Religion is awesome!

Indonesian authorities have cancelled a permit for Lady Gaga to perform in a sold-out 52,000 seat stadium in Jakarta because a small group of religious zealots are threatening her. Link

“She’s a vulgar singer who wears only panties and a bra when she sings and she stated she is the envoy of the devil’s child and that she will spread satanic teaching,” said Salim Alatas, the Jakarta head of hardline Islamic Defender Front (FPI). “This is dangerous.”

Of course, a musical performance is not remotely dangerous (except to primitive ideas) but the police don’t feel they can guarantee Gaga’s safety.

Indonesia, a nation of 240 million and has more Muslims than any other country, is secular and, as the AP notes, “has a long history of religious tolerance” but “a small extremist fringe has become more vocal in recent years.”

Very sad. And if you think conservative Christians wouldn’t do the same thing in the U.S. if they could, you’re not paying attention.