Friending Facebook

Emil Protalinski
Home / News & Blogs / Friending Facebook

Man faces five years for ‘God does not exist’ Facebook post

By | January 21, 2012, 12:24pm PST

Summary: 31-year-old Alexander Aan faces up to fives years in prison after he declared himself an atheist on Facebook. The Indonesian man is in protective police custody because he fears physical assault.

31-year-old Alexander Aan faces a maximum prison sentence of five years for posting “God does not exist” on Facebook. The civil servant was attacked and beaten by an angry mob of dozens who entered his government office at the Dharmasraya Development Planning Board on Wednesday. The Indonesian man was taken into protective police custody Friday since he was afraid of further physical assault.

The posting was made on a Facebook Page titled Ateis Minang (Minang Atheist), which Aan created. At the time of writing, it had over 1,700 Likes. Aan’s posting has been removed, but supporters on the Page are urging police to release him.

Dharmasraya Police Chief Sr. Comr. Chairul Aziz said the district branch of the council and other Islamic organizations believed Aan had defiled Islam by using passages from the Koran to denounce the existence of God and highlight his atheist views. “So it meets the criteria of tainting religion, in this case Islam,” Chairul told The Jakarta Globe.

On Facebook, Aan said he was brought up as a Muslim. In 2008, however, he came to the conclusion that God could not exist. In addition to his comment about the possibility of a deity, he also declared that he did not believe in angels, devils, heaven, hell, as well as other “myths.” He was aware he could lose his job and was prepared to do so to defend his beliefs.

Atheism is a violation of Indonesian law under the founding principles of the country. Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation, recognises the right to practice six religions in total: Islam, Protestant, Catholic, Hindu, Buddhism and Confucianism. Atheism is, however, illegal. According to Indonesian criminal law, anyone who tries to stop others believing in a faith could face up to five years in jail for blasphemy.

Aan was charged because he used Facebook to spread beliefs that violate the law. Furthermore, it was pointed out he lied on his job application by saying he was Muslim. Aan asked police investigators: if God really exists and has absolute power, why doesn’t God prevent bad things from happening in this world?

See also:

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily e-mail newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

More from “Friending Facebook”

Topics

Facebook, Social Media, Emil Protalinski

Emil Protalinski has covered the tech industry for five years for multiple publications.

Disclosure

Emil Protalinski

Emil has nothing to disclose.

Biography

Emil Protalinski

Emil Protalinski has covered the tech industry for five years for multiple publications, including Neowin for two years and Ars Technica for three years. He has written 1,000s of articles for both, with a particular focus on scrutinizing Microsoft products and services. Recently, Emil has expanded his coverage to non-Microsoft technologies, including the social networking giant Facebook.

Talkback Most Recent of 123 Talkback(s)

  • Apostacy
    Atheism is every much a religion as a religion. The various religions know/believe that God exists, while atheists know/believe that God does not exist.

    Sad to see yet another high-profile instance of religious intolerance. (Atheists have been known to be intolerant too.)

    I wonder what they think of individuals who are not sure? Or believe that religion A is pretty much the same as religion B? Perhaps these folk are merely sent to Madrasass for brain-washing.

    Oh, well. All this has gotten me in a bit of a religious mood. Now, where did I last place my copy of "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" ...
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Rabid Howler Monkey
    21st Jan
  • definition of religion
    @Rabid Howler Monkey sorry but you are incorrect... religion is the belief in a deity. So how is Atheism a religion if there is not deity to believe in ?
    The word CULT also shares a similar definition although it is usually used as a derogative term for religion.
    See it helps to understand the definition of words before you misuse them.
    And Agnostics are the ones who are uncommitted (fence sitters).
    ZDNet Gravatar
    optyk
    21st Jan
  • RE: definition of religion
    @optyk wrote:
    "religion is the belief in a deity.

    You have provided a rather narrow definition of religion. Here's a better one with more of a religious studies bent:

    "Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion

    Do all religions have deities? More on atheism:

    "Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities. Most inclusively, atheism is simply the absence of belief that any deities exist.
    "Although in Western culture atheists are usually irreligious, some are spiritual. Moreover, atheism also figures in certain religious and spiritual belief systems, such as Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Neopagan movements such as Wicca. Jainism and some forms of Buddhism do not advocate belief in gods, whereas Hinduism holds atheism to be valid, but difficult to follow spiritually.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheism

    Finally, a purely legal view applicable to the U.S.:

    "Atheism is a Religion Says US Supreme Court
    http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977925893

    I realize that this is a hot-button topic for some, but you have grossly overplayed your position with this statement:

    "See it helps to understand the definition of words before you misuse them.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Rabid Howler Monkey
    21st Jan
  • RE: Man faces five years for 'God does not exist' Facebook post
    @optyk

    "So how is Atheism a religion if there is not deity to believe in ?"

    Religions have been known to worship nature and ancestors without a specific deity, and one can believe in the existence of a spiritual world without believing in a specific deity. A big thing in popular culture has been spirituality without believing in any particular god.

    So yes, it is certainly possible to establish a religion without deities.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    CobraA1
    22nd Jan
  • Religion requires no deity
    @optyk Sorry, but religion requires no deity. Buddhists have no conception of a deity whatsoever. Neither do Scientologists. Nor animists, often. One could argue that Shinto does not either.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    rbethell
    23rd Jan
  • RE: Man faces five years for 'God does not exist' Facebook post
    @rbethell

    Scientology isn't a religion. It's a pyramid scheme dressed in spiritual mumbo-jumbo with sci-fi characters thrown in.

