Religion losing its true essence: Abdurrahman<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A prominent religious leader criticized
\nyesterday the degradation of religious values which makes the
\npractice of religion a mere formality.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman Wahid, the leader of one of the country's largest
\nMoslem organizations, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), said that more and
\nmore people \"lacking the authority\" are talking about religion,
\nwhich made such discussion lose its true spiritual essence.<\/p>\n
\"The word `religion' is used irrelevantly in slogans and
\nprograms everywhere these days. This reduces the meaning of
\nreligion and diverges it away from its true mission,\" he said at
\na one-day discussion held in remembrance of the late politician,
\nmilitary man and church activist, Lt. Gen. T.B. Simatupang.<\/p>\n
Minister of Defense and Security Edi Sudrajat, who was
\nrepresented by an aide, described Simatupang as an intellectual,
\nwho was capable of bringing together different, even
\ncontradicting, views.<\/p>\n
\"This special ability must be maintained so the country can
\ncontinue to have a sound sense of integration,\" Edi was quoted by
\nthe aide as saying.<\/p>\n
Other speakers at the discussion, which was held by the
\nCommunion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI), were former minister of
\nhome affairs Gen. (ret) Rudini, lecturer of the Driyarkara School
\nof Philosophy Mudji Sutrisno and Head of the Sam Ratulangi
\nUniversity's Research Center Lucky Sondakh.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman, who is more familiarly known as Gus Dur, said the
\nambiguity of the \"role of religion\" brought with it the rise of
\nreligious restrictions, norms and ceremonial actions.<\/p>\n
\"The `jungle of religious rules' overshadows the true role of
\nreligion, while in fact a person's religious perception can be
\nseen from his relationship with other human beings,\" said Gus
\nDur.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that instead of making religious life more
\nharmonious, the restrictions created an atmosphere of suspicion,
\nin which honesty and warmth between humans no longer existed.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur said the situation also caused people to focus more on
\ntheir \"vertical\" relationship with God than their \"horizontal\"
\nrelationship with others.<\/p>\n
\"People who concentrate only on their vertical relationship
\ntend to be isolated from their environment and refuse to be
\ninvolved in social activities,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Such people, he said, would have difficulty practicing
\nhumanitarianism.<\/p>\n
Despite the present situation, Gus Dur was optimistic there is
\nstill hope for people to balance their \"vertical\" and
\n\"horizontal\" relationships.<\/p>\n
\"Don't look upwards in rituals the whole time. Instead exalt
\nGod through other people by serving them regardless of their
\nbackground,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The consequence of doing this, he said, is that every problem
\nmust not be seen from a one-sided point of view, but from a
\nnational perspective, meaning that political involvement is a
\nnatural outcome.<\/p>\n
\"Religion without a clear political perspective will simply
\nhurt oneself,\" he said.<\/p>\n
A balance between vertical and horizontal relationships would
\nresult in a just political system in all aspects of life. \"This
\nway, justice can become an obsession which benefits everyone,\"
\nGus Dur said.<\/p>\n
Rudini said in his speech that justice is still far from the
\ngrasp of a large number of people in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The state ideology Pancasila, he said, has not been duly
\nimplemented by government officials and this is the main cause of
\ninjustice.<\/p>\n
\"They have to practice Pancasila more than they take Pancasila
\ncourses,\" he said, referring to the P4 courses, which have to be
\ntaken by students and civil servants. (pwn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/religion-losing-its-true-essence-abdurrahman-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}