Indonesia: North Sumatra Christian worship service again disrupted by Muslims


indonesia worthy ministries

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – A Christian congregation in North Sumatra Province, Indonesia, had its worship service disrupted by Muslim protestors for the second time in two months on July 2, Morning Star News (MSN) reports. 

With no church building of its own, the Mawar Sharon Church (Gereja Mawar Sharon, GMS) congregation has drawn the ire of local Muslims who object to its meeting at a café in Binjai Kota Sub-District, Binjai, MSN reports.

A video taken of the July 2 disruptive incident shows Muslims demonstrating against the Christians, and a hijab-clad woman standing beside a police officer while blocking the Christians from attending their worship service.

“You the minorities should not always ask to be respected. We must respect each other as the government has regulated it,” the woman is heard to say. “What’s the point of setting the rules, if the rules have to be violated again?” she asked.

However, in a statement about the incident, Indonesian religious rights activist Permadi Arya noted that Indonesia’s Joint Ministerial Decree of 2006 requires a permit only for worship venues used on a permanent basis. “According to The Joint Decree of the Two Ministers, Chapter 1, Article 3, what needs a permit is the construction of a church,” Arya said. “Holding worship at home, shop-houses and cafes needs no permission.”

Islamic majority Indonesia ranks 31st on the US Open Doors World Watch List 2023 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.

We're being CENSORED ... HELP get the WORD OUT! SHARE!!!

Latest Worthy News

US Watchdog: Syrian Government Allies Continue Deadly Attacks Against Christians and Other Minorities (Worthy News In-Depth)
Federal Judge Halts Medicaid Defunding Provision Targeting Planned Parenthood in Trump-Backed Spending Law
Trump Defends Bolsonaro, Slams Brazil’s Coup Trial as ‘Witch Hunt’
U.S. Tariff Revenue Projected to Exceed $300 Billion in 2025, Inflation Unaffected, Treasury Says
Trump Reverses Course, Vows More Weapons for Ukraine Amid Escalating Russian Attacks
Trump, Netanyahu Unveil Controversial Postwar Gaza Vision Amid Ceasefire Push and Regional Strikes
USAID Shipped 11,000 Virus Samples to Wuhan Lab Without Formal Agreement or Oversight, Documents Reveal
IRS Says Churches Can Endorse Political Candidates Without Losing Tax-Exempt Status
Iranian Missiles Struck Five Israeli Military Bases During 12-Day War, Satellite Data Reveals
Fair Use Notice:This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Worthy Christian News