The Bethsaida Plant-Based Program and Its Harmony with All Faiths in Indonesia
Author(s):
Prof. Dasaad Mulijono
In a time when chronic diseases and ecological crises are escalating globally, plant-based diets (PBDs) have emerged not only as a scientific imperative but also as a profoundly spiritual and ethical call. This article examines the striking convergence between ancient religious wisdom and modern nutritional science, focusing on how Indonesia’s six officially recognized religions—Christianity, Catholicism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism—each contain scriptural and ethical principles that support a plant-based diet. Far from being a Western health trend, the principles underlying PBDs have long been embedded in the moral teachings of faiths practiced by over 270 million Indonesians. Drawing on scriptural references, religious doctrines, and theological reflections, we uncover how compassionate eating, bodily stewardship, moderation, and environmental responsibility are universal themes that transcend faiths.
We also present the groundbreaking experience at Bethsaida Hospital, Indonesia, under the leadership of Professor Dasaad Mulijono, where a Christ-centred, plant-based lifestyle program has been implemented as part of mainstream cardiac care. Over the past seven years, this integrative model has delivered remarkable clinical outcomes, including the reversal of hypertension and diabetes, regression of coronary artery disease (CAD), improved renal and heart failure metrics, and a nationally leading restenosis rate of just 2% following drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty, without reliance on expensive and aggressive pharmacological interventions.
By harmonizing faith, evidence-based medicine, and ethical nutrition, Bethsaida’s model demonstrates how healthcare can transcend the transactional and become transformational. The article ultimately calls for a reawakening among both religious and medical communities: to recognize that food is not merely fuel, but a sacred tool for healing, justice, and renewal. We propose that the path forward in public health lies not only in policy or pharmaceuticals but in a spiritual and nutritional renaissance grounded in ancient truths and modern compassion.