Mosques and Cathedrals in every village. Crying with Shame at the End of the World.

Mosques and Cathedrals in every village. Crying with Shame at the End of the World.

Mosques in Indonesia. Natural Centers of each Muslim village. A place, where everyone comes several times a day. Pray. Chat. Laugh. Weep. All mixed up. Natural. Joyful. True. Real life. Zero hypocrisy.

You want to know something, share something, need something. Have spare time for a chat. You go to the mosque.

For me, these Indonesian Mosques were also great …hotels. There is a custom in Indonesia: if you have no place to sleep you can sleep in the mosque. On the soil. But for free. Perfect sanitary. And the locals who arrive there non-stop, bring me food, come to chat, laugh, pray....

Indonesia is not the whole Muslim country. At about 90%. With the large Muslim islands such as Java and Sumatra. On the other islands is sometimes different. Some are Hindu (Bali). Some Christian (Catholic or Protestant). Buddhist. Other Muslim again.

There are some places (like North Sulawesi) with mixed Muslim and Christian populations. These places are very interesting, because of the same people. The same ethnic groups. Origins. Languages. Same poverty. They differ just a religion.

I have driven through these villages on my bike. And experienced a terrible shock!

As I drove through the Muslim village. There is always one Mosque in the center of the village. Same as the cottage next door. Just as poor. Constructed from the same materials. A bit of everything. Patched a rusty metal sheets. Pieces of cardboard. Sometimes it’s hard to notice among the huts. So blended in with the surroundings.

Half an hour later. Drive into the 5 km away Roman Catholic village. Shock! Cottages same as for Muslims. Poor. Cobbled together with just anything. But at the village entrance there is a Great Cathedral....!!! Under construction! I'm going on. In the middle of the village a second! Even more Great! Under construction! Well, and at the end of the village is another! Third one! The same! And also, not finished!

At first I thought it was an exception. Maybe some local “Lourdes”. Some Relics. Miracles. Marvels. Mother of God revealed in the hollow of a tree or something...

But I went further.

Muslim village again. Again, I've known the pattern: poor cottage ..., poor cottage…, poor cottage ..., poor cottage…, poor Mosque..., poor cottage ..., poor cottage…, poor cottage ..., poor cottage…, poor cottage ..., poor cottage…, poor cottage ..., poor cottage…

Next Roman Catholic village.

Already I'm afraid. Nervously accelerating. Just one more turn....

As I arrived, it ... I cried. I wept with shame. From helplessness. With rage. That this boundless human stupidity caught me up here!

In this next Catholic village there were another three New Empty Unfinished Cathedrals!!!

Sly eye sockets holes unfinished doors and windows stared at me mockingly!!!
I was standing there. Crying. Even heard the hideous laughter of the Catholic Priest sitting inside. Counting the money he stolen from these poor people….

I am not. I probably will never become Muslim. Little too late. I do not need to. But certainly since that day. In that place. At this village. Weeping with Shame at the End of the World.

I stopped forever be a Roman Catholic.