths.

The quotes one hardline Muslim, Zainuddin Datuk Rajo Lenggang, whose view seems emblematic of this worrying trend:


"If you are not a religious person, you might be dangerous to others, behaving without control and doing anything you like. Religion brings order. You cannot be an individualist."


Aan's plight serves as a reminder of the severe dangers non-believers face in many parts of the world. Indeed, even in Britain atheists from some backgrounds can be afraid of being open about their beliefs, for fear of alienating their families and their wider communities. Those atheists who have never experienced such problems need to be aware of this, and suggests that the atheist community needs to offer support to those who face being ostracised, and perhaps worse, for admitting their non-religious beliefs.

22 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. "If you are not a religious person, you might be dangerous to others, behaving without control and doing anything you like. Religion brings order. You cannot be an individualist."

      Really? Try telling that to the "christian" abortion clinic bombers and shooters.

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    2. Or any Muslim for that matter, Muslims have been know to just spontaneously combust in densely populated areas.

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  2. Religions don't get respect by doing this. They get more athiests.

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  3. When will religious fanatics stop persecuting those they deem "heretics". Clearly any religion that supports the persecution of unbelievers is but psychopathology masquerading as religion. Sadly this includes fundamentalists from all of the Abrahamic traditions. Liberals perhaps tend to be too tolerant... Intolerance should never be tolerated!

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  4. those son of a bitch Christians

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  5. fuck god and fuck allah and all the fuckin believers in a fuckin myth! Nkt!

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  6. Islam and all those other Abrahamic faiths are big bullies!

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  7. I guess he should have kept his Mouth shut, or emigrate!!

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  8. I guess he should have kept his mouth shut or emigrate!!! if that's the rules and you don't like it either behave or leave.

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  9. Zainuddin Datuk Rajo Lenggang, whose view seems emblematic of this worrying trend: "If you are not a religious person, you might be dangerous to others, behaving without control and doing anything you like.

    I seems that this is an action that religious people do to others, even while they claim atheists might do to them. Zainuddin is a religious hypocrite and he is basically insecure because he knows that perhaps HE is somebody who need restraints.

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  10. I thought Indonesia was mostly Muslim. So it would be those SOB Muslims.

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  11. its not bad enough thee religious nuts have been killing and persecuting each other for all thee years but they have to punish those of us who dont want to play their "religious ball" what a sad disgrace

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  12. Send all those religious zealots back to their God...kill em and let God sort em out....

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  13. They allow Hinduism, but Hinduism is a diverse system of thought with beliefs spanning monotheism, polytheism, panentheism, pantheism, monism, and atheism. So either it should be okay to practice atheism or they don't really allow true Hinduism to be practiced. I'm thinking it's the latter.

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  14. When I go out in public I wear my Jesus Is A Cunt shirt proudly, because nothing show freedom of religion then a nun masturbating on the front and on the back big bold letters that say Jesus Is A Cunt.

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    1. oh you are so edgy. at least christians will allow you to do it, try wearing a shirt saying mohammed is a fag, and showing him fucking a goat on the front, near some muslims and see what happens.

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  15. This is case and point why religionis so dangerous. Only those who can get past what they've been told to believe realize you don't need god to be good.

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  16. If the Judge admits the religion is merely a tool to control people, is he not saying God is superfluous, and therefore should be on trial as well?

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  17. Fuck Religion, God can go kiss my arse.
    Show me the proof of the existence of any god, Oh wait you cant because it dosent exist, Neither does god!!!!

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