'Religious life won't cure social ills'

'Religious life won't cure social ills'

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher says
a vigorous religious life alone may not be enough to solve the
social ills of modern life.

Addressing the meeting of the Indonesian Communion of Churches
(PGI) in Kotamobago, Bolaang Mongondow, North Sulawesi, on
Saturday, Tarmizi said religious leaders need to examine "where
the religious society's development has gone wrong".

The gathering was attended by Governor E.E. Mangindaan,
Director General for Christian/Protestant Affairs J. Kawatu, PGI
chairman Sularso Sopater and other officials.

Tarmizi added that religious leaders have "borrowed" concepts
from debates between academics and spiritual leaders over the
"religiosity" of contemporary Europe and Western society in
general.

"This could prove to be helpful...for your examination (of
contemporary life)," he was quoted by Antara as saying.

He said there are basically two views on the religiosity of
contemporary Western society. The first claims that "sacredness"
has returned and that people are now rushing to embrace "new
religions".

The second view is that, in modern society, technological
advancements have replaced religions as the "new myths".

The two views could be translated and adjusted to Indonesia's
current pace of religious development, he said. "The vigor of
(practicing) religions without a depth of comprehension may
create havoc in the Indonesia's religious society."

Rapid technological advances may also cause a shallowness in
the religious and spiritual life of a society, he said, and may
eventually upset existing values.

"This is why for the last five years and for the next 25
years, Indonesia wishes to see religions become the spiritual,
moral and ethical foundation of national development," he said.

He called on the followers of the five officially-recognized
religions--Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, Buddhism and
Hinduism--to continue examining the quality and "level" of
society's spirituality and morality.

They should also question whether the overall material
progress achieved has also augmented "spiritual welfare", he
said.

The leaders should question whether "physical progress has
improved the morality of the people, and whether it has motivated
them to move toward an ethic based on the religious values and
the nation's cultural values", Tarmizi said.

"It's not easy to measure the spiritual, moral and ethical
quality (of any society) because the existing yardsticks with
which we measure national and international development cannot be
used to measure non-physical qualities," he said.

Judging by the complaints coming from certain members of
society, one can, he said, draw the conclusion that Indonesia
must still work hard over the next 25 years to accelerate those
spiritual qualities.

"Look at how religions have fared among developed societies in
the West and in Japan...'old' religions are experiencing
pressures, while strange new religions and cults are emerging,"
he said.

Tarmizi concluded that people in developed societies
experience a "loss of soul" because they live in the opulence of
material, science and technological advances.

In his address Saturday, Tarmizi reminded everybody of the
importance of talking about and promoting peaceful religious
coexistence.

"The growing complexity of life requires our awareness in
order to maintain this coexistence, which forms the pillar of our
nation," he said.

The six-day congress itself is being attended by around 200
participants representing various churches from across the
country. (swe)