Ahmadiyah religious sect officially banned in West Java, Indonesia

[News_Editor]

Ahmadiyah religious sect officially banned in West Java, Indonesia

2011-03-03 23:46:12 GMT+7 (ICT)

WEST JAVA, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) -- The Ahmadiyah religious sect on Thursday was officially banned by the West Java provincial government in Indonesia, the Antara news agency reported.

"The governor's regulation on the Ahmadiyah was signed and all related authorities have also discussed its main point," Ruddy Gandakusumah, spokesman for the West Java government said.

With the issuance of the regulation, all activities related to Ahmadiyah religious sect will be outlawed and banned in West Java province. The ban was decided in a meeting between West Java's top officials on Wednesday.

Many Muslim organizations have demanded a ban on the Ahmadiyah sect. On March 1, hundreds of Muslims, including those of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) staged a rally to demand the prohibition of the sect's teachings in Indonesia.

In addition, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was urged to issue a decree banning the religious group which has been the focus of attacks in Indonesia for the last two years.

In West Java's Banten province, 25 members of the Ahmadiyah sect were attacked by a group of around 1,500 residents of Umbulan village. The attack stemmed from the refusal of the Ahmadiyah members to to leave the house of a local group leader. Six Ahmadiyah members were killed.

A team was set up by Indonesia's National Commission on Human Rights to investigate the deadly Ahmadiyah attack in Banten. The Commission's chairman Ifdhal Kasim said that the attack violated many rights, including the right to live and the right to be free from torture and fear.

The Ahmadiyah sect was labeled as a devious sect by state authorities in a joint decree which legalized brutal attacks toward the group members. Kasim remarked that the state has absolutely no right to declare a certain sect as a devious sect.

Furthermore, the Komnas HAM head said that the main obligation of the government is to protect its citizens regardless of their religion and it should focus on enforcing the law instead.

These religious-related incidents of violence have elicited strong condemnation from representatives of the United States and the European Union in Indonesia. From 2007 to 2010 there were 342 attacks on Ahmadiyah members.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-03-03

[Richb2004v2]

I was going to ask how can any religious group be banned when Islam continues unrestricted, but then I realized Islam was actually part of the story. Not that there's anything wrong with Islam of course. It's brilliant. Honest.

[orangezeke]

I was going to ask how can any religious group be banned when Islam continues unrestricted, but then I realized Islam was actually part of the story. Not that there's anything wrong with Islam of course. It's brilliant. Honest.

...what ?

[tw25rw]

Just read up on them. Thought they were going to be a fanatical, murderous branch of Islam, but they seemquite enlightened and tolerant. A bit like the Ba'hais..

[BKKarim]

Just read up on them. Thought they were going to be a fanatical, murderous branch of Islam, but they seemquite enlightened and tolerant. A bit like the Ba'hais..

enlightened? In what sense?

[tw25rw]

Just read up on them. Thought they were going to be a fanatical, murderous branch of Islam, but they seemquite enlightened and tolerant. A bit like the Ba'hais..

enlightened? In what sense?

For a start they are open to the idea of evolution and don't take the old mythology literally.

They also oppose the idea of violent jihad.

[BKKarim]

Just read up on them. Thought they were going to be a fanatical, murderous branch of Islam, but they seemquite enlightened and tolerant. A bit like the Ba'hais..

enlightened? In what sense?

For a start they are open to the idea of evolution and don't take the old mythology literally.

They also oppose the idea of violent jihad.

Mīrzā Ghulām Aḥmad[3] (Arabic: الميرزا غلام أحمد‎;Urdu: مرزا غلام احمد; February 13, 1835 – May 26, 1908 CE, or Shawal 15, 1250 – Rabi' al-thani 24, 1326 AH) was a religious figure from India, and the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. He claimed to be the Mujaddid (divine reformer) of the 14th Islamic century, the promised Messiah (“Second Coming of Christ”), and the Mahdi awaited by the Muslims in the end days.[4][5] He declared that Jesus (Isa) had in fact survived the crucifixion and later died a natural death, after having migrated towards Kashmir and that he had appeared in the spirit and power of Jesus.[6]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirza_Ghulam_Ahmad

Of course his claim to be the Jesus and the Mahdi from the old tales wasn't to take too literally, just metaphorical.

Is not very surprising that other declare him to a false prophet.

[tw25rw]

Considering them to be followers of a false prophet seems to be considered justification for brutality and murder in some places. Indonesia in this case. This group are peaceable reformists. Shame not more Muslims were like that regardless of which branch they adhere to.

[BKKarim]

Considering them to be followers of a false prophet seems to be considered justification for brutality and murder in some places. Indonesia in this case. This group are peaceable reformists. Shame not more Muslims were like that regardless of which branch they adhere to.

The hugh majority of Muslims are peaceful.

The Ahmadiyya were not banned because they pray peace nor was that the reason for the attacks (which are of course to condemn). The Ahmadiyya sect isn't mainly a movement with the goal to reform an otherwise "violent" religion. You come here up with wrong conclusions and have probably also wrong assumption regarding the Islam.

[Richb2004v2]

Just read up on them. Thought they were going to be a fanatical, murderous branch of Islam, but they seemquite enlightened and tolerant. A bit like the Ba'hais..

enlightened? In what sense?

For a start they are open to the idea of evolution and don't take the old mythology literally.

They also oppose the idea of violent jihad.

Mīrzā Ghulām Aḥmad[3] (Arabic: الميرزا غلام أحمد‎;Urdu: مرزا غلام احمد; February 13, 1835 – May 26, 1908 CE, or Shawal 15, 1250 – Rabi' al-thani 24, 1326 AH) was a religious figure from India, and the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. He claimed to be the Mujaddid (divine reformer) of the 14th Islamic century, the promised Messiah (“Second Coming of Christ”), and the Mahdi awaited by the Muslims in the end days.[4][5] He declared that Jesus (Isa) had in fact survived the crucifixion and later died a natural death, after having migrated towards Kashmir and that he had appeared in the spirit and power of Jesus.[6]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirza_Ghulam_Ahmad

Of course his claim to be the Jesus and the Mahdi from the old tales wasn't to take too literally, just metaphorical.

Is not very surprising that other declare him to a false prophet.

Oh he was asking for it coming the 'second coming of Christ' card. You've got to expect a bit of bother if you're going to pull that one. Everyone knows that Mohammad was the last prophet type. He said it himself enough times in him book, and his peaceful followers get most annoyed if anyone dare dispute it. Obviously the Mormons had their chap, but he was a peaceful type and kept his head down.

[BKKarim]

Oh he was asking for it coming the 'second coming of Christ' card. You've got to expect a bit of bother if you're going to pull that one. Everyone knows that Mohammad was the last prophet type. He said it himself enough times in him book, and his peaceful followers get most annoyed if anyone dare dispute it. Obviously the Mormons had their chap, but he was a peaceful type and kept his head down.

I guess it are not only the followers of the last prophet who will get a little bit surprised and will find it odd if someone declares himself to the returning Jesus.

[tw25rw]

Oh he was asking for it coming the 'second coming of Christ' card. You've got to expect a bit of bother if you're going to pull that one. Everyone knows that Mohammad was the last prophet type. He said it himself enough times in him book, and his peaceful followers get most annoyed if anyone dare dispute it. Obviously the Mormons had their chap, but he was a peaceful type and kept his head down.

I guess it are not only the followers of the last prophet who will get a little bit surprised and will find it odd if someone declares himself to the returning Jesus.

Numerous religions have declared their prophet to be the last over the centuries. Fortunately they haven't all turned to persecution, murder, desecration etc.