42Indonesia

The situation for Christians has been deteriorating in recent years, with Indonesian society increasingly influenced by conservative interpretations of Islam. Polls regularly show that especially young people hold conservative views, and by-laws on Islamic dress are becoming more common.

Many converts from Islam experience pressure from their families. However, the intensity of the pressure depends on the individual family and place. Most pressure for Christian converts takes the form of isolation, verbal abuse and ostracisation. Only a small percentage of converts face physical violence for their Christian faith, and they may be forced to relocate to another part of Indonesia. The pressure is also higher in places like West Java or Aceh, where radical Islamic groups exert a heavy influence on society and politics.

Depending on the region, some church groups also face difficulties getting permission for building churches. Even if they manage to fulfil all legal requirements (and win court cases), local authorities may still ignore them.

Meet Raymond

“Sometimes I hear [my schoolmates] saying things like: ‘Hey, if you remain Christian, you will also be crucified just as your Jesus was crucified’. They poke fun at us Christians in that way. I don’t take offense. I’m used to hearing this.”

Raymond (name changed), a young believer who attended a camp for Christian children in Indonesia.

What does Open Doors do to help?

Open Doors local partners strengthen persecuted Christians in Indonesia by providing Bibles and Christian books, socio-economic empowerment projects, discipleship and persecution survival training and relief aid.