Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Proselytization, Religious Diversity and the State in Indonesia: The Offense of Deceiving a Child to Change Religion

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Proselytizing and the Limits of Religious Pluralism in Contemporary Asia

Part of the book series: ARI - Springer Asia Series ((ARI,volume 4))

Abstract

Since independence in 1945, the Indonesian government has attempted to regulate and control religious diversity. In 1946, a Ministry of Religion was established, and by 1965, a Presidential Decision was passed that is widely understood to have officially sanctioned six religions: Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism, although a diverse range of religions and beliefs outside these are permitted to exist. Of these six religions, it is Islam, Protestantism, and Catholicism that are recognized in Indonesia as “missionary” religions that aim to proselytize. The Ministry of Religion has the role of overseeing and regulating the religious affairs of these religions, including issuing guidelines or limits on proselytization. This chapter will argue, however, that in reality the regulations that have been created favor the religious majority. These regulations largely target and disadvantage Christians as members of the only other recognized religion in Indonesia, aside from Islam, that is considered to be a “missionary” or “proselytizing” religion.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Presidential Decree No 1/PNPS/1965 on the Prevention of the Misuse/Blasphemy of Religion, which was made into a statute by Law 1/1969. In Indonesia this is referred to as “Undang-Undang Penodaan Agama,” or the Blasphemy Law.

  2. 2.

    In 2010, the Ministry of Religion reported that 88.8% of the population was Muslim, 5.7% Protestant, 3% Catholic, 1.7% Hindu, 0.06% Buddhist, and 0.01% Confucianist (Confucianism was re-recognized as the sixth religion in 2001). Source: Ministry of Religion, “Table 1: Population by Religion 2008,” 2010, http://www.depag.go.id.

  3. 3.

    Ricklefs (1993). In Indonesia, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Hinduism are not considered to be proselytizing religions. In other countries, these religions are considered to be proselytizing religions, such as Confucianism in Korea and Buddhism in Sri Lanka (see chapter by Neena Mahadev).

  4. 4.

    See Aritonang (2004) and Aqsha et al. (1995).

  5. 5.

    Law 23/2002 on Child Protection.

  6. 6.

    The only other court case brought under Article 86 involved two men, Syahroni and Iwan Purwanto, who were accused of attempting to convert Muslim children to the Baha’i religion in East Lampung. The accused were sentenced to five years in jail, and in 2011 their case was on appeal in the Supreme Court. See Human Rights Watch, 2013.

  7. 7.

    Law 20/2003 on the National Education System.

  8. 8.

    The National Protestant Council, also known as Persekutuan Gereja-Gereja Indonesia, or PGI, was founded in 1950 to represent the interests of Protestant churches under the Ministry of Religion.

  9. 9.

    Known as Majelis Ulama Indonesia, or MUI, the Indonesian Ulama Council was formed in 1976 to represent the interests of the Muslim community through the Ministry of Religion.

  10. 10.

    Republika, “Haurgeulis Jadi Target Kristenisasi,” (May 12, 2005), http://www.republika.co.id.

  11. 11.

    Interview with Ruyadi Hutasoit, November 12, 2009.

  12. 12.

    The District Court (Pengadilan Negeri) is the lowest court in the mainstream court hierarchy in Indonesia.

  13. 13.

    Decision of the High District Court of Bandung No 241/Pid/2005/PT.Bdg concerning the Proselytization Case dated November 23, 2005 (“Court Decision 2005b”). Decision of the Supreme Court No 2275/K/Pid/2005 concerning the Proselytization Case dated August 30, 2006 (“Court Decision 2006b”).

  14. 14.

    Christians have also made greater use of the media to raise support in cases of attacks on churches in Indonesia, such as the attacks on the Batak church in West Java, which were featured prominently in the media in 2009–2010. See generally Crouch (2007; 2010).

  15. 15.

    This has been affirmed through the introduction of Law 39/1999 on Human Rights, art 22(1).

  16. 16.

    Decision of the Constitutional Court No 140/PUU-VII/2009 on the Blasphemy Law, dated April 19, 2010. For an analysis of this case see Crouch (2012), “Law and Religion in Indonesia”.

  17. 17.

    Monnig-Atkinson, “Religions in Dialogue,” 688–689.

  18. 18.

