When religion is manipulated for political ends<\/p>\n
Agama Rakyat Agama Penguasa, Konstruksi tentang Realitas Agama
\ndan Demokrasi (People's religion Ruler's Religion: A Construction
\non Reality of Religion and Democracy); Zainuddin Maliki; Published
\nby Galang Press, Yogyakarta, 2000; 252 pp.<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Religion and power (read: state) always
\nstimulate interesting discussion now that Indonesia is going
\nthrough a transitional phase from authoritarianism to democracy.<\/p>\n
Many former leaders of religious groups are currently leaders
\nof key government institutions.<\/p>\n
For example, President Abdurrahman Wahid once chaired the
\ncountry's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU);
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais was a former
\nchief of Indonesia's second largest Muslim Organization
\nMuhammadiyah, while House of Representatives Speaker Akbar
\nTandjung was a former chairman of the Islamic Students
\nAssociation (HMI).<\/p>\n
But many argue that in fact they are not representatives of
\nIslam because associating them with religion undermines the noble
\nvalue of Islam.<\/p>\n
It is commonly believed that using religion to serve political
\ninterests is unhealthy; tainting the religion and blemishing the
\nimage of believers.<\/p>\n
The author of the book, Zainuddin Maliki, seems to believe
\nthat many political leaders have been manipulating religion for
\ntheir political interests.<\/p>\n
Zainuddin tries to explain how religion and the state is
\ninterrelated by presenting some political and social concepts and
\ntheories.<\/p>\n
He discusses theories created by thinkers such as Karl Marx,
\nAnthonio Gramsci and Robert N. Bellah to explain current issues
\nrelated to religion and state.<\/p>\n
Zainuddin argues that members of the political elite have been
\nusing religious symbols to win public support.<\/p>\n
In her latest move, Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri, who
\nis also Chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
\n(PDI-P) went on the haj pilgrimage. This is seen as a trick to
\nwin sympathy from Muslim circles who doubt her religiosity.<\/p>\n
Her religious faith has been questioned by Muslim-based
\npolitical parties which perceive her nationalist PDI-P as being
\ndominated by Christians.<\/p>\n
As far as politics is concerned, religion has two
\ncontradictory roles. It provides a moral foundation that will
\nrelease people from the oppression of those in power but on the
\nother hand, religious doctrines can hamper democracy as they deny
\nthe existence of other faiths.<\/p>\n
People kill each other in the name of religion even though
\nreligion preaches love.<\/p>\n
The book, which is a collection of articles printed in
\nnewspapers or presented in seminars -- is divided into three
\nsections.<\/p>\n
The first section titled Religion and Power Discourses in
\nIndonesia discusses how the manipulation of religion began in the
\nolden times as has continued up to the present.<\/p>\n
The establishment of the Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals
\nAssociation (ICMI) in the early 1990s is a hegomonic symbol of
\nthen authoritarian President Soeharto.<\/p>\n
But religion can be used to fight authoritarian rule as
\ndescribed in the second section of the book titled Religion as a
\nCritic of Power.<\/p>\n
History has shown that religion fueled people's spirit to
\nfight the Dutch and Japanese colonialists.<\/p>\n
In this book Zainuddin analyzes current situations in the
\ncountry presenting theoretical backgrounds to better understand
\nthem. Of course the theoretical framework is debatable because it
\nwas created to support the writer's assumptions.<\/p>\n
There is no explanation of, for example, how Zainuddin comes
\nto the conclusion that the Muhammadiyah-based National Mandate
\nParty (PAN) chaired by Amien Rais and the Islamic-based Justice
\nParty are \"reformist\".<\/p>\n
As the political drama is moving fast, the book has yet to
\ndiscuss the most current issues, such as the Islamic parties'
\nsurprising change of stance and their acceptance of Megawati as a
\npossible president. Just a few months ago, they fiercely rejected
\nthe idea saying that a woman leader is unacceptable in Islam.<\/p>\n
Zainuddin concludes that any political platform is still
\nacceptable if they are inclusive, transparent and egalitarian.<\/p>\n
He predicts that the political tensions would continue in the
\nfuture if inclusiveness, transparency and egalitarianism are mere
\nrhetoric. (Ahmad Junaidi)<\/p>",
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