Religious extremism that if hit NY
would end the population overgrowth ( sorry
                                for  'inappropriate joking' on
Bloomberg). I am biased - bloomberg also tried
                                 to kidnap ,me to NASA in the cold
night when access to any shelter was
                                 denied me. WHAT THE TRY!


Ed Wray for The New York Times

A member of Banda Aceh's Shariah police squad reprimanded
Acehnese men for eating during the time for Friday prayer.


By NORIMITSU ONISHI
Published: October 27, 2009

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia — Under Islamic law, or Shariah, the religious
police have administered public canings for such things as gambling,
prostitution and illicit affairs. But under a new Islamic criminal
code that goes into effect this month, the Shariah police will be
wielding a new and more potent threat: death by stoning for
adulterers.


Times Topics: Shariah (Islamic Law) | Indonesia

Ed Wray for The New York Times

Members of the Shariah police, standing, reprimanded women in Banda
Aceh for wearing
clothing they judged to be too tight.

Most of Indonesia still lives up to its reputation for a moderate,
easygoing brand
of Islam, and Islamist parties suffered heavy losses in this year’s
national elections.

....

Most experts and human rights advocates believe the regulations
discriminate against
non-Muslim minorities and contravene the country’s Constitution, which
guarantees
freedom of religion. But the government of President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono —
a moderate former general whose Muslim credentials have often been
questioned
by political opponents — has not challenged them. In fact, Mr.
Yudhoyono has
 backed morality-based laws that pleased Muslim conservative allies
but angered
 advocates of human rights.

The president has yet to comment on the stoning provision, leaving it
to his aides to
quietly criticize it and clearly hoping that the Aceh Parliament will
repeal it. Aceh’s
governor has said he will refuse to carry out any stonings, and even
supporters
acknowledge that the punishment will be extremely hard to apply for
practical
and theological reasons. Nevertheless, because the governor lacks veto
power,
 stoning could remain on the books.