ISLAMABAD: Pope Francis, on his longest foreign visit to date, told Indonesian political leaders on Wednesday to be on guard against religious extremism, saying faith must never be misused through deception and violence.
Addressing the presidential palace in Jakarta on the first full day of his nine-day Southeast Asian tour, the 87-year-old pontiff stressed the Catholic Church was determined to promote interfaith dialogue, especially in Muslim-majority nations such as Indonesia, according to Al Jazeera.
In such a manner, prejudices can be removed, and an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust can be developed, Francis said, and it was necessary to oppose extremism and intolerance that distort religion to enforce their views through violence.
Indonesia is a country with a population of more than 280 million people, with approximately 87 percent of them being Muslim, and the constitution of Indonesia guarantees religious freedom. Although the nation has experienced instances of Islamist violence, including bombings in recent years attributed to Islamic State-inspired groups, mass extremism has decreased since the early 2000s, after deadly attacks like the 2002 Bali bombing.
President Joko Widodo welcomed the visit of the Pope and thanked him for his repeated calls to peace, especially at a time when there are conflicts in the world, such as the war in Gaza. Widodo said that Indonesia values the efforts of the Vatican in consistently speaking out about the need to have peace.
Francis, who is in a wheelchair because of the knee and back pains, was welcomed by the locals as he arrived at the palace. People were waving Indonesian and Vatican flags, and 10-year-old Dorothea Dawai, in a traditional kebaya, said she hoped to be blessed by the Pope.
Even though the pontiff did not mention any particular cases of violence in his public statements, he has condemned the use of religion for political or violent purposes on numerous occasions. Faith in God has been used at times to create division and hatred instead of peace, dialogue, and cooperation, he told dignitaries.
Later, at the Jakarta Cathedral, Francis spoke to the local Catholic community, including children who played music using the angklung, a traditional bamboo instrument. Under a Teak ceiling, the Pope heard brief testimonies by Indonesian Catholics, including a nun who made him smile when she asked him to speed up the translation of church texts.
He commended the cultural diversity of Indonesia and reminded Catholics that practicing the teachings of the Church should not be a matter of imposing his or her faith on others. Being a follower of the Church does not imply that we impose our beliefs and oppose them to those of others, he said.
Francis will also attend an interfaith event on Thursday at the Istiqlal Mosque, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia.
The Pope will visit Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore after Indonesia, and will be back in Rome by 13 September, having covered 33,000 km. His tour is a continuation of his efforts to enhance Catholic-Muslim relations and foster religious harmony in the world.