    According to Article 1 of the Instruction of the Minister of Religion 4/1978 on the Policy concerning Local Beliefs, kepercayaan (beliefs) are not religions: Ministry of Religion (2008).

  19. 19.

    Kantor Waligereja Indonesia, KWI, was originally known as the High Council of Indonesian Bishops (Majelis Agung Wali Gereja Indonesia, MAWI). For a documented history on Catholics in Indonesia from 1808–1900 and 1903–1942, see Steenbrink (2003, 2007).

  20. 20.

    PGI was formed as a result of a conference held in May 1950 at the Christian Theological College of Jakarta (Sekolah Tinggi Teologi Jakarta). It was initially known then as the Indonesian Council of Churches (Dewan Gereja-Gereja Indonesia, DGI).

  21. 21.

    Evangelicalism emphasizes personal conversion, the inerrancy of the Bible, the centrality of the death and resurrection of Jesus, and the need to share the message of the Bible. See generally Freston (2001).

  22. 22.

    Pentecostalism is a movement that emphasizes the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts such as healing, prophecy, and speaking in tongues. For one account of the history of the Pentecostal movement in Indonesia, see Anonymous (2001). Evidence of their missionary zeal is evident from publications such as Williams (2003). For an analysis of Chinese conversions to “Pentecostal-charismatic Christianity,” see Koning (2009). On Pentecostalism in Java, see Robinson (2005, 2011).

  23. 23.

    Haire (1981). Although there is a national Evangelical council, known as the Indonesian Evangelical Communion of Churches and Institutions (Persekutuan Gereja dan Lembaga Injili Indonesia, PGLII) and a national Pentecostal council, the Communion of Pentecostal Churches in Indonesia (Persekutuan Gereja-gereja Pantekosta di Indonesia, PGPI), these organizations are not recognized by the Ministry of Religion.

  24. 24.

    Teachings against Chinese religion and customs have not plagued Chinese Christianity in Indonesia as they have in countries such as Singapore (see the Chap. 7 by Daniel PS Goh). On the contrary, since 1998 there has been a resurgence of expressions of Chinese culture and language in Christianity.

  25. 25.

    A recent report by the International Crisis Group (2010), “Christianisation and Intolerance,” focused on the efforts of radical Islamic groups to oppose Christian proselytization in Bekasi, West Java.

  26. 26.

    In Indonesia, every adult must have an identity card, known as “KTP” (kartu tanda penduduk). A person must list one of the six recognized religions on his or her card, or leave the “religion” section blank: Law 23/2006 on Civic Administration, Art 64(2).

  27. 27.

    See Feener (2007) and Natsir (1969, 1980).

  28. 28.

    Paper on “Changing the image of Islam and the Muslim World” presented at Harvard University, Boston, USA, November 8, 1995, reprinted in Aspiring for the Middle Path: Religious Harmony in Indonesia, ed. Taher Tarmizi (Jakarta: PPIM/Censis, 1997), 66.

  29. 29.

    Tarmizi, Aspiring for the Middle Path, 139.

  30. 30.

    For a comparison of the 1971 and 2000 census data on religion, see Suryadinata et al. (2003).

  31. 31.

    Suharto was the president of Indonesia from 1966 to May 1998.

  32. 32.

    For quotations and a discussion of the 1967 conference, see Natsir, Mencari Modus Vivendi Antar Ummat Beragama: 11–19; Sairin, Departemen Agama dan Hubungan Agama-agama di Indonesia, appendix 2; Hasyim (1979).

  33. 33.

    Interview with Weinata Sairin, November 1, 2010.

  34. 34.

    For an English translation, see von Denffer (1987).

  35. 35.

    Ibid., 56, 69–87. Saeed and Saeed argue that in the Quran, “Apostasy is a sin for which there is no ‘temporal punishment’ and that there is strong evidence against the death penalty for apostasy.”

  36. 36.

    For example, in 2002, the Indonesian Mujahidin Council (Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia, MMI) proposed the “Criminal Code for the Republic of Indonesia Adjusted to Accord with Islamic Shari’a.” Article 28 includes the offense of apostasy and offenders may be liable for execution unless they repent. This proposal has not been passed as law in Indonesia: see Lindsey and Kingsley (2008).

  37. 37.

    For a copy of Decision of Attorney General KEP-129/JA/12/1976 banning the teachings/gathering of Bible students/Jehovah’s Witnesses, see Sairin (1996).

