'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)