Christian Area In Indonesia Wants Bible-Based Law

Sunday's Jakarta Post reports on a new development in Indonesia where a number of regencies and cities with Muslim majorities have adopted bylaws based on Sharia. In response, politicians in the predominantly Christian regency of Manokwari are proposing a group of Bible-based ordinances. One of the proposed provisions would ban non-Christian dress—responding to the situation in certain Muslim areas where non-Muslim women are tacitly required to wear Muslim dress to show mutual respect. The proposal has angered Muslim leaders and been rejected by the Indonesian Bishops Conference and the Communion of Indonesian Churches. However there has been no formal public reaction by the country's Home Affairs Ministry.