    L. Ron Hubbard was a genius and a total b**tard.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    bhartman36
    27th Jan
  • Atheism a religion?
    @optyk Pat Robertson disagrees with you. He stated that secular humanism, which he disapproves of, is as much a religion as any other.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    drobinow
    1st Feb
  • RE: Man faces five years for 'God does not exist' Facebook post
    @drobinow

    Could you provide reasoning for this and your definition of a religion. Then, if secular humanism is a religion, why aren't all other worldviews a religion? Finally, why should we consider Pat Robertson as a credible source? Opinions don't prove anything.


    Wiki defines religion as:
    "Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values."
    --Secular humanism has nothing to do with spirituality.

    Dictionary.com defines:
    "a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs."
    --Secular humanism doesn't involve the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, neither does it involve devotional and ritual observances.

    Merriam-Webster defines:
    "a : the state of a religious b (1) : the service and worship of God or the supernatural (2) : commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance"
    --Again, no God worship or devotions or faith.

    The Free Dictionary defines:
    "1.
    a. Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.
    b. A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship."
    --I think you get my point.


    Arguing semantics is stupid, but it seems most people don't know the meanings of words and like to put their own meanings in them.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Zakh
    2nd Feb
  • RE: Man faces five years for 'God does not exist' Facebook post
    @Rabid Howler Monkey Your statement "The various religions know/believe that God exists, while atheists know/believe that God does not exist" is not correct. Atheists do not believe that God exists. That is, atheism is not about believing but about not believing.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Venugopal Kaikulath
    21st Jan
  • RE: Man faces five years for 'God does not exist' Facebook post
    @Venugopal Kaikulath

    "Atheists do not believe that God exists."

    There are other classifications of people who do not believe that God exists, such as agnostics and many old religions that worshiped nature or worshiped ancestors. Yoga generally includes spirituality without necessarily believing in a deity.

    I'm sorry, this is simply a failure of categorical logic. Atheism is the affirmation that God does not exist, and what we generally think of when we use the word "atheist" also generally includes the denial of anything spiritual/supernatural.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    CobraA1
    22nd Jan
  • RE: Man faces five years for 'God does not exist' Facebook post
    @Cobra, the problem with that definition is that it doesn't include those who simply lack a belief in a God, but don't claim to believe it doesn't exist. I would think most atheists are of this type. And don't say these are agnostic because that is incorrect. Agnosticism has to do with 'knowledge' not belief. Theists have been pushing the definition you have given for centuries to force a false equivalence.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    pdskep
    22nd Jan
  • You have agnostic wrong:
    @CobraA1

    Agnostics simply believe that the existence or non-existence of a deity/super-natural is not knowable.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Bruizer
    22nd Jan
  • Wow. Semantics rule.
    @Venugopal Kaikulath

    You just provided one of the most backward shots at defining a term I have ever seen.

    Its not that I believe broccoli tastes bad, its that I don't believe it taste good.

    Its not that I believe Santa clause doesn't exist, its that I don't believe he does exist.

    Its not that I believe that drinking and driving is a bad idea, its that I don't believe its a good idea.

    Its not that I believe the way you have tried to make semantics have some meaningful twist on the realities of this situation doesn't have any merit, its just that I don't believe the way you have tried to make semantics have some meaningful twist on the realities of this situation has any merit.

    Either way its all the same. Wake up.

    Sometimes I just cant believe it.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Cayble
    22nd Jan
  • RE: Man faces five years for 'God does not exist' Facebook post
    "Agnostics simply believe that the existence or non-existence of a deity/super-natural is not knowable."

    And Atheism is the affirmation that it is in fact knowable that God does not exist. So Atheism is actually an affirmation that God's non-existence is knowable, not a "lack of belief" as many claim it is.

    "Its not that I believe Santa clause doesn't exist, its that I don't believe he does exist."

    Either something exists or it does not.

    Either you affirm that you know something about the value of something's existence or you do not.

    If you deny that you are making an affirmative statement about the value of something's existence, then you are claiming that you do not know whether it exists or not.

    Therefore, "I don't have a belief in him" is equivalent to saying "I don't know if he exists or not" - it is not equivalent to saying "I know he doesn't exist."
    ZDNet Gravatar
    CobraA1
    25th Jan
  • RE: Man faces five years for 'God does not exist' Facebook post
    @CobraA1 No, your definition of atheism is still wrong. Atheism only means that the person does not believe in a god. Nothing else. If they know anything, that relates to their level of gnosticism/agnosticism.

    "So Atheism is actually an affirmation that God's non-existence is knowable"

    Wrong. Atheism means a non belief in god. If those atheists know god doesn't exist, that would be gnostic atheism, and I have never met anyone who holds this position, but I'm sure they're out there. Like I have stated, there is agnostic atheism.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Zakh
    25th Jan
View More Comments

Talkback - Tell Us What You Think

Formatting +
BB Codes - Note: HTML is not supported in forums
  • [b] Bold [/b]
  • [i] Italic [/i]
  • [u] Underline [/u]
  • [s] Strikethrough [/s]
  • [q] "Quote" [/q]
  • [ol][*] 1. Ordered List [/ol]
  • [ul][*] · Unordered List [/ul]
  • [pre] Preformat [/pre]
  • [quote] "Blockquote" [/quote]

The best of ZDNet, delivered

ZDNet Newsletters

Get the best of ZDNet delivered straight to your inbox

Facebook Activity

Blog Roll

Blog Archive

White Papers, Webcasts, & Resources