final thoughts from bali and 4 final words
Indonesia is an archipelego at the southern tip of southeast Asia, just north of Australia. In the 1970's, surfers discovered the breaks in Bali and the island became a major tourist attraction for western travellers. Besides beautiful beaches and great surf, the island of Bali also features stunning volcanoes, picturesque rice paddies and an impressive arts and crafts scene. Kuta beach is the main starting point for travellers on the island, and for better or worse has become a westernized beach resort town. There are luxury hotels, more surf shops than Huntington Beach, and swarms of westernized restaurants and nightclubs.
But did you know that Indonesia is the fourth most populous nation in the world?
And that it is also the largest Muslim population in the world?
Of the 18,110 or so islands in Indonesia, Bali is the only non-Muslim island in the nation. It consists primarily of Balinese Hindus practicing a form of Hinduism which contains many aspects of Buddhism.
The island's religious preference, combined with it being Indonesia's premier destination spot for westerners, led Al-Queda linked Muslim extremists to set off a series of 3 coordinated bombs at nightclubs in Kuta frequented by westerners. The bombings on October 12, 2002 killed 202 people, primarily westerners, mostly Australians. Almost 3 years to the day on October 3, 2005, another bombing occurred in Kuta killing 23 people.
(Wikipedia 2002 bombing page :: Wikipedia 2005 bombing page)
memorial at The Sari Club four years later in Kuta, Bali
Visiting the memorial and the site of the bomb that destroyed the popular Sari's Club made me think, why is religion the cause of so much violence in the world?
All religions preach about love, peace, and goodness. So why is it the source of so many conflicts?
a hindu beach procession during bali sunset
I'm not a religious person, but if I had to follow only one religious doctrine, it would be something that I saw in Australia on one of those free advertising postcards that they have on display in cafes. Besides the typical Absolut Vodka postcards, I saw one which has a quote by the Dalai Lama which states, My religion is kindness. As corny as it sounds, these 4 simple words make a lot of sense.
On that note, here's another 4 words that also make a lot of sense, Dónde está Ché Pelotas?
But did you know that Indonesia is the fourth most populous nation in the world?
And that it is also the largest Muslim population in the world?
Of the 18,110 or so islands in Indonesia, Bali is the only non-Muslim island in the nation. It consists primarily of Balinese Hindus practicing a form of Hinduism which contains many aspects of Buddhism.
The island's religious preference, combined with it being Indonesia's premier destination spot for westerners, led Al-Queda linked Muslim extremists to set off a series of 3 coordinated bombs at nightclubs in Kuta frequented by westerners. The bombings on October 12, 2002 killed 202 people, primarily westerners, mostly Australians. Almost 3 years to the day on October 3, 2005, another bombing occurred in Kuta killing 23 people.
(Wikipedia 2002 bombing page :: Wikipedia 2005 bombing page)
memorial at The Sari Club four years later in Kuta, Bali
Visiting the memorial and the site of the bomb that destroyed the popular Sari's Club made me think, why is religion the cause of so much violence in the world?
All religions preach about love, peace, and goodness. So why is it the source of so many conflicts?
a hindu beach procession during bali sunset
I'm not a religious person, but if I had to follow only one religious doctrine, it would be something that I saw in Australia on one of those free advertising postcards that they have on display in cafes. Besides the typical Absolut Vodka postcards, I saw one which has a quote by the Dalai Lama which states, My religion is kindness. As corny as it sounds, these 4 simple words make a lot of sense.
On that note, here's another 4 words that also make a lot of sense, Dónde está Ché Pelotas?
posted by ::rentastic:: at 5:09 PM
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