During his visit to Muslim-majority Indonesia, Pope Francis issued a strong warning against religious extremism, urging communities to embrace dialogue and unity over division and violence.
The world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, Indonesia, received a strong warning from Pope Francis on Wednesday to take precautions against religious extremism, which he claimed perverted people's religious beliefs via "deception and violence."
During an extensive 12-day trip to Southeast Asia, the pontiff made his first speech there and declared that the Catholic Church would step up efforts to promote interreligious dialogue in an attempt to counter extremism.
Addressing some 300 politicians and religious leaders at Jakarta's Merdeka Presidential Palace the 87-year-old pope said, "In this way, prejudices can be eliminated, and a climate of mutual respect and trust can grow," said in an address
"This is indispensable for meeting common challenges, including that of countering extremism and intolerance, which through the distortion of religion attempt to impose their views by using deception and violence," said Francis.
An estimated 280 million people are living in Indonesia, of whom 87% identify as Muslims. The nation's constitution guarantees religious freedom.
Recent years have seen many instances of extremist violence in the nation, including suicide bombings in 2021 and 2022 carried out by members of Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), an organisation inspired by the Islamic State.
