[GoddessWhispers]

Atheism as a Crime
September 7th, 2006, in Religion, Law, by Patung
A proposed widening of the scope of anti-blasphemy laws could see atheists prosecuted.


The criminal code already contains one article outlawing blasphemy against, or criticism of, any of the major religions in Indonesia (although in practice it is usually only applied in the case of Islam). Now in proposed revisions to the overarching body of law for crime, Rancangan KUHP (RKUHP), new articles are proposed, contained within a separate chapter, Chapter VIII, and generally serving to widen the scope of laws dealing with offences against religion.

Presently the law contains only one article for blasphemy, which is not marked off from other areas of the code, that is, Article 156a, which reads:

Dipidana dengan pidana penjara selama-lamanya lima tahun barang siapa dengan sengaja di muka umum mengeluarkan perasaan atau perbuatan:

yang pada pokoknya bersifat permusuhan, penyalahgunaan, atau penodaan terhadap suatu agama yang dianut di Indonesia. dengan maksud agar orang tidak menganut agama apapun juga, yang bersendikan Ketuhanan Yang Maha Esa.
Which translates roughly as “the maximum sentence is five years imprisonment for anyone who deliberately, in public, expresses views which either are of a hateful nature, or are a misuse of, or insult, any religion followed in Indonesia, or attempts to prevent others from adhering to any religion based on God.

In the new revision a chapter is added entitled “Tindak Pidana terhadap Agama dan Kehidupan Beragama”, Offences Against Religion and Religious Life, in which are to be found eight articles, Pasal 341, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347, and 348, which cover the insulting of religion, agitation against belief in religion, which could mean attempts to deny God’s existence, ie atheism, attempts to disturb the holding of religious events or services, and destruction of places of worship.

Ifdhal Kasim, the Director of the “Program Hukum dan Legislasi Reform Institute”, the Legal Reform Institute, speaking at the Wahid Institute, as reported by Hukum Online, on the 6th, said that the revisions represented an over-criminalisation of religious life and belief, and that this was aimed at protecting only certain religions, those acknowledged by the state of Indonesia, presumably, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. Traditional, “animist”, faiths, like Javanese kejawen presumably, and other faiths generally, were not worthy of the protection of the police and state prosecutors.

Atheists were a target of the new law, said Ifdhal:

What’s more in the proposed criminal code those who become atheists or encourage others to lose faith in their religion are subject to penalties.
(Bahkan dalam RKUHP ini menjadi atheis atau mengajak orang untuk tidak meyakini agama dijadikan tindak pidana.)

The relevant article, Pasal 345, reads:

Anyone who in public agitates in any form with the intention of causing the denial of belief in any religion followed in Indonesia will be subject to a jail term of not more than four years or a fine of not more than 300 million rupiah.
(Setiap orang yang dimuka umum menghasut dalam bentuk apapun dengan maksud meniadakan keyakinan terhadap agama yang dianut di Indonesia, dipidana dengan pidana penjara paling lama 4 tahun atau pidana denda paling banyak kategori IV.)

The regulations against the insulting of religious beliefs, as well as those against the insulting of the “greatness” of God, are unnecessary and make Indonesia seem a backward place, given that most countries in the world have abandoned attempts to provide state protection for certain doctrines of certain religions. What’s more, he says, the new law is too broad and could cause a great many people to be adjudged as violating its provisions.

He says that the only parts of the law which are worthy are those against attacks on houses of worship (article 346), or the disturbing of religious services (article 348). But he notes that only “official” religions are granted the protection of these two articles.

A leader of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and a member of parliamentary Komisi III, Masdar Farid Mas’udi, said that the whole issue was an extremely sensitive area and that additions to the law were needed to prevent conflict between religious groups and violent, mob actions by some. He said that the passing of the law by the parliament would unlikely occur before 2009 due to the fact that much political wheeling and dealing would take place in the meantime.


