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