Jakarta: Christian gov. jailed for blasphemy

Jakarta, Indonesia -- the Christian governor of Jakarta was jailed for blasphemy, saying that Jesus wasn't the Son of God. 

Oh, wait. It was actually for blasphemy against Islam.

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama was found guilty Tuesday and received two years in jail for blasphemy against Islam, a so-called religion to which he does not adhere. The sentence was worse than feared and others are concerned that it will embolden hardline Muslim forces to challenge secularism in Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim majority nation, and a nation where Barack Obama attended madrassa.

Islamist groups organized huge rallies against the Christian Purnama's campaign and ended his bid for another term as governor.

President Joko Widodo, an ally of Purnama, is an ethnic-Chinese Christian. He believes the verdict will be a setback for his government that has tried to quell radical groups (aka Muslims) and soothe investors' worries that the country's secular values were at risk. 

They are and investors aren't quelled.

We are now living in a world where freedom of speech and belief are no longer unimpeachable. Like radical Islam, the left even in the United States, is rioting in order to stop free speech.

While thousands of people, both supporters and opponents to free speech and belief, waited outside, the Jakarta court judge, Dwiarso Budi Santiarto said Purnama was "found to have legitimately and convincingly conducted a criminal activity of blasphemy, and because of that we have imposed two years of imprisonment."

How tolerant.

Purnama said that he plans to appeal.

Charles Santiago, chairman of the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), composed of regional lawmakers overseeing rights issues, said that "Indonesia was thought to be a regional leader in terms of democracy and openness. This decision places that position in jeopardy and raises concerns about Indonesia's future as an open, tolerant, diverse society."

Let us not kid ourselves: any society that is headed by a theocratic governance is never going to be tolerant, diverse and open because it goes against its very core.

While we pretend to be better people for our tolerance, Islamists are laughing at us.

The United Nations' Bangkok Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (kind of an oxymoron) tweeted: "We are concerned by jail sentence for Jakarta governor for alleged blasphemy against Islam. We call on Indonesia to review blasphemy law."

So who is Indonesia going to ask about blasphemy? 

An imam who will not go against his fellow Muslims.

Purnama was taken to an East Jakarta prison after the verdict was delivered and will remain there unless a higher court suspends it while waiting for his appeal.

This is a disgrace for Indonesia, but standard operating procedure for Islam.




Tweet