From Moderate Indonesia to Indonistan

Abstract

The focus of Chapter 5 is how the acts of religious improvisation intersect with political attempts to present Indonesia internationally as a “moderate” Muslim nation that is different from the “despotic” and “chaotic” Middle East. Although Muslims of different ideological stripes are actually capitulating to the West and absorbing the ideals of secular liberalism, the moderate Muslim discourse identifies liberal Muslims as “good” believers while denouncing Islamists as “bad” believers in need of liberal salvation. Blaming violence and discrimination on “bad” religion, however, promotes the view of religion as bounded and coherent and overlooks the complex constellation of factors that produce social ills.