  38. 38.

    Regulation of the Minister of Religion 77/1978 on the Guidelines for Overseas Donations to Religious Institutions in Indonesia. For an English translation, see (von Denffer 1987, 16–19).

  39. 39.

    See (Sairin 1996, 453–476). For a detailed analysis of Christian responses, see (Mujiburrahman 2008, 83–84).

  40. 40.

    von Denffer, Indonesia: Government Decrees on Mission, 36–41.

  41. 41.

    (Mujiburrahman 2008, 82). The head of the national Indonesian Ulama Council at the time, Haji Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah, known as Hamka, strongly supported these regulations.

  42. 42.

    See Chap. 11 by Neena Mahadev, this volume. Also see generally, Owens (2006, 2007).

  43. 43.

    Kelabora, “Religious instruction policy in Indonesia,” 233.

  44. 44.

    Ibid.

  45. 45.

    Tarmizi, Aspiring for the middle path: Religious harmony in Indonesia, 36.

  46. 46.

    A fatwa is a non-binding pronouncement by a qualified Islamic religious legal scholar on an issue, belief, or practice made in the context of past interpretations.

  47. 47.

    Tarmizi, Aspiring for the middle path: Religious harmony in Indonesia, 60.

  48. 48.

    Mudzhar, “The Council of Indonesian Ulama on Muslims’ attendance at Christmas Celebrations,” 3, Interview with Atho Mudzhar, October 6, 2010.

  49. 49.

    Antara News Bulletin, “Book Considered as Misleading Muslims, Banned in Central Java” (October 29, 1985).

  50. 50.

    The Pancasila consists of five elements: Belief in one God, Humanitarianism, Nationalism, Democracy, and Social Justice.

  51. 51.

    Government Regulation 29/1990 on Secondary School Education, Article 17(2).

  52. 52.

    The Education Law has since been reinforced by Government Regulation 55/2007 on Religious Education.

  53. 53.

    Interview with Professor Jan Aritonang, October 30, 2009.

  54. 54.

    Interview with Father Franz Magnis Suseno, October 13, 2009.

  55. 55.

    Interview with Dr. Atho Mudzhar, October 6, 2009.

  56. 56.

    Presidential Decree 36/1990 on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

  57. 57.

    This is the most contentious article, and it was objected to by Islamic delegations because in their opinion, it conflicted with the Quran and their national legislation. The outcome of this debate was that Article 14 does not explicitly mention the right of a child to choose or change his/her religion.

  58. 58.

    See, “Protection Bill for Children to Be Submitted to DPR,” Jakarta Post (November 22, 1999).

  59. 59.

    “Bill Sets Penalties for Crimes against Children,” Jakarta Post (February 25, 2000).

  60. 60.

    “Bill on Child Protection Submitted for Deliberation,” Jakarta Post (November 5, 2001); DPR. “Pembahasan Rancangan Undang-undang Republik Indonesia tentang Perlindungan Anak 2002” (Jakarta: Secretariat General Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat RI, 2004).

  61. 61.

    “Tsunami Orphans won’t be sent to Christian Homes,” Human Rights Without Frontiers International (January 17, 2005), http://www.hrwf.net.

  62. 62.

    Decision of the District Court of Indramayu, No 181/Pid.B/2005/PN.Im on the Proselytization Case dated September 12, 2005 (“Court Decision, 2005a”), 5.

  63. 63.

    Court Decision, 2005a: 12.

  64. 64.

    Ibid., 5.

  65. 65.

    Ibid., 16.

  66. 66.

    For a thorough examination of the authenticity and classification of hadith in Islam, see Kamali, H. (2005). A textbook of hadith studies: Authenticity, compilation, classification, and criticism of hadith. Markfield: The Islamic Foundation.

  67. 67.

    Interview with Jamali, October 19, 2010.

  68. 68.

    Court decisions 2005b and 2006b.

  69. 69.

    See Butt (2007).

  70. 70.

    Decision of the Constitutional Court No 018/PUU-III/2005 concerning judicial review of Law 23/2002 on Child Protection dated January 17, 2006 (“Court Decision, 2006a”), 8.

  71. 71.

    Court Decision 2006a: 6–9.

  72. 72.

    According to Article 56(1) of Law 24/2003 on the Constitutional Court: Court Decision, 2006a: 9.

