Indonesian man detained for being atheist

Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 2:10 pm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16644141

An Indonesian man, Alexander Aan was taken into protective custody a couple days ago for posting on his Facebook page that he had stated he didn't believe in God and is an atheist. apparently when interviewing the police they stated "he had not broken any laws," but he is causing strife amongst the religious community. When he went to work afterwards [before his detainment] an angry mob attacked him.

Let me just say God gave us free will so we may make decisions on our own, and those decisions we make determine what kind of a person we are. By those who are atheists, and God does not apply to their beliefs does not mean they are bad. He/She chose to be one of their own free will and they alone determine their lives. imo good persons are not determined by the religious/nonreligious beliefs they hold, but by their actions. to me an atheist who does good to one's self and to those around him/her deserves a spot in Heaven, whether or not they believe in it.

Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 2:42 pm

killa1986 wrote:

apparently when interviewing the police they stated "he had not broken any laws," but he is causing strife amongst the religious community.

Quote:

Atheism is a violation of Indonesian law under the founding principles of the country

Quote:

Police said that according to Indonesian criminal law, anyone who tried to stop others believing in a faith could face up to five years in prison

Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 3:51 pm

Man if i was in that country i would have already earned around 1000 years of imprisonment Laughing

look at this one, Indonesian police kidnap and brainwash teenagers

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16176410

Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 7:50 pm

cbilljones wrote:

Man if i was in that country i would have already earned around 1000 years of imprisonment Laughing

I don't think worshiping a demonic penguin counts as being atheist Laughing

but I'm thinking your re-education program would involve beta testing windows products till ye changed your nonconformist ways. Shocked

Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 8:43 pm

JamesHotwire wrote:

cbilljones wrote:

Man if i was in that country i would have already earned around 1000 years of imprisonment Laughing

I don't think worshiping a demonic penguin counts as being atheist Laughing

but I'm thinking your re-education program would involve beta testing windows products till ye changed your nonconformist ways. Shocked

Penguin has nothing to do with it, im very active in the atheist community in my city as well as the nets. I try to de-convert people regularly - the amount ive done the Indonesian would prob just kill me Surprised

But ya, im very much an agnostic atheist - and proud of it Wink

Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:28 pm

we can't say for sure what was written on his Facebook page unless we knew before it got taken down. it could have been he was trying to propagandize his beliefs unto others or he was simply speaking freely on the only place he could.

trollster wrote:

killa1986 wrote:

apparently when interviewing the police they stated "he had not broken any laws," but he is causing strife amongst the religious community.

Quote:

Atheism is a violation of Indonesian law under the founding principles of the country

Quote:

Police said that according to Indonesian criminal law, anyone who tried to stop others believing in a faith could face up to five years in prison

yeah, i guess i walked into that one without looking. he was breaking the law, but it is a shame that is even a law. maybe at the time it was necessary to create such a law, but i don't see how his not believing should affect others. if he was trying to push his beliefs onto others it could be viewed as wrong, but on the other hand if Indonesia allows the practice of so many religions why not allow a man to believe in atheism.

i've also come to realize that in certain countries you have to abide by their rules, so even your beliefs might come into conflict with their laws like Alexander Aan did.

Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 1:24 pm

I'm an Atheist also because I don't believe in man made religions. Like I said in a previous post; If there was a God, then there would be only one religion and not so many.

Like it was stated in trollster's post that it's against the law in Indonesia to promote Atheism, but he did not break any laws because to express your views as Ann did is legal. I'm sure that Ann did not go door to door trying to change other people's beliefs like some other religion does in my country.

Hope that Alexander Ann will be safe and decide to move to my country, or better, move in with my Atheist buddy cbilljones. Laughing

Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 5:14 pm

We would be happy to have him here in Canada Smile

Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 5:42 pm

Indonesia don't care, they just make things up as they go along, they locked up a 14 yo Aussie kid (in an adult prison) for a few months a little while ago over a gram of dope

Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 7:35 pm

There isnt much hope for the country, as the let some old book of myths shape policy. Though the same could also be true of USA soon, many groups there are trying to bring education to 3rd world standards.

Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 7:40 pm

99% of boat ppl that come here all acome via Indonesia on boats from Indonesia crewed by ppl in Indonesia, they have no law against boat smugglers

Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 8:46 pm

And that's why I'm against religion... In general while it does help some people I honestly think it causes more problems than it solves.
I think religion is like communism, both are good ideas in theory. And both do not work in the real world. A common set of moral values and beliefs sound like a good idea, just like sharing evenly everything between all members of society . Unfourtunatley corruption, greed and the belief that what you are doing is right and therefore everyone else is wrong make these concepts completely unusable in modern society.
Don't get me wrong I'm not against people's private beliefs (and I'm not a communist either), but when you have to imprison/kill others who have different beliefs you have serious mental problems.
My solution? Kill all the fanatics and let their god sort them out.
There's a lot of killing to be done comrades Wink

(Irony intended)

Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 1:38 am

killing all the fanatics only makes you a fanatic. i get what you're saying bout how extremists are tainting our way of life, but killing for no God is just as bad as killing for a God.

Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 2:23 am

killa1986 wrote:

killing all the fanatics only makes you a fanatic. i get what you're saying bout how extremists are tainting our way of life, but killing for no God is just as bad as killing for a God.

It was a joke, hence the irony intended part at the bottom Smile

I completely agree with you, killing for the simple fact someone doesn't agree with you is ridiculous.

Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 2:37 am

killa1986 wrote:

killing all the fanatics only makes you a fanatic.

Agreed....a a removal of such people is a line that is hard to define. isolation of fanatical people is better as their views are then contained. It is a different thing to kill them as they become for others martyrs to be honored.

Quote:

i get what you're saying bout how extremists are tainting our way of life,

again I agree as any form of extremism is also a form of repression.

Quote:

but killing for no God is just as bad as killing for a God.

Here as it is a point of debate i tend to disagree. To kill is basically wrong.
To those that kill in the name of a god I see no problem in retaliation as the reason for their behaviour is to suppress ones freedoms and to coerce others to adopt their ideas and god culture. This is quite simply a manner of subjugation. It is in itself unethical and unholy and begets revolt unrest and strife.