Indonesia is not a safe place for atheists. It’s home to Alexander Aan, who was handed a prison sentence for simply proclaiming his atheism on Facebook.

Despite that, a courageous group of atheist parents have created a (closed) Facebook group to discuss raising their kids without superstitious values. Jakarta Globe has the story:

Both A.F. and T.R. accept that their children will have to live their lives — at least on paper — as religious believers. Their citizen ID card notes their religion (“Hers states Muslim, but does that really mean anything?” T.R. said of his daughter) and they both go to schools where religious studies are compulsory. … For T.R., being a parent without the baggage of religion results in “a child who is stronger and not a crybaby, because she would not have to be dependent on something outside herself that is abstract and never concretely debated.” He added: “There is nothing sadder than seeing an 8- or 9-year-old explain everything using ‘by the grace of god,’ showcasing a formed weakness of a mind that should be thinking about things without any limits.”

These are some brave people who stand to lose a lot if they’re discovered. Let’s hope they stay safe. It’s really incredible how they’ve managed to create a group like this despite the anti-atheist climate in their country.



