I remember the first time I went to Indonesia, back around 2005 or so, a work trip to the small island of Batam, a ferry ride from Singapore.<p>When Indonesian colleagues there met me for the first time, they would almost always ask what religion I practiced, in the same sort of casual way as people in the Western world might ask where you lived. I thought it was a bit weird!<p>Anyway, I'd always say "no religion", since I don't practice or believe in any gods, afterlife etc - but this was totally incomprehensible! Heads would tilt, and I'd get baffled looks like I was mad - "uh... no, but what god you you follow?". No matter how many times or ways I said it, they just didn't seem to believe me.<p>Someone later explained that in Indonesia you legally had to tell the government what religion you followed, and "none" was not an option.