A Cardinal in Indonesia has called for the release of a trans artist who was jailed for comments made on social media about Jesus’ hair.
Rata Thalisa was sentenced to two years and ten months on 10 March for ‘hate speech’ under the country’s tough blasphemy laws. Five Christian groups had complained about her post on TikTok which was written in October, saying it was blasphemous.
However, Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo from the Archdiocese of Jakarta said she shouldn’t have been jailed because “to live out our religion, we have to have a sense of humour.” He told Crux that, “Not everything is to be taken very seriously” and that “Jesus would laugh if he heard the suggestion to cut his hair.”
He went on to say that in his opinion, the Catholic Church hadn’t been tarnished or insulted and that it “upholds the principle of freedom…"
“Therefore, the case that ensnared Ratu Thalisa, who asked Jesus to shave ‘her’ hair, should not have been brought to the legal realm. Even if it had to be included as a crime of insult or blasphemy, it should have been resolved with advice or at most with a warning.”
Only 10 per cent of Indonesia’s 275 million population is Christian. Of those, three per cent identify as Catholic - an estimated 8 million people. The majority adhere to Islam.
Cardinal Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo said Jesus told his followers, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
He described Indonesia’s blasphemy law as “fundamentally dangerous” and has called for it to be reviewed.
Urging the state to be more assertive in dealing with intolerant attitudes that hinder or prevent people from worshiping and expressing their faith properly and correctly, he said “Punishing people who are considered to have insulted the Lord Jesus Christ is not in line with the law of love taught by the Lord Jesus Himself…
“In fact, didn’t the Lord Jesus Himself ask us to love those who are our enemies, to pray and ask for blessings for those who insult us? This is my reason why I propose that Queen Thalisa be forgiven and released.
“Christianity never feels belittled or insulted even when it has to endure martyrdom. The spirit is to maintain a harmonious and peaceful life, not revenge under the guise of civil law.”