Religions to exist in greater harmony in 1995: Minister
Religions to exist in greater harmony in 1995: Minister
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher predicts that this year will see a more harmonious co-existence among adherents to the various religions in Indonesia.
Tarmizi said that the educational and economic gaps separating people from different religious backgrounds are narrowing, thus strengthening national stability.
"Past hatchets will be buried. Increasingly equal economic and educational status will result in national stability," he told journalists here Sunday.
Official statistics indicate that almost 90 percent of Indonesia's 185 million people are Moslems. The rest are mostly Buddhists, Hindus, Protestants and Roman Catholics. A smaller number are believers in mysticism -- the "sixth way to heaven" recognized by the government.
Despite the overwhelming number of people embracing Islam, the government shuns efforts to turn Indonesia into a theocratic state. Such efforts are considered subversive. Subversion is one of the most serious offenses under the country's laws and is punishable by death.
Tarmizi assured that the revival of Islam in Indonesia would remain under control although it could give rise to religious friction if not carefully managed.
"The revival is encouraging on one hand, but it can stir religious suspicion on the other," he told Antara news agency.
He added that the revival of Islam would not endanger the nation's unity as long as local Moslems stick to the state ideology Pancasila.
Introduced by Indonesia's founding fathers in 1945, Pancasila consists of five tenets: belief in almighty God, national unity, consensus through deliberation, humanitarianism and social justice. It has become the sole principle of all local socio- political organizations.
According to Tarmizi, Islam's revival will not give rise to the emergence of Islam as a new ideology.
"If more Moslems are becoming devout, they are just exercising their constitutional rights in a democratic society," he said.
He added that believers in other religions need not worry about the trend. He said the harmonious co-existence of believers in various religions would prevail if they shun "liberal and individualistic" lifestyles.
He reiterated that the propagating of religious beliefs remained a sensitive issue and that sermons should be aimed at people of the same religions as the preachers.
The minister called for restraint in activities that could lead to violence within any religious organization and vigilance against individuals who try to use religion for political purposes.
He also called on the public to be wary of individuals who tried to use religious sentiments to win sympathy for their personal gain.(pan)