Pluralism? Muslim Sermons on Public Buses?
I don’t like flying. Never have, never will.
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In the days when I had time to spare, my choice was always the ocean wave rather than way up high.
But one resigns oneself to it, pretending one is on a bus and avoiding the sight of clouds outside your window. Now, however, taking an actual bus here in Indonesia, at least in one major city, is going to be a bit of an ordeal as well.
Bandung, West Java’s top city, has many buses going to and fro on its streets, and the Jakarta Post last weekend reported there’s to be a program for Islamic preachers to board city buses and give sermons.
Bandung looks normal, but it IS in West Java!
Cops Stop West Java Worship, Appease Islamist Louts
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Good grief.
Apart from the fact that no similar opportunity to hector helpless passengers appears to have been offered to Christian, Buddhist or Hindu preachers, who needs sermons when you’re on the way to work?
Anyone Muslim in Bandung, or anywhere in West Java, who wants to enjoy spiritual uplift, has a choice of multitudinous mosques to drop by. Most people who board a bus like to doze off, read a paper, or chat to whomsoever’s sitting next to them.
What gives Bandung City the right to disturb their preferred peaceful pastimes?
But it gets even weirder – the Mayor claims not to know anything about this sectarian propaganda scheme.
Mayor Ridwan Kamil
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“When they announced it, they did not have my permission. We have no such plan, why did they announce it? I am confused myself,” Ridwan Kamil said.
Seems like Hizonna needs to slap down those who’ve been keeping him in the dark about this bizarre plan, which was announced a few days earlier by H. Latief, the head of religious affairs at the city secretariat.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/08/15/bandung-mayor-has-not-given-nod-to-bus-sermons.html
According to Latief, the sermons will only happen on state-owned DAMRI buses. In Jakarta, they only run to the airport, but in Bandung, I don’t know.
Latief
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However, if they are state-owned, all the more reason to stop Latief’s scheme. Indonesia is NOT an Islamic Republic, but a multi-faith nation, so this putative sectarian hi-jack is totally out of order.
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- But Latief’s arrogance is unbelievable. He asserts that the sermons would be better than just daydreaming, communicating through cell phones or sleeping.
No way is that for the likes of some jumped-up wowser like Latief to decide for you or me, buddy! Talking to family or friends, or texting, are splendid ways to pass time on a bus, as indeed is sleeping.
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And it gets worse!
Turns out it’s a joint project between the Ministry of Religious Affairs’ office in Bandung, the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) and Bandung Islamic State University.
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Ulemas are ‘scholars’ – so they say.- ————–
- Hell, if the MUI has got anything to do with it, one must hope that the poor mayor can quickly regain control of his city administration. Any clerics the so-called ‘scholars’ approve are almost bound to be bad news!
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Ma’aruf- ———-
It was MUI’s Deputy Chair who kindly advised everyone that FGM is a ‘human right!’
And here’s another of their ‘scholars’ talking.
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“If the act of adultery is by a married person, then stoning is the sentence, while if unmarried, then it’s whipping,” he said.
http://www.suarapembaruan.com/home/mui-dukung-pelaku-kumpul-kebo-dipidanakan/32705
Syamsul Maarif, General Secretary of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Jakarta
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So now we have a hint of what Latief means when he says the bus-preacher sermons would touch on the subject of “morals, good deeds, etc.”
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terry m is discussing. 
rossrightangle 
terry m 11:57 on August 16, 2016 Permalink |
It’s bad enough with getting blasted by the loud-speakers from the mosques.
You are right of course but they couldnt be any worse than those awful ‘musicians’ that jump aboard and scream for three minutes then want paid.
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