Indonesian mayor resists building of church

Christian worshipers have been forced to pray in the open air in a town in Indonesia's West Java province after the town's majority Muslim population opposed the building of a church.

After losing all legal battles, including a verdict from country's highest court, the mayor says he cannot allow a church to be built on a street with an Islamic name.

The national ombudsman has given the mayor two more weeks to implement the supreme court's decision and let the congregation build its church.

The standoff is being seen as a national test case of religious tolerance, with recent research showing a growing number of Muslims are against the presence of a church in their neighbourhood.

Al Jazeera's Step Vaessen reports from Bogor, in West Java.

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[RoseinTheIce]

The Laws in Indonesia are bullshit. Indonesia is not an Islamic country, but why there's no toleration to other religion except Islam?

I respect moslem, because some of them respect me as well. It's just some hypocrite moslem like in that place make all of them look intolerant.

[silversurfer7337]

gees isent every body sick of these muslim pricks,

[tarik44100]

Bad mayor, i'm Muslim and if i were at his place, i would allow the building of churchs for Christians, praying one god is more important than money, and please, stop insulting Islam, you insult your brothers, you better have to insult the fake muslims like the ones who voted this law, and please my Christian friends, read about the Quran, you'll learn, better than watching stupid videos...

[kshitij924]

fuck islam indonesia is a hindu country.

[aguz8000]

Jesus loves Indonesian.

[SuperUncleruckus]

@MrTurmudi I'm still right, those muslims up on the video are still bad. And your telling the wrong person, because though I don't believe in God, I highly respect all religions because they are the stepping stones of humanity. My neighbouring dorm is Muslim, and my bahrainian friend is muslim.

[MrTurmudi]

sorry, all people have idiology but all idiology is good for faiths. i muslim but i love all human,I live with different religions in peace and mutual respect. do not blame any particular religion but a questionable interpretation of adherents

[neltiliztlamani]

This is disgusting! This is exactly the same attitude as those Islamphobes in NYC, who are trying to stop the community center (not mosque) from being built 2 extra-long block away from Ground Zero (not at G.Z.). Both groups are bigoted, & should be ashamed of themselves! They are 2 of a kind, and yet, I'm sure that they could not get along with each other. 8( May God bring both to justice, & protect His good, sincere worshipers of both religions.

[tikuskapsul]

to aljazeera.english : u should tell people not only what happened there and ur perspective of it. but also the reason why indonesian government did it. not good to cut the explanation by half so that made a such unclear statement.

i lived in indonesia, i know what happened. this case isn't caused by RELIGION issues AT ALL. the problem is same as the other building's permission paper issues. said that the local governor made a fake signtaure for the paper and now the church built beside mosque.

[bozanggas]

ITS A VERY TOLERANT REILIGION ... MWAHHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH MY ASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS