Categories: christianity
Date: 11 March 2009 11:15:31
Today we are thinking about Indonesia.
Languages: Indonesian, many local languages
The Indonesian state is founded on the doctrine of Pancasila, which includes belief in one god and a commitment to national unity. Every citizen is obliged to follow one of five faiths. This ideology has helped to promote stability, harmony and equality between different religious communities.
There has been a rise of extremism over the past 25 years or so and in Central Sulawesi and the Maluku Islands hundreds of churches and thousands of homes have been destroyed. Other areas of the country are also suffering unrest where Christians are in the minority.
According to official figures, Christians make up just over 10% of the Indonesian population of nearly 240 million although some estimates believe the figure may be higher. The country has the world's largest Muslim population.