  73. 73.

    Court Decision 2006a: 8.

  74. 74.

    Interview with Ulil Abshar Abdullah, August 26, 2010.

  75. 75.

    Decision of the Constitutional Court No 140/PUU-VII/2009 on the Blasphemy Law, dated April 19, 2010: 273.

  76. 76.

    Ibid, 111.

References

  • Agung, K. (1995). Penyajian Hasil Penelitian Peningkatan Wewenang Kejaksaan Dalam Pengawasan Aliran Kepercayaan (pp. viii–ix). Jakarta: Tim Peneliti Pusat Litbang.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anonymous. (2001). A history of the Pentecostal movement in Indonesia. Asian Journal of Pentecostal Studies, 4(1), 131–148.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aqsha, D., van der Meij, D., & Meuleman, J. D. (1995). Islam in Indonesia: A survey of events and developments from 1988 to March 1993 (pp. 93–97). Jakarta: INIS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aritonang, J. S. (2004). Sejarah Perjumpaan Kristen Dan Islam Di Indonesia (p. 419). Jakarta: PT BPK Gunung Mulia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Azra, A. (2001). Islam and Christianity in Indonesia: The roots of conflict and hostility. In J. Camilleri (Ed.), Religion and culture in Asia Pacific: Violence or healing? (p. 85). Melbourne: Vista Publications/Pax Christi.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bessell, S. (2007). Children, welfare and protection: A new policy framework? In R. H. McLeod & A. MacIntyre (Eds.), Indonesia: Democracy and the promise of good governance. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boland, B. J. (1982). The struggle of Islam in modern Indonesia (p. 224). Netherlands: Koninklijk Instituut voor Taal-.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Butt, S. (2007). Judicial review in Indonesia: Between civil law and accountability: A study of constitutional court decisions 2003–2005. Ph.D. dissertation, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cole Durham, W., & Scharffs, B. G. (2010). Law and religion: National, international and comparative perspectives (pp. 177–179). New York: Aspen Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crouch, M. (2007, July). Regulation on places of worship in Indonesia: Upholding the right to freedom of religion for religious minorities? Singapore Journal of Legal Studies, 2007, 1–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crouch, M. (2010, December). Implementing the regulation on places of worship in Indonesia: New problems, local politics and court action. Asian Studies Review, 34, 403–419.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crouch, M. (2012, May). Law and religion in Indonesia: The constitutional court and the Blasphemy Law. Asian Journal of Comparative Law, 7(1), 1–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feener, M. (2007). Muslim legal thought in modern Indonesia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Freston, P. (2001). Evangelicals and politics in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Haire, J. (1981). The character and theological struggle of the church in Halmahera, Indonesia, 1941–1979 (p. 85). Frankfurt-am-Main und Bern: Peter Lang.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hasyim, U. (1979). Toleransi dan Kemerdekaan Beragama Dalam Islam Sebagai Dasar Menuju Dialog dan Kerukunan Antar Agama (pp. 393–416). Surabaya: Bina Ilmu.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hefner, R. (1993). Of faith and commitment: Christian conversion in Muslim Java. In R. Hefner (Ed.), Conversion to Christianity: Historical and anthropological perspectives on a great transformation (pp. 113–114). Berkeley: University of California Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Human Rights Watch. (2013, February 28). In Religion’s name: Abuses against religious minorities in Indonesia. USA. www.hrw.org

  • Kelabora, L. (1976). Religious instruction policy in Indonesia. Asian Survey, 16(3), 231.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koning, J. (2009). Singing yourself into existence: Chinese Indonesian entrepreneurs, Pentecostal-charismatic Christianity, and the Indonesian nation state. In J. Bautista & F. K. G. Lim (Eds.), Christianity and the state in Asia: Complicity and conflict (pp. 115–131). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindsey, T., & Kingsley, J. (2008). Talking in code: Legal Islamisation in Indonesia and the MMI Shari’a criminal code. In P. Bearman, W. Heinrichs, & B. Weiss (Eds.), The law applied: Contextualizing the Islamic Shari’a (p. 303). New York: IB Tauris & Co Ltd, 312.

