Fatwa against facebook
I cannot type this without giggling.
So yesterday I was opening one of my friend's profile at a popular internet social community site better known as facebook, and his status immediately made me go, "Whaa..?" Long story short, he gave a link to a certain article (in Indonesian).
news.okezone.com/read/2009/05/22/1/222035/ulama-jatim-akan-fatwakan-facebook
Short translation? MUI, Majelis Ulama Indonesia aka Islamic Scholars Council of Indonesia are planning to put a fatwa against facebook. Apparently around 700 Muslim figures were worried that facebook would increase the possibility for porn talk, or hidden relationships that's against the Indonesian culture. So, many have suggested that a fatwa would be created to limit socializing on the web. To them, socializing openly like in the west that can invite sexual desires, and therefore should be stated as haraam.
My inital reaction: "WTF?!! Do they want us to go back to being neanderthals??"
Then on the same page, I found a link to another related material........stating it's total BS.
Yep. It's all fake. The head of MUI even stated that facebook is a technological innovation that should be used for maintaining good relationship and spreading knowledge. They only gave out a statement that it shouldn't be misused.
Before that statement was made, you can still check the long list of people saying something along the lines of, "Are these scholars out of their minds and want us to go back to the stone age? Nothxkbai."
The backlash isn't something out of context, since MUI have made fatwas that are a tad...unimportant compared to some issues. Some of the things they stated as haraam included smoking and being neutral (in elections, that is.) The second one's slightly more reasonable, since many are unwilling to use their votes.
Oh, regarding my last entry about elections, it turned out my name wasn't on the list of valid voters. Yipee =/
I really hope my name's on that list when the presidential election comes. Looks like a visit to the district office is due to validate my ID.
Back to the topic.
This isn't the first time a site was, or close to, being banned by the Indonesian government. Last year they blocked out youtube, AND facebook was among the lists of social interactive sites that are about to be blocked out of access. The reason? They believe it's a medium for pornography. In a way they're right, but it's not like it's the only thing those sites are for. Thanks to a lot of protests and demands from the people, they're no longer blocked and we've been saved from going back to living in caves. Yay!! :)
I do agree with some of the comments that are being posted on that page, though. Especially the ones stating that MUI should focus on addressing more urgent issues such as the corruption that's turning up everywhere in our government.
Back when I was in high school, the government issued an "Anti pornography and pornoaction" bill. I don't see that going anywhere. I still see porn ads when some idiot puts them on their site. FHM and Playboy's still on sale. And with the number of prostitution locations being turned up as well as prostitutes caught in the news, I'd say they're still running. So what's the deal?
I could swear my country makes some of the most questionable, irrelevant laws (or lawls, I should say :P ).
So yesterday I was opening one of my friend's profile at a popular internet social community site better known as facebook, and his status immediately made me go, "Whaa..?" Long story short, he gave a link to a certain article (in Indonesian).
news.okezone.com/read/2009/05/22/1/222035/ulama-jatim-akan-fatwakan-facebook
Short translation? MUI, Majelis Ulama Indonesia aka Islamic Scholars Council of Indonesia are planning to put a fatwa against facebook. Apparently around 700 Muslim figures were worried that facebook would increase the possibility for porn talk, or hidden relationships that's against the Indonesian culture. So, many have suggested that a fatwa would be created to limit socializing on the web. To them, socializing openly like in the west that can invite sexual desires, and therefore should be stated as haraam.
My inital reaction: "WTF?!! Do they want us to go back to being neanderthals??"
Then on the same page, I found a link to another related material........stating it's total BS.
Yep. It's all fake. The head of MUI even stated that facebook is a technological innovation that should be used for maintaining good relationship and spreading knowledge. They only gave out a statement that it shouldn't be misused.
Before that statement was made, you can still check the long list of people saying something along the lines of, "Are these scholars out of their minds and want us to go back to the stone age? Nothxkbai."
The backlash isn't something out of context, since MUI have made fatwas that are a tad...unimportant compared to some issues. Some of the things they stated as haraam included smoking and being neutral (in elections, that is.) The second one's slightly more reasonable, since many are unwilling to use their votes.
Oh, regarding my last entry about elections, it turned out my name wasn't on the list of valid voters. Yipee =/
I really hope my name's on that list when the presidential election comes. Looks like a visit to the district office is due to validate my ID.
Back to the topic.
This isn't the first time a site was, or close to, being banned by the Indonesian government. Last year they blocked out youtube, AND facebook was among the lists of social interactive sites that are about to be blocked out of access. The reason? They believe it's a medium for pornography. In a way they're right, but it's not like it's the only thing those sites are for. Thanks to a lot of protests and demands from the people, they're no longer blocked and we've been saved from going back to living in caves. Yay!! :)
I do agree with some of the comments that are being posted on that page, though. Especially the ones stating that MUI should focus on addressing more urgent issues such as the corruption that's turning up everywhere in our government.
Back when I was in high school, the government issued an "Anti pornography and pornoaction" bill. I don't see that going anywhere. I still see porn ads when some idiot puts them on their site. FHM and Playboy's still on sale. And with the number of prostitution locations being turned up as well as prostitutes caught in the news, I'd say they're still running. So what's the deal?
I could swear my country makes some of the most questionable, irrelevant laws (or lawls, I should say :P ).