Is Islam really a peaceful religion?

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Islam is not a pacifist religion.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Why are people even talking about Indonesia? The invasion and occupation of East Timor was based on rabid Indonesian Nationalism, not Islamism. About the only religious dimension was the enforced monotheism of Pancasila. (and of course the first independent PM of Timor-Leste was himself a Muslim)

It is true that existing conflicts have been inflamed by the latest fashionable trend of extreme Salafism and political Islam (i.e. secular nationalists/ left-wingers have been largely usurped by Islamism in places ranging from the Philippines to Palestine). But all trendy ideologies must pass - I see no reason to not believe that the current mass Islamism will go the same way as Arab nationalism or other such things that briefly gained a lot of serious thought by the chattering classes of the area before being discarded.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Indonesia like all nations of earth (aside from places lile San Marino) has a bloodsoaked history and it would be pseudohistorical rot to claim that SE Asia is a peaceful land of sunshine and harmony. To claim that religion is the primary motivation of bloodshed, betrays a lack of understanding of human behaviour and psychology. Religion is a good way to unify people against an out group, and strengthens one's resolve, but that isn't theological. The sectarianism of some English cities between Catholics and Protestants was not because of theology, it's because religion was a prominent mark of being part of an "other".

Some religions central figures are associated with war. Muhammad for instance, and the various patriarchs of Judaism were undoubtedly warlords. Some central religious figures were non-violent, but their hierarchical successors were not (e.g. Guru Nanak's successors established an empire, the early Popes). I'm not sure it matters tbh.

And if I wanted to be really sage, perhaps the religions with the greatest bloodshed of all are nationalism and the worship of Mammon.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

The issues raised are moot. The vast majority of people dislike violence and avoid it for self-preservation; and if this is contradicted by scripture they will normally handwave it. People who act on violent impulses have something else going on.