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American citizens, especially those of the Atheist community, reading this article may say: "Well thank goodness we live in America, where the First Amendment insures this can't happen here. But what you may not know is that in Massachusetts, Atheism is a crime. Makes one wonder how many other States have laws such as this. Which are still prosecutable until they are repealed.

PART IV. CRIMES, PUNISHMENTS AND PROCEEDINGS IN CRIMINAL CASES


TITLE I. CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS


CHAPTER 272. CRIMES AGAINST CHASTITY, MORALITY, DECENCY AND GOOD ORDER


Chapter 272: Section 36. Blasphemy


Section 36. Whoever wilfully blasphemes the holy name of God by denying, cursing or contumeliously reproaching God, his creation, government or final judging of the world, or by cursing or contumeliously reproaching Jesus Christ or the Holy Ghost, or by cursing or contumeliously reproaching or exposing to contempt and ridicule, the holy word of God contained in the holy scriptures shall be punished by imprisonment in jail for not more than one year or by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars, and may also be bound to good behavior.

[JeremiahGateFan]

Maybe now that they have a common enemy the Indians and the Pakistinians can all just get along and stone the non-believers. It does appear that now that we've shared our nuclear technology with them, those indians are joining the axis of evil.

[artymoon]

I can't believe it! From a country with the largest Muslim population, who would have thunk?!

[GoddessWhispers]

Amazing indeed. Though this proposal, as stated in the article, has not yet been passed and isn't expected to pass anytime before 2009. So perhaps there's still time to stay free of god and prison, in Indonesia.

Maybe they'll keep it fair in their discriminations and outlaw christianity, as did Himachal Pradesh India just this year. Anti-Christian’ Law Introduced in India, Fears of Persecution Rise

[Beckys_Mom]

What kind of world are we living in, if some now say that it's a CRIME to be an Atheist!!WTF??

Follow us or be prepared to face the music


Wonder if it will sooner or later get to the stage where other religions follow this...then it gets passed as a law....blimey...thats like saying Believe or DIE your choice

[GoddessWhispers]

It's tragic, however there are currently 7 States with "Anti-Atheist" laws in place. They remain so until they are repealed. Just as do all the Dumb Laws that are still on the books across the country.

Really, it's a hell of a picture such legislation paints for all citizens guaranteed the freedom the First Amendment insures. It attempts to impart the notion that you must accept myth as truth, or face prosecution. Thereby implying the First Amendment insures freedom of religion for all Americans, but not freedom from religious prejudice for Atheist Americans.

I wonder how many Atheists in any one of those 7 States have been prosecuted in the last decade or so!? Talk about a activist platform for groups like American Atheists, etc... Repeal the prejudice and affirm the First Amendment applies to all Americans , insuring freedom of and freedom from religious bias. Makes one wonder, if it's true there is a god, why there are laws prosecuting people for not believing in that man made construct, in a free country. And people still think the christian ideology wasn't implanted into the very fiber of this Republic. How naive.

[Beckys_Mom]

Article 19, Section 1: "No person who denies the being of a God shall hold any office in the civil departments of this State, nor be competent to testify as a witness in any court".


Article 6, Section 4: "No person who denies the existence of the Supreme Being shall hold any office under this Constitution."


And America is supposed to be the land of the free??

[GoddessWhispers]

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Article 19, Section 1: "No person who denies the being of a God shall hold any office in the civil departments of this State, nor be competent to testify as a witness in any court".
Article 6, Section 4: "No person who denies the existence of the Supreme Being shall hold any office under this Constitution."
And America is supposed to be the land of the free??

Quote

"If government can give you rights, government can take them away from you." Roy Moore

When America was initially founded it was founded to insure the rights and freedoms of select people, not all people. Since it's inception, freedom for other people, such as blacks, women and gays, have been campaigns that have been hard fought, so as to insure the promise of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all Americans is attained. It's a battle that has been waged against a resilient opposition that are predominantly christian, and indeed the opposition to affording equality and freedom for all has been based on religious tenets.

