Indonesia (MNN) — A modern-day “Daniel and the lions’ den” faces Christians in one region of Indonesia.
Local partners of FMI say that in late June, leaders in Landak Regency, West Kalimantan Province issued a new regulation. It requires all religions to follow animistic traditions in worship services.
The decision came from the Dayak Customary Council. The Dayak are an indigenous, historically animistic people group. Bruce Allen with FMI explains the regulation means all prayers must be offered to the spirits of rocks, trees, rivers, etc., not to God.
“I think about Daniel in the lions’ den. [He faced] regulations that were set up specifically to threaten him because he had the reputation for praying to Yahweh, not to the pagan deities,” Allen says.
“Yet Daniel didn’t change his habit — his spiritual discipline of prayer to God. He was willing to pay the price, the penalty for that.”
Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation. Its constitution guarantees freedom of religion. But Allen says, “That’s a piece of paper. Even though it’s on paper, [it] doesn’t mean that there aren’t challenges at the very local, neighborhood level.”
For example, Allen knew of a church years ago that was set on fire by an arsonist. The church members called the fire department. But the firefighters delayed a response. By the time they showed up, the building had been reduced to ashes.
Traditional Dance from Dayak ethnic at International Dance Day 2019 in Digulist Park, Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. (Photo, caption courtesy of Ainun Jamila via Unsplash)
In West Kalimantan, Christians make up more than a third of the Muslim-majority population. Compare that to the 3.2% nationwide evangelical Christian presence in Indonesia.
“There has been incredible fruit in this area,” Allen says. “There’s got to be some spiritual warfare going on.”
Those who break this new prayer law will face the threat of fines or even being expelled from the community. Pray as FMI and local believers respond as people who worship the one true God.
“The Christian community in this regency (county) is just wrapping their minds around, ‘What does this mean? What are its implications, and do we take them to court over this?’” says Allen.
“Number one, [pray] for their courage and willingness to not compromise. Then number two, [pray] for wisdom, for the Christian leaders to know, ‘Okay, how do we as a group of Christian churches advocate on behalf of our church members to the authorities?”
Header photo courtesy of FMI.
