This is the vaunted Islamic tolerance of a foremost “moderate” Muslim country. It likely has to do with the fact that Islamic law forbids the construction of new churches. Christians are “forbidden to ring church bells or display crosses, recite the Torah or Evangel aloud, or make public display of their funerals and feastdays, and are forbidden to build new churches” – Reliance of the Traveller o.11.5 (6,7)
In the Islamic scheme of things, the Islamic community must always grow, and the non-Muslim community always diminish.
“Muslims Stall Construction of Church Building in Indonesia,” Morning Star News, September 22, 2026:
SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – Muslims who have long opposed a proposed church building in East Java Province are using an administrative error as a pretext to halt its approved construction, sources said.
Claiming to have the backing of the entire area Muslim community, Muslim residents from the 01 neighborhood of 05 community unit in the Dukuh Kukun area of Babat Jerawat Urban village, Pakal District, Surabaya, assert that the address in official permit documents does not match the proposed church site in the CitraLand housing complex.
“Residents have known about the church construction plan since around 2013-2015. The plan was previously delayed due to opposition from the community. Now, even though the RW [local neighborhood] head has granted permission, it is once again facing resistance from the community because the address listed for the church is incorrect,” a resident told Morning Star News on condition of anonymity.
The church building was slated for construction in Neighborhood Unit (RT) 1, yet the permit was issued for a location in Neighborhood Unit (RT) 7.
“This discrepancy has led residents to conclude that the church has not obtained a valid permit,” the resident added.
Attorney Hartony Edi noted that an official administrative decision cannot simply be revoked merely because dissatisfied people protest, as area Muslims did on Aug. 14.
“An administrative error at the lowest level occurring after the issuance of the Building Permit (IMB) does not constitute grounds for rejection that would invalidate a state administrative decision,” Edi told Morning Star News….
abu taleb says
In another case in my city, the muslims had been demonstrating on a building used by the Catholics for worship. Legally, it was not a church, just a general purpose building. They had been asking a permit to open a church for many years without success.
The end result is the Catholics must give up the land they purchased legally and the government promised to give another land for replacement. I assume the land will become muslims’ property which in my opinion is completely against the law. Even if the Catholics were doing something against the law in the land, the land itself should never change hand.
The Christians (including the Catholics) should counter the muslims when they are attacked for worshipping in a building which is not legally a church by pointing out that muslims are also worshipping in buildings which are legal mosques, like their own houses..
gravenimage says
Appalling, Abu Taleb.
gravenimage says
Indonesia: Muslims seize on administrative error to halt approved construction of church
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Any excuse will do…