Indonesia has a long history of pluralism and religious diversity. It has existed at least since Majapahit in the 8th century, when the famous Buddhist temple Borobodur was built by the Hindu-Shiva Syailendra dynasty.
We must remember this milestone in the history of tolerance in Indonesia. Unfortunately, today this old spirit of the past is often replaced with suspicion and judgment of anything different. It is a gift from God that Indonesia has been blessed with religious, ethnic, linguistic and racial diversity. Geopolitically Indonesia has always been a crossroads where people of all kinds of religions, ethnic groups, languages and races have stopped by on their journeys.
If we were able to live harmoniously as individuals and in groups amidst the diversity, maybe today we can be a good example for other countries plagued by violence and war. Unfortunately, we seem to have rejected this blessing.