7/5/2024 Indonesia (International Christian Concern) — An Islamic social media campaign known as #SaveMaryam is raising awareness of the spread of Christianity throughout Indonesia — and it’s using controversial statistics and statements to do so. 

The campaign’s manager stated that 2 million Muslims convert to Christianity every year in the country. He added that Indonesia would cease to be a predominantly Muslim nation by 2035. 

Critics and commentators have accused the campaign’s team of being alarmist, creating unnecessary religious tension, and giving inaccurate information to raise more funds for their activities.  

Indonesia boasts the largest Muslim population in the world, with more than 212 million Muslims. Official figures estimate that about 11% of the population are Christians. However, several Indonesian church leaders believe this is a huge underestimation, placing the actual number of Christians between 20% and 30% of the population.  

Whatever the correct figure, what is clear is the extreme hardship Indonesian Christians face, particularly those who convert from Islam to Christianity. Muslim families often disown their children who become Christians. It’s even more difficult for a Muslim to convert to Christianity in the province of Aceh, which follows Islamic law.