Tolerance and Understanding

While the plans to build a mosque at ground zero move forward over much criticism, Muslims who demand tolerance and understanding from Christians aren't so accommodating in their homelands.

From the Jakarta Globe:

Bekasi, Indonesia. In the latest attack by extremists on religious minorities in West Java, 300 Islamic hard-liners intimidated, bullied and assaulted a priest and 20 Christian churchgoers praying in a field in Bekasi on Sunday morning.

The attack follows an identical incident last Sunday, when 300 members of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and Islamic People’s Forum (FUI) protested against members of the Batak Christian Protestant Church (HKBP) from Pondok Timur Indah.

Churchgoers have been worshipping in a field in Ciketing Asem after the Bekasi municipality sequestered their church and sealed it from use.

Bekasi Mayor Mochtar Mohammad reportedly promised to let the Christian group hold church activities in Bekasi’s public areas and also agreed to send police to safeguard the church’s activities.

That appeared not to have happened on Sunday.

Reverend Luspida Simanjuntak was quoted as saying, “Each time we pray, we are shadowed by terror. If we’re not allowed to worship in the field, give us a facility elsewhere."

Meanwhile in Malaysia:

And this headline from the Daily Telegraph, click to jump to the complete article.

British couple murdered in Pakistan 'honour killing'