Churches concerned about selfishness

Churches concerned about selfishness

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Communion of Churches and the
Indonesian Bishops Conference expressed concern yesterday over
the selfishness they say increasingly plagues the public.

In their joint-Christmas messages, they said they reject any
intentions that may fuel conflicts and confine people to the
realm of their ethnicity, religion or socio-political grouping.

"We are concerned about the increasing exclusivism where
people only serve the interests of their group," they said in the
statement signed by the bishops conference chief Julius Cardinal
Darmaatmadja and head of the Communion of Churches, Sularso
Sopater.

"We concerned about the growing violent, suspicious and
abusive cultures which belittle human dignity," the two groups
said through the statement.

The two religious bodies called upon Christians to continue
promoting the spirit of togetherness with among all people
by disregarding their backgrounds.

Discrimination, they warned, could lead to conflicts and
break-up of the nation.

"Jesus Christ teaches us to respect all people regardless
their backgrounds," they said.

The two religious bodies asked their followers to support any
efforts to promote national unity, brotherhood and harmony among
different communities.

"By doing so, we play a positive role in the creation of a
peaceful, just and wealthy Indonesia," the statement said. "As a
part of a nation and a big society, we bear a burden of
fulfilling the ideals of (the state ideology) Pancasila."

The statement concluded with a call for introspection and
self-evaluation to anticipate the direction of where the world is
leading. (amd)