Religions can be wrong, says theologist<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Can religions be wrong? Yes, they can, according
\nto a speaker in a discussion here on Friday.<\/p>\n
\"Every time bloody religious conflict breaks out in Indonesia,
\npeople say that it is the believers who are in the wrong and not
\nthe religion,\" says Haryatmoko, lecturer in theology at the
\nYogyakarta-based Sanata Darma University, at a discussion on the
\nGerman philosopher Nietzsche. \"If we stick with that line of
\nthinking, then we won't get anywhere,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He asked his audience of 200 people that packed the Bentara
\nBudaya hall to ask themselves whether they had learned something
\nfrom Nietzsche's criticism of religion.<\/p>\n
\"Have we learned nothing from history?\" he asked. History had
\nshown, he said, that too many people had died in the name of
\nreligion.<\/p>\n
He cited the European wars of religion between Protestants and
\nCatholics in which millions died.<\/p>\n
He said Nietzsche's ideas were a significant contribution to
\nthe concept of humanity.<\/p>\n
Two other speakers presented their views in the discussion to
\ncommemorate the demise of Nietzsche 100 years ago. They were
\nSindhunata, chief editor of Basis cultural magazine and Bernhard
\nKieser, lecturer in theology at Sanata Darma University. The
\nthree speakers were all Catholic priests.<\/p>\n
Sindhunata said that Nietzsche's thoughts as well as those of
\nFreud and Marx were a wake up call to Western theological
\nthinking.<\/p>\n
\"The contribution of criticism on religion is that it can make
\nus better believers,\" he said.<\/p>\n
God was not killed by Nietzsche, Sindhunata said echoing the
\noft-repeated attribution to the great philosopher, because God is
\nfull of love.<\/p>\n
\"Nietzsche allows us to reexamine the fundamental meaning of
\nbeing a religious person if we would only care to explore his
\ncriticism on religion,\" Sindhunata said.<\/p>\n
He added that such a discussion, however, was very difficult
\nto hold in Indonesia as most people were still haunted by the
\nrepression of the former regime where the discussion of religion
\nwas considered taboo.<\/p>\n
Kieser said that Nietzsche grappled with the question of the
\nfundamental meaning of life.<\/p>\n
\"In Indonesia, believers live in suspicion of one another. If
\nwe have a basic conviction of what life is all about we will no
\nlonger have to debate the number of Muslims in percentage terms
\nas opposed to the number of Christians,\" Kieser said.<\/p>\n
\"But can religion let its believers learn about faith?\" he
\nasked, \"... the significant meaning of life that we are convinced
\nof?\"<\/p>\n
Nietzsche gave us no new religious teachings nor new rituals
\nbut an appreciation of the depth of life, he said.<\/p>\n
Relevant<\/p>\n
Replying to a question from a participant on whether religion
\nwas still relevant to Indonesia, Sindhunata said: \"If I were
\nNietzsche I would say that it was not relevant.\"<\/p>\n
The same participant had earlier said that what was happening
\nin Indonesia today was exactly what Nietzsche did in the past.<\/p>\n
\"He pursued God and killed Him. Here we witness people killing
\neach other, robbing and raping,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Sindhunata added that Nietzsche's widely known thoughts
\nincluded basic questions like whether we truly loved other human
\nbeings, and what was the relevance of religion if people did not
\nlove one another.<\/p>\n
\"What is the use of religion if its empty promises and threats
\nof later punishment create a fearful human being?\" Sindhunata
\nsaid quoting Nietzsche, who was described in the words of
\nmoderator Karlina Leksono of the University of Indonesia as an
\n\"authentic and honest\" person.<\/p>\n
Haryatmoko said religion was no longer relevant if we could
\nnot talk about it. The relevancy of Nietzsche's ideas was
\nprecisely because they were doing autocriticism on religion, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
In answer to a question about whether the three speakers, who
\nwere all Catholic priests, were employing Nietzsche to attack a
\ncertain religion, Haryatmoko said: \"What is the need for
\nattacking a certain religious group by employing Nietzsche?\"<\/p>\n
Nietzsche asked us to keep a distance from religions so that
\nwe could live not in a reactionary way but in an affirmative way,
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"So that we are not haunted by fears but we are able to
\nactualize ourselves,\" he added. (hbk)<\/p>",
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