In Jakarta
RELIGION and how much influence it should have on the daily lives of Indonesians has come under the spotlight recently in a series of un-connected incidents.
But both seem to have garnered similar reactions: People are either shaking their heads with a sigh, or sniggering at the absurdity of it all.
In the first instance, Indonesia's top Islamic body issued decisions forbidding a number of practices early last week, including smoking in public and yoga that involves chanting. It went on to ban abstinence from voting in elections and vasectomies.
The decisions were not legally binding. But they were aimed at guiding Muslims – who make up about 90 per cent of the population - and influencing government policy to some extent.
Even as these decisions won support – from conservatives as well as those who wish for a smoke-free environment – others, who are highly protective of pluralism in the world's most-populous Muslim country, have expressed concern that dominant religious beliefs are once again getting entangled with public policy.
Yoga followers, who have also fended off disapproval from conservative Christians in the West, made their case in Indonesia on their blogs and in local media.
They said their chants and meditation did not affect their commitment to their religion.
One blogger asked whether the Islamic council "had better things to do, than touring the country's gym classes and coming out against Hindu chanting."
Even the Nadhlatul Ulama, Indonesia's largest Islamic organization criticised the decisions as "excessive", saying that religion should not have been "dragged" into these matters.
It led lecturer Al Makin, from the Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University, to point out in The Jakarta Post on Monday while secularism "scares many Indonesians… [it] is still the best solution for a relationship between state and religion."
So while the chatter continues, Indonesians are also watching the second incident – or rather, scandal – closely.
Last week, police arrested sect leader Agus Imam Solichin, who is in his 40s. Agus had initially drawn followers with his Islamic teachings, but later instructed them to forego praying five times a day, and take part in orgies as a means of worshipping God.
What has caused readers to simultaneously wrinkle up their noses in disgust and snigger has been the juicy details: Agus would give sermons in his underpants and tell disciples that he was God. He also said that he would teach his disciples "Kamasutra" sex techniques to use in the afterlife.
His followers – numbering around 40 – believed him, although one finally saw the light and reported him to the police last month.
Readers wondering how the followers could have believed Agus have not had their curiosity quenched, despite some followers saying that they felt they had been "hypnotized".
The latest update is that Agus has been certified sane. Jakarta police, as quoted by news site, tempointeraktif.com, has yet to release more details of their interviews with followers.
They did, however, reveal the reason that Agus gave for telling his followers to have group sex however: "It was done to test loyalty. It was done under no threat," Agus had apparently said.