Indonesia

      

       Indonesia garuntees freedom of religion in their constitution, however their government only recognizes six official religions Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism. Their are about 245 non-official religions in Indonesia, but their government requires each citizen to have an identification card that identifies them as a believer of one of their six official religions. The six official religions are all monotheistic except Hinduism. Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, and Buddhism are all Universalizing religions. Hinduism and Confucianism are both Ethnic religions.

 

       

       Immigration from places such as India, Portugal, and The Netherlands contribute largely to the diversity of religions in Indonesia. Hinduism and Buddhism were Introduced to the region in the second and fourth centuries when Indian traders arrived on the islands of Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi, and brought their religion along with them. Islam came into Indonesia around the fourteenth century when it came from Gujarat, India. It spread through the west coast of Sumatra then diffused to the east in Java. The Portuguese brought Catholicism into Indonesia specifically to the island of Flores and what later became East Timor. Protestantism was introduced in Indonesia in the sixteenth century by the Dutch by Calvinist and Lutheran influence. Confucianism originated in China, and Chinease merchants brought it to Indonesia early in in third century A.D.  

 

Holy Places in Indonesia

         Borobudur, located in Indonesia on the island of Java, is the largest Buddhist monument in the world. The temple is a three dimensional diagram of the universe and represents the Buddhist teachings visually.The three levels represent the world of desire, world of forms, and the world of formlessness which reflects Buddhist cosmology. Some people think this monument is a huge textbook of Buddhism to help people achieve enlightenment. Borobudur is used once a year for a pilgrimage for Buddhists to celebrate Vesak at the monument.

 

Muslim vs. Christianity conflict in 1999-2002

        In the Poso district there was conflict between the Muslims and Christians over control of the local goverment. Terrorist groups formed in the region and at one point they vandalized five Christian villages causing about 8,000 people to be forced out of their homes. Many homes and churches were burned in the Maluku Islands. Religious conflict of this type caused about 3,000 deaths in the district between 1999-2000.