Religious TV shows fuel hope and prayers for viewers<\/p>\n
By Ida Indawati Khouw<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Blurting out her story in between sobs, the
\ncaller tells Lutfiah Sungkar that her husband has taken a second
\nwife and is now ignoring her.<\/p>\n
Lutfiah, whose 1,001 Masalah Rumah Tangga (1,001 marital
\nproblems) airs on private station Indosiar on Thursday mornings,
\nis obviously touched, dabbing her eyes several times with a
\ntissue as she listens.<\/p>\n
And then she tells it like it is.<\/p>\n
She instructs the woman to offer several prayers -- and God
\nwill find her a solution.<\/p>\n
Lutfiah's program is among the popular religious TV shows on
\nthe airwaves today. All TV stations have programs for the five
\nrecognized religions of Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism,
\nBuddhism and Hinduism, either produced by the stations themselves
\nor in cooperation with production houses.<\/p>\n
Muslims can have their religious needs fulfilled from early in
\nthe morning, with stations routinely airing interactive dialogs
\nor religious instructional programs at the start of the broadcast
\nday. They include Di Ambang Fajar at 5 a.m. on SCTV, Hikmah Fajar
\nat 5 a.m. on RCTI, Embun Pagi at 5:30 a.m. on Indosiar and
\nMutiara Subuh at 5 a.m. on ANteve. Other programs are on in the
\nafternoon or late at night.<\/p>\n
Most people want to watch programs that discuss \"light\" issues
\nregarding troubled hearts, according to Muslim scholar Komarrudin
\nHidayat, who has closely watched the development of religious TV
\nprograms in the country.<\/p>\n
\"People still see religion as something like a tranquilizer,\"
\nhe said, noting that scholarly programs on religion or its edicts
\nwere not as popular.<\/p>\n
Lutfiah always sticks to the Koranic verses in responding to
\naudience's questions.<\/p>\n
\"By doing so, the audience is bound (by the advice) because
\nMuslims will immediately be afraid if we refer to the Koran.
\nMoreover, my goal is to give consolation and spirituality to
\npeople in facing problems,\" said the preacher.<\/p>\n
As in the case of the caller, Lutfiah will advise women whose
\nhusbands are having extramarital affairs to be patient and show
\nforbearance.<\/p>\n
\"What is important for me is that I heal the woman's inner
\npain so that she will face the problem with different 'eyes'. I
\nwill then say 'don't bother about your husband's infidelity',\"
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
There is no need for a psychological or social approach, she
\nadded, \"because the Koran has all the answers to any problem\".<\/p>\n
Christian programs are usually broadcast on Sundays with
\ntitles such as Gema Rohani (SCTV) and Penyegaran Rohani (RCTI).<\/p>\n
Slightly different is the half-hour Christian program Solusi
\n(solution) at 11:30 p.m. on Wednesdays on SCTV. Partially
\nsponsored by America's CBN, a Christian broadcasting network, it
\noffers real-life time testimonials by people who have faced
\nlife's troubles and returned to religion.<\/p>\n
Televangelists<\/p>\n
For Christians uninspired by traditional sermons, there are
\nnow a new crop of televangelists, clutching Bibles in their hands
\nas they preach fervently.<\/p>\n
Names like Rev. Gilbert Lumoindong and Evelyn Nadeak -- who is
\nalways accompanied by American preacher John Hartman -- have
\nbecome popular among Christians.<\/p>\n
The preachers mostly focus their sermons on salvation, sins,
\nhealing, repentance and other issues related to individual
\nspirituality -- finding the answers within oneself.<\/p>\n
People in trouble are invited to call the \"help line\"
\ntelephone numbers which appear on the screen if they need to
\nshare their problems as there are \"God's servants\" who will
\nalways be ready to listen and pray for the callers.<\/p>\n
\"It is our goal to minister to those who are unable to be
\nreached by the churches,\" said Maxi, a member of a prayer team at
\nGL Ministry.<\/p>\n
Maxi said Gilbert determined the themes. \"I think individual
\nspirituality is really needed by Indonesians who are dealing with
\nvarious crises,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He also said that the positive response to televangelism was
\nshown by the large number of callers to the shows.<\/p>\n
However, all the TV stations contacted said that religious
\nprograms did not get significant ratings. At most they gain one
\npoint to two points (one point represents 100,000 viewers). In
\ncomparison, the ratings of popular TV shows can reach 25 or more.<\/p>\n
\"For TV stations, religious programming is part of the
\nstation's social service. Thus, we never expect to get
\ncommercials, \" said Dwi Bagus M.B., a research writer for the
\ncreative team at Indosiar.<\/p>\n
Bagus said that the programs have a select audience,
\nconsisting of people who really enjoy listening to religious
\nissues.<\/p>\n
But Rev. Arliyanus Larosa, the secretary of the Masyarakat
\nDialog Antar Agama (MADIA society of interreligious dialog),
\ncriticized televangelism, saying the content was deceptive.<\/p>\n
\"It is as if they are 'selling heaven' and it is not
\ncontextual because the theme only focuses on discussion of
\nindividual spirituality,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The reverend from Kepa Duri Indonesian Christian Church (GKI)
\nin West Jakarta also said that the danger was that people at the
\ngrassroots level would have a narrow view of Christianity, as if
\nwhat is aired on the TV is all that Christianity is\".<\/p>\n
What is needed by Indonesians, he said, are themes on how to
\nlive together in a pluralistic society, and religious programs
\ncan play a role within that context.<\/p>\n
\"Actually, MADIA is willing to present alternative programs,
\nbut it is still far from being realized because it would need
\nenormous financial resources, manpower and planning,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Alternative religious programs would stress more the
\ndocumentation of religious traditions in the country, like life
\nat a pesantren (Islamic boarding schools), the life of a Catholic
\nseminary or certain Muslim communities among Hindu people in
\nBali.<\/p>\n
Komarrudin recommended that religious programs should not only
\nhave religious figures but also, for instance, cultural figures.<\/p>\n
\"I am still pessimistic that these TV programs can play a role
\nin developing people's character, and, moreover, the themes are
\nsometimes repeated. In this sense, I see there is a lack of
\nserious preparation and creativity,\" he said.<\/p>",
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