    Google Scholar 

  • Majelis Ulama Indonesia. (2005). Fatwa Munas VII (3rd ed., pp. 58–65). Jakarta: Ministry of Religion.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Religion. (2003). Himpunan Fatwa Majelis Ulama Indonesia (pp. 178–181). Jakarta: Ministry of Religion.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Religion. (2008). Kompilasi Peraturan Perundangan-undangan Kerukunan Hidup Umat Beragama (10th ed., pp. 238–239). Jakarta: Badan Litbang dan Diklat.

    Google Scholar 

  • Monnig-Atkinson, J. (1983). Religions in dialogue: The construction of an Indonesian Minority Religion. American Ethnologist, 10(4), 683, 687.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mudzhar, M. A. (1996). The council of Indonesian Ulama on Muslims’ attendance at Christmas celebrations. In M. K. Masud, B. Messick, & D. S. Powers (Eds.), Islamic legal interpretations: Muftis and their fatwas (p. 231). Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mujiburrahman. (2008). Feeling threatened: Muslim-Christian relations in Indonesia’s new order (pp. 83–84). Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Natsir, M. (1969). Islam dan Kristen di Indonesia. Jakarta: Bulan Sabit.

    Google Scholar 

  • Natsir, M. (1980). Mencari Modus Vivendi Antar Ummat Beragama. Jakarta: Media Dakwah.

    Google Scholar 

  • Noer, D. (1973). The modernist Muslim movement in Indonesia 1900–1942 (p. 168). Kuala Lumpur: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Owens, A. (2006). Protecting freedom of and from religion: Questioning the law’s ability to protect against unethical conversions in Sri Lanka. Religion and Human Rights, 1(1), 41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Owens, A. (2007). Using legislation to protect against unethical conversions in Sri Lanka. Journal of Law & Religion, 22(2), 323–351.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ricklefs, M. (1993). A history of modern Indonesia since c.1300 (p. 294). Hong Kong: Macmillan Press Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robinson, M. (2005). The growth of Indonesian Pentecostalism. In A. Anderson & E. Tang (Eds.), Asian and Pentecostal: The charismatic face of Christianity in Asia. Malaysia: Regnum Books International.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robinson, M. (2011). Pentecostalism in urban Java: A study of religious change, 1980–2006. Ph.D. dissertation, The University of Queensland, Queensland.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saeed, A., & Saeed, H. (2004). Freedom of religion, apostasy and Islam (p. 2). Burlington: Ashgate Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sairin, W. (1996). Himpunan Peraturan di Bidang Keagamaan (pp. 271–272). Jakarta: PT BPK Gunung Mulia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shihab, N., & Nugroho, Y. (2008). The ties that bind: Law, Islamisation and Indonesia’s prosperous justice party (PKS). Australian Journal of Asian Law, 10(2), 248.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steenbrink, K. (1999). The Pancasila ideology and an Indonesian Muslim theology of religions. In J. Waardenburg (Ed.), Muslim perceptions of other religions: A historical survey (Vol. 80, pp. 282–283). New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steenbrink, K. (2000). Patterns of Muslim-Christian dialogue in Indonesia 1965–1998. In J. Waardenburg (Ed.), Muslim perceptions of dialogue today: Experiences and expectations (p. 93). Leuwen: Peeters.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steenbrink, K. (2003). Catholics in Indonesia: A documented history 1808–1900. Leiden: KITLV Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steenbrink, K. (2007). Catholics in Indonesia: A documented history 1903–1942. Leiden: KITLV Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suryadinata, L., et al. (2003). Indonesia’s population: Ethnicity and religion in a changing political landscape (pp. 104–105). Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.

    Google Scholar 

  • von Denffer, A. (1987). Indonesia: Government decrees on mission and subsequent developments (pp. 12–15). Leicester: The Islamic Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, T. (2003). Pentecostalism’s answer to Indonesia’s unreached Muslims. Journal of Asian Mission, 5(1), 93–118.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Law Faculty, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Melissa Crouch

Authors
  1. Melissa Crouch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Melissa Crouch .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Falls Church, Virginia, USA

    Juliana Finucane

  2. Asia Research Institute National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    R. Michael Feener

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Crouch, M. (2014). Proselytization, Religious Diversity and the State in Indonesia: The Offense of Deceiving a Child to Change Religion. In: Finucane, J., Feener, R. (eds) Proselytizing and the Limits of Religious Pluralism in Contemporary Asia. ARI - Springer Asia Series, vol 4. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-4451-18-5_2

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation