Religion
According to 2010 census of the Central Statistics Agency, Muslims dominate Aceh province with more than 98% or 4,413,200 followers and only 50,300 Protestants and 3,310 Catholics.
Religious issues are often sensitive in Aceh. There is very strong support for Islam across the province and sometimes other religious groups, such as Christians or Buddhists, feel that they are subject to social or community pressure to limit their activities. For example, in late 2012 nine Christian churches and five Buddhist temples were closed in Banda Aceh on the orders of the Aceh provincial government. The official explanation for this action, supported by both the Governor of Aceh Zaini Abdullah and the Indonesian Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi from Jakarta, was that the churches did not have the appropriate permits. Earlier in April 2012, a number of churches in the Singkil regency in southern Aceh had also been ordered to close. In response, some Christians voiced concern about these actions.
Read more about this topic: Aceh
Famous quotes containing the word religion:
“Disturbances in society are never more fearful than when those who are stirring up the trouble can use the pretext of religion to mask their true designs.”
—Denis Diderot (1713–1784)
“The religion which is to guide and fulfill the present and coming ages, whatever else it be, must be intellectual. The scientific mind must have a faith which is science.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“They live together without king, without government, and each is his own master.... Beyond the fact that they have no church, no religion and are not idolaters, what more can I say? They live according to nature, and may be called Epicureans rather than Stoics.”
—Amerigo Vespucci (1454–1512)