» *05/22/2009 15:05* INDONESIA Indonesian Muslims: the Facebook “virus” is lethal The social network provokes “illicit dreams” and “flirting” with people of the opposite sex. Indonesia ranks fifth in the world for membership counting for 4% of the global total. The President of the Ulema Council ready to launch a “total ban”.
<http://www.asianews.it/files/img/INDONESIA_%28F%29_0522_-_Internet_Facebook.jpg> Jakarta (AsiaNews) – Experts in Islamic law in Indonesia have launched a campaign against *Facebook*. The popular *social network*, which has won over millions of people throughout the world, apparently favours “illicit dreams” among young people, including the chance to “flirt” with friends of the opposite sex and have “illicit relationships” with married couples. With its whole population of 235 millions, Indonesia has registered a boom in *Facebook* users: in 2008 with 831 thousand users, a growth of 645% compared to last year. Indonesians represent 4% of global users, taking fifth place behind the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Italy. On May 21st last – in Lirboyo Female Educational Boarding House Institution, in Kediri East Java – a meeting was held by 700 experts in Islamic law. They described the *social network* as a “potential threat” comparing its diffusion among young Indonesians to a “lethal virus”. According to Institute spokesman Nabil Haroen, a new *fatwa *on this virtual networking is urgently needed: “Lust and illicit sex – he affirms - is forbidden in Islam”. He adds that *Facebook* should not be banned but used instead to promote “Islamic values”. Any eventual “edict” against the social network – as in the past against yoga, smoking and voting for non Islamic candidates – would be the equivalent of indicating the moral behaviour of practising Muslims and would not have legal consequences. The situation could deteriorate if the crusade against *Facebook* is approved of by the powerful Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI). Amidan, President of Mui, explains that “very fast growing use” creates “is a controversial subject among Muslim leaders” and “easily stirs youngster to practice illicit behaviour”. He does not exclude the possibility of a “total ban”, because “a ban would be more effective”. Children rights activist Seto Mulyadi has also broached the subject, inviting parents to keep their children “away” from *Facebook*, because it could damage their growth: “Parents – he clarifies - should keep the balance between virtual communication and interpersonal communication”. e-mail this to a friend <http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=15323&size=A#>printable version <http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=15323&size=A#> On Thu, May 21, 2009 at 5:05 PM, jgg1000a <[email protected]> wrote: > > Two views come form the POV one had pre 9/11... To the Left with > 20/20 hindsight filled with anti-America assumptions declare we should > never have gone to war.... And that assumes even if AQ was at war > with us, we should have seen it as only > > > http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/05/21/cheney_obama_keeping_america_safe_96615.html > > >>> So we're left to draw one of two conclusions - and here is the great > dividing line in our current debate over national security. You can look at > the facts and conclude that the comprehensive strategy has worked, and > therefore needs to be continued as vigilantly as ever. Or you can look at > the same set of facts and conclude that 9/11 was a one-off event - > coordinated, devastating, but also unique and not sufficient to justify a > sustained wartime effort. Whichever conclusion you arrive at, it will shape > your entire view of the last seven years, and of the policies necessary to > protect America for years to come. > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
