Is it proper to consider religion a critical force?<\/p>\n
By Th. Sumartana<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Thoughts about the role of religion in
\nsociety often culminate in a dead end when people neglect the
\nimpacts of religion on society, i.e. its presence as a critical
\nforce. This role is particularly overlooked when religious
\nthinkers are in a favorable position and receive privileges on
\naccount of their position. They become less aware of one of the
\nbasic vocations of religion i.e. to be constantly aware of the
\nmany life-threatening forces in society.<\/p>\n
This was once disclosed by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German
\ntheologist who lived through Hitler's Nazi regime. Amid the
\nindifference toward religious life in Germany, Bonhoeffer came
\nforward with thoughts entirely different from what was current at
\nthe time. Bonhoeffer talked about the people who were undergoing
\ncritical changes in their lives .<\/p>\n
The Nazis brought disaster not only to the German people but
\nto other nations as well. There were two aspects to Bonhoeffer's
\ntheological thoughts. One was his reminder of the existence of
\ndemonic forces in contemporary political life which trapped many
\npeople in World War II, the other was his reminder that religious
\nlife in an affluent and modern world was the cause of the
\ntendency to take a triumphalist attitude toward religion in
\ngeneral. Everything was rosy, everything was comfortable and all
\nproblems had been solved.<\/p>\n
People succumbing to this attitude seem to have no challenges,
\nno problems and no commitments in their daily life. This becomes
\nthe very reason why the religions experience the greatest
\ndifficulty in playing their role in society. As a way out the
\nnecessity is reemphasized for religions to speak of their essence
\nas a critical force in society.<\/p>\n
A discussion on religion as a critical force can be started
\nwith an explanation of the emergence of religions in society. The
\nbirth of a religion is always marked by an extraordinary critical
\nsituation in a society with the religion emerging as an
\nalternative to the critical and chaotic situation. The religion
\nplays the role of a binding agent for the society, fulfilling an
\nintegrative function and giving the feeling of social unity and
\nsolidarity which could save the society from total
\ndisintegration.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, the birth of a religion is also the root of
\nfuture social reform. It creates a new awareness of the purpose
\nof life and an identity which is needed by societies everywhere.
\nNew values are created regarding the will to sacrifice and for a
\nwider collective objective. The relationship between the
\nindividual and society is regulated with regard to everyone's
\nrights and obligations.<\/p>\n
All the characteristics mentioned above are reflected in the
\nhistory of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and the older Eastern
\nreligions like Hinduism and Buddhism. In Judaism the evolution of
\nthe Israeli people from nomads into a nation with their own land
\nincorporates the evolution of Judaism itself as an important
\nreason for the existence of the Israeli nation.<\/p>\n
Likewise with Christianity. Its emergence cannot be separated
\nfrom the inability of Judaism to solve basic problems of the Jews
\nin the first century A.D.. Jesus' renewal movement finally took
\nthe form of a complete religion at the time of the Roman Emperor
\nConstantine.<\/p>\n
The emergence of Islam cannot be separated from the \"social
\nrenewal movement\" led by the Prophet Muhammad against society's
\nlifestyle at a time when few laws existed. Hinduism developed
\nrapidly in India because its advocates could rely on the unity of
\nthe ancient Indian peoples.<\/p>\n
And the emergence of Buddhism cannot be separated from the
\npush for renewal in a society which became tired of rituals
\nunable to reflect anymore the basic aspirations of the society to
\ngrow and progress. Thus, religions, in their initial periods,
\nbecame a very real critical force in many societies.<\/p>\n
Endeavors have been made to review the critical role of
\nreligion in society from a sociological standpoint.<\/p>\n
It must be remembered that all religions have centers which
\nare not of this world. That center is outside history, or more
\nprecisely, is believed to dominate history. It is something that
\nis considered as wholly other or totally other. This is often
\ncalled the \"holiness\" of religion, or its transcendental
\ncharacter.<\/p>\n
The center of any religion is God. Religious people try to see
\nthe world with \"God's eyes\". Although this religious center (i.e.
\nGod) is in the world and has even made history, He is not of this
\nworld. God is above the world and the history of man.<\/p>\n
The structure of this kind of belief causes religions to
\ndevelop a critical standpoint of the world. With that kind of
\nstructure of belief, centered around God, religious people should
\nnever believe that this world is perfect, because they are always
\nin a limbo status, needing constant renewal and criticism.<\/p>\n
Religious people are waiting for that perfection to come some
\ntime in the future. The world will never be a paradise. Paradise
\nis always in front of history. Therefore the absolute commitment
\nof religious people is to what is in front, what is still to
\ncome, the perfection promised by God. That which is, is
\nimperfect, that which is really perfect is still to be acquired
\nin the future.<\/p>\n
So, the life of religious people is oriented forward, to the
\nfulfillment of the promise. In other words it is a transcendental
\nbreakthrough of all forms of status quo.<\/p>\n
Religions in this context are really critical forces, because
\nthey always focuses of something beyond the present reality.
\nTherefore, especially for monotheist religions (Judaism,
\nChristianity and Islam), God is believed to be a jealous God, God
\ncannot be connected with anything in this world. There is nothing
\neternal in this world except God. There is nothing in the world
\nthat can be considered as God. With this kind of theological view
\nthe religions themselves are essentially and fundamentally always
\ncritical focal points for the world, society and mankind.<\/p>\n
When religions are too busy with themselves and do not pay
\nsufficient attention to their environment, their relationships
\nwith the reality of society will suffer. When religions are only
\nconcerned with rituals, dogmas or organizations they are like
\nnarcissists looking at themselves in a mirror. In this condition
\nthey distance themselves from society and play no role in
\nrealizing what they believe to be their objective.<\/p>\n
This kind of tendency is usually accompanied by a certain
\nattitude which worships the past. Any orientation toward the past
\nwill become the main obstacle for religions to maintain their
\ncritical capacity and retain any orientation focused toward the
\nfuture.<\/p>\n
Exclusivity by religious people will cause their lives to be
\noriented only toward their own followers and will not be
\nconcerned with the rest of society. This exclusivity is usually
\naccompanied by the weakening or loss of the transcendental force
\nof the religion. And when a religion has lost its transcendental
\nforce, it will usually tend to identify itself exclusively with
\none particular group.<\/p>\n
This is the cause of the emergence of fanaticism in religion
\nwhich often takes on the mantle of religious fascism. It is these
\nsects, led by the likes of David Koresh, that cause turbulence in
\nsociety. This is proof of the collapse of the concept of
\ntranscendency in their lives. The sects have turned into
\nexclusive groups that want to save only themselves. They become
\nauthoritarian and totalitarian and justify violence to attain the
\nobjectives they consider true.<\/p>\n
The writer is director of the Institute for Inter-faith
\nDialogue in Indonesia (Interfidei), Yogyakarta.<\/p>",
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