Today, gays remain as the last community wherein blatant discrimination and inequality are key aspects in proving this country remains free for only a select few of her citizenry. That there are seven States with laws that prosecute Atheists is evidence yet again, that this country is not a free nation for all people, but rather the select few to which the laws that insure freedom and equality apply.

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"It is impossible to have religious freedom in any nation where churches are licensed to the government." Congressman George Hansen -Quoted in "Caesar's Grip", by Peter Kershaw

[truethat]

Unfortunately the laws of the US were set up by DEISTS which is why people say "Its freedom OF religion not freedom FROM religion" Deism here in the US has caused a lot of persecution because its this hidden anomaly that has forced the acceptance of "God" in this country while at the same time suggesting that its freedom of religion.

Atheists in this country would be better off saying that atheism IS a religion in my mind, because we are offered no freedoms otherwise.

One Nation Under God is everywhere. It's on our money, its in our lingo, its all over courthouses and our nations legal chambers. Its in the Senate and the white house. Deism runs this country.

Deism also caused a whole slew of headaches in Europe because it was considered the "enlightened alternative" the safe way of rejecting the church but not being considered breaking the law because we still accept "God"

Unfortunately in a lot of Muslim countries the laws are based on Islam and so rejecting the religion is the same as rejecting the law. And so its the way they keep order and oppression.

I can't wait until a day comes when all religion is kept out of public policy.

[Beckys_Mom]

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Atheists in this country would be better off saying that atheism IS a religion in my mind, because we are offered no freedoms otherwise.

Holy threads Why cant they just let people feel free to believe in what they want...why is it such a big deal over there to believe in God?? But as long as you state its a form of religion..aha its ok then...good grief!!

[GoddessWhispers]

It's not ok, to sell out in order to fit in. When I was a child I was told this is the greatest nation on Earth because her people are guaranteed rights and freedoms not afforded to people in other countries. But when one grows up, especially when they're Atheist, they realize what is promised is not always true for your particular kind of American citizen.


Atheism is not a religion. And yet, for Atheists to be assured religious freedom, they would have to lie to themselves, so as to please an oppressive mainstream that enacts laws against them, thereby implying, in order to actually be free and Atheist in this country, they have to fit in by at least affirming Atheism is a religion. Thereby making all Atheists fall under the banner of the religious. It's patently absurd, because it is a lie. It is contrary to what is promised every American in their rights to pursuit of life, liberty and happiness, when in order to be free of prosecution and equal as a liberated citizen, they have to claim they are something like unto that oppressive mainstream, when they are not, so as to be left alone by the laws that mainstream enact in order to threaten compliance or otherwise enact persecution/prosecution.

It is a horrific example for deism, christendom, and the very foundation of this country, that Atheists are prosecuted for not believing in a myth. It makes us no better than any other regime, to which our media points and says we should feel fortunate living here, because we are not like them.

[truethat]

I was kidding of course!!!!!!!!

[SilverCougar]

Quote

Section 36. Whoever wilfully blasphemes the holy name of God by denying, cursing or contumeliously reproaching God, his creation, government or final judging of the world, or by cursing or contumeliously reproaching Jesus Christ or the Holy Ghost, or by cursing or contumeliously reproaching or exposing to contempt and ridicule, the holy word of God contained in the holy scriptures shall be punished by imprisonment in jail for not more than one year or by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars, and may also be bound to good behavior.

In Mass. *snerks* Then I'd say a good 70% of Salem is in deep trouble...

Governments who control what people worship, or not worship really needs to go the way of the dodo.. >.>

[Beckys_Mom]

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I was kidding of course!!!!!!!!

oh lol

[GoddessWhispers]

And yet, laws like this have a subtle undertone that would imply just that. Convert or be prosecuted. So really, it's not a joke at all in that context. Imagine being arrested in Texas because you're Atheist. Sitting in lock up with all sorts of people accused of other crimes and when one of them asks "What are ya in for?" having to say "Because I'm Atheist!" It's akin to the American version of the latent inquisition, saying by law, that if you don't believe in god, it's a crime.

Hell of a conversion technique for any jurisdiction to be proud of, no!?