Poverty and Christianization

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Poverty and Christianization

Indonesia between poverty and Christian proselytization:



The Netherlands was the sole imperial power in Indonesia since the beginning of the sixteenth century; depleting and devouring its resources. It seized control over its abundant material resources and wealth, and hindered its progress and advancement.

The Netherlands drained Indonesia until the Japanese forces occupied it in March 1942 after the surrender of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army.

Only one month after the Japanese occupation, an official decree was issued to dissolve all political parties, and even other organizations, banning their activities in Indonesia. Consequently, the Indonesian people formed resistance movements against the Japanese occupation.

After the atomic bomb was dropped on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (1364 AH/ 1945 AD), Japan surrendered. Immediately following Japan’s surrender to the Allies, Ahmad Sukarno and fellow nationalist Muhammad Hatta declared Indonesia’s independence. The next day the provisional parliament adopted a constitution and elected Sukarno president.

Indonesia between poverty and Christian proselytization:

Indonesia is reeling under the burden of several problems such as low rates of production compared to its natural resources, its vast lands, and its large population. Add to that, the high rates of illiteracy and unemployment.

Due to the high rates of unemployment and the escalating poverty rates, Indonesia suffers from a decline in the standards of living. Indonesia has become in recent decades one of the biggest exporters of cheap labor to other countries, even in the most basic and simplest professions.

This dire situation tempted Christian missionaries all over the world. Since the mid-twentieth century, Christian proselytizing missionaries became quite active in Indonesia, striving to make it more receptive to Christianity.

The missionary movements possessed greater potentials, resources, and budgets than those of many countries. These missionaries possessed TV channels and dozens of newspapers and magazines. Their proselytizing efforts began to bear fruits and started to pay off as the percentage of Muslims in Indonesia decreased from 97% to 85%.

Many areas fell in the grip of missionaries, such as East Nusa Tenggara province, where the proportion of Muslims dropped to 9.12%. East Nusa Tenggara province is composed of 111 islands, the largest of which is Timor, and most of its population converted to Christianity.

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Poverty and Christianization christianization poverty