Friday, October 15, 2010

Wayang is the Next Victim of Fanatics

The absurdity of the fanatical moslem in Indonesia is beyond me. I've noticed it years ago that more and more Indonesian moslem who view themselves as Moslem first, Indonesian (or whatever tribe they are part of) second. What ever seemingly Islamic or Arabic is deemed great. Abaya is more beautiful than kebaya, Kebob and dates are better than Kolak and Durian, Arabic language is the language of heaven because the Koran is in Arabic, and the list goes and on and on. Some women even support the Taliban! You get the idea.


I applaud who ever managed to brainwash all these people into thinking this way. I would love to know how they did that. I know most of their followers have had little education and mostly are not earning enough, although the ignorance people are not limited to this group.

It pains me to read that these people attack the Shadow puppet show, our own cultural heritage! How could this be happening? I remember learning how in the early days of Islam in Java, the 'wali songo missionarists' used Shadow puppet to spread the religion. If it's not for Shadow Puppet, we might be still mostly hindu or buddhist now.

The other disturbing thing is, non English Indonesian Media didnt report this incidents.

4 comments:

colson said...

OMG, it's happening again. I've got another of these layman explanations... Forgive me...

I guess we all think this world is not a perfect one. Most people need some hope it will get better. (To be honest I, against my better judgement, keep on hoping one day the ideals of social democracy will come true).

And I guess we also know human mind is weird. It can produce brilliant and great ideas as well as horror.

If the small percentage of people who tend to have a lot more horror than brilliant ideas on their minds, think they have the solution to a better world, they apparently often don't accept deviant opinions and will try to coerce their ideal world on all others.

These small bands of loud-mouthed fanatics are in all societies. And are not always under control. The Aceh extremists and FPI bandits obviously are not.

I'm sorry they got as crazy as molesting traditional Indonesian ( Javanese) Shadow Puppet shows.

triesti said...

I do think the lack of money/job is the root of this movement. They need to believe in something bigger then themselves, and in that search they were used by who ever brainwashed them.

I pity those people, but I cant forgive them for doing that.

Unknown said...

Hi Triesti,
You are right, the root of all the bad things, incl attack on wayang, is lack of money/job PLUS very weak law enforcement.
I wonder how would it be after Timur become Police chief?

triesti said...

that, dear Harry, is a scary thought...