Lady Gaga a Threat to 'Nation's Morality,' Claim Indonesia's Muslim Leaders

By Ivana Kvesic, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Indonesian Muslim leaders have come out to suggest that American pop superstar Lady Gaga is a threat to the moral fabric of their society and want her upcoming concert in the nation to be canceled.

Gaga's upcoming concert is scheduled in Indonesia's capital of Jakarta as part of her "Born This Way Ball" concert series, but leaders of Indonesia's Council of Ulema (MUI) are arguing that the concert should be canceled labeling it as "haram" or forbidden, and called on Muslims in the country to not attend the concert.

"(The concert is) intended to destroy the nation's morality," MUI chairman Cholil Ridwan said.

"My opinion is based solely on religious tradition," Ridwan added. "(She) is too sexy on stage, this could induce a carnal desire among people of different sexes."

"She is from the West, and she shows her private parts while performing," he added.

The MUI is made up of religious scholars and is Indonesia's top Muslim clerical body in the country. It was established to strengthen religious following for purposes of national resilience, to maintain religious harmony between the different religious groups present in the country, and to partake in national development.

Lady Gaga fans in the country have not taken kindly to Ridwan's comments, and responded to the controversy by maintaining that going to a Gaga concert is not "unislamic" and arguing that "music is music," according to Asia News.

The singer, who has become famous for her artistic style that some find to be over the top, has quite a following in the country, as tickets for her June show sold out within hours of hitting the market earlier this month.

Although Indonesia is not an Islamic state, Indonesia is the most populous Muslim-majority nation in the world, with over 80 percent of the country following Islam. The country also has significant Christian, Buddhist, and Hindu populations.