Yogie wants closer ties with ulemas<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. has
\ncalled for greater understanding between the government on the
\none hand and the ulemas and leaders of other faiths on the other.<\/p>\n
The government and the ulemas must never be in conflict
\nbecause the result could be fatal for the people, Yogie said at a
\ncongress held by Persatuan Islam (Persis), a socio-education
\nMoslem organization.<\/p>\n
\"Sufferings will surely befall on the people if there is a
\nclash between the government and the ulemas,\" he said in keynote
\naddress opening Persis' 11th congress at the Haj Dormitory in
\nJakarta n Saturday, Antara reported.<\/p>\n
Ulemas should issue more fatwa, or religious edicts, for they
\nprovide the spiritual basis for many of the regulations issued
\nand implemented by the government, he said.<\/p>\n
This, he added, would ensure that economic development and the
\nindustrialization process would not lead to the degradation of
\nthe nation's spiritual and moral values.<\/p>\n
Yogie said that the ulemas need to better comprehend the
\nproblems and challenges facing the government.<\/p>\n
He stressed that relations between ulemas and the government
\nshould be one of two equals because they share ideals and
\nmissions, although they work in different fields.<\/p>\n
Persis was founded on Sept. 12, 1923, with the objective of
\npromoting the education and propagation of Islam in Indonesia.
\nThe organization now runs 259 pesantren (Islamic boarding
\nschools) across the nation. The congress, which will wind up
\ntomorrow, is also slated to elect a new leadership board and
\nendorsed a new five-year program.<\/p>\n
In his opening address, Abdul Latief Muchtar, the outgoing
\nchairman of the central executive board, warned that the
\nglobalization process has transformed some of the values of
\nsociety, most notably their increasing preference for material
\nand earthly things at the expense of spiritual development.<\/p>\n
Muchtar also criticized the misapplications of science and
\ntechnology, particularly biotechnology for its development of
\ntranssexual operations, test-tube babies, transplants, sperm
\nbanks and so on.<\/p>\n
Some of these developments, he added, have raised moral and
\nethical questions that should be answered by religious experts.<\/p>\n
The current drive to strengthen human resource development
\nshould not only emphasize science and technological know-how, but
\nalso spiritual knowledge, he said. (emb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/yogie-wants-closer-ties-with-ulemas-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}