People's search for spirituality at core of religious TV programs

JAKARTA (JP): As an important part of her day, Ria Irvilita does her best to catch the regularly aired Islamic TV programs.

"I am the kind of person who is always thirsty for religious teachings, so I like to watch such programs, hoping that they will enrich my knowledge of Islam," said the 37-year-old nonpracticing doctor in Pejompongan, Central Jakarta.

"I like themes related to tauhid (the oneness of God) and akidah (fundamental beliefs), while I also carefully pick the ustadz (Islamic teacher) who presents the programs."

After saying her morning prayer, she turns on the TV and watches the programs until they finish later in the afternoon.

Sometimes Ria also follows the discussions on Embun Pagi (Morning Mist), an Islamic interactive program on Indosiar.

But she said she never calls in to share her own problems with other viewers.

"Handling personal problems takes time, while TV programs have limited time available, so it won't work," said Ria.

For another housewife, Lili Harriman, 50, a Christian from Bekasi, televangelism helps her in facing her marital problems,

"I find people who are really willing to listen and to pray for me," she said.

She is one of the loyal viewers of Gilbert Lumoindong's program on RCTI. Lili calls the GL Ministry every time she faces problems, talking to the ministry's operators who will invite her to pray with them.

"I feel that I am spiritually strengthened although my problems are not solved. At least I am calmer in facing them," said the mother of two.

Religion is a means for people to get connected with their spiritual existence, and draw on the belief within most of them that there is a greater universe, said family counselor Monty P. Satiadarma.

In a period of strife, such as a crisis, people will try to seek solace in their concepts of existence, including spirituality, he said.

"Humans are afraid of being apart from their nature of existence -- any type of threat in their lives would trigger feelings to look for protection."

Religion is one way to seek a resolution from a problem, he added, "because through their spirituality, they would try to turn toward their belief system, their religion, with the hope that they might get connected to their (deeper) spiritual existence ..."

He said the rise in religious shows and televangelism is only one part of people's efforts to better understand their religious beliefs to try to make up for the shortfall of those things that may be missing from their lives.

Monty issued a word of caution for people not to blindly follow the instructions of figures on religious shows.

"However, people also need to listen to their inner voice, as not every religious speaker speaks within the spiritual context -- some of them speak with a specific agenda for the benefit of particular groups," he said.

People must also be wary as the speaker may not fully understand what he or she is preaching, Monty added.

"Some of the speakers are novices, and, besides, the tenets that they discuss are not simple to understand. It would take years for a person to really understand the basic tenets, and it would take years for them to be able to deliver the message in the right way so that people will not misinterpret the concept. Misinterpretation would lead people into further life problems."

He said people should consider the programs as a kind of religious experiential sharing rather than a form of instruction for them to act upon without an understanding of the purpose and goal of the actions.

The problem is that many of the shows reach people who do not have a mature understanding of the concepts presented.

"Unfortunately, the global TV network may reach some people who don't have enough understanding of the basic ideas of the religious teaching," Monty said. "These people may misinterpret the contents of the program and conduct acts in their name, without realizing that the religions don't actually teach those things."

"No religion teaches people to develop negative attitudes toward others, yet some people may misinterpret the teachings of their religion as instructing them to develop negative perceptions of others," he said.

Producers of the TV shows have a responsibility, he added, to ensure their programs are "arranged in a more careful system, from the basic concepts to the presentation. Despite their aims at improving people's morality, when people misinterpret the contents of the program they may actually lower morality". (ind/brc)