09/01/2019 Indonesia (International Christian Concern) – Despite a rise of radicalism in Indonesia in recent years, there are still religious communities willing to show how religious harmony should be preserved in this Muslim-majority country. But a story of a mosque in Jakarta lending its ground for a Christian family for their funeral, shows that there is still hope.
This last week, a Facebook post uploaded on Monday has gone viral for showing a Christian funeral being held on the grounds of a mosque in Cempaka Putih, Central Jakarta.
Southeast Asian media Coconuts reports that a Facebook user Jeferson Goeltom, posted some photos with the caption that his wife’s relative had died. The family wasn’t able to hold a funeral service at their house because it was located in a narrow alleyway, and they weren’t able to fit the coffin through it.
Jeferson then wrote that the local mosque graciously allowed the family to use its lawn (which also functions as a public passageway — a common feature for mosques in densely populated neighborhoods in Jakarta and throughout Indonesia) for the funeral.
“Thank you my brothers, the caretakers of the mosque, and the residents of the neighborhood for the assistance and the super high level of tolerance,” Jeferson wrote in the post above.
Not only was there a Christian cross during the funeral, the photos also show that several Muslims attended the service. Two Christian clergy can be seen presiding the funeral.
While it is not uncommon to hear Christian graves being desecrated, Christians not welcomed in Muslim neighborhood, or churches being shut down due to Muslims’ complaints in an increasing hostile environment, this story from Central Jakarta indeed proves that religious harmony is alive and can continue to encourage others to do the same.
