Seminar shows Sukarno as someone who crossed religious boundaries
Seminar shows Sukarno as someone who crossed religious boundaries
DENPASAR, Bali (JP): The founding president of Indonesia, the
late Sukarno, or Bung Karno, was not only a great statesman, but
also a freethinker when it came to religion, crossing the
dogmatic boundaries of religion, participants of a seminar
concluded recently.
"During his youth, Sukarno was inspired by the Abrahamic
faiths as well as by Eastern faiths, such as Hinduism, Buddhism
and also the Javanese's Kejawen," said prominent Protestant
figure TH Sumartana.
Consequently, he became a man who was far from religious
orthodoxy and dogmatism. Sukarno viewed religion as a
compassionate language, TH Sumartana said.
The seminar was held to mark the launch of Bambang Noorsena's
book The Religion and Religiosity of Bung Karno.
The event was co-organized by the Jakarta-based Institute for
Syriac Christians Studies, the Denpasar-based Ashram Bali Gandhi
Vidyapith, the Bali Conference on Religion and Peace and Forum
Merah Putih.
Several noted intellectuals presented their thoughts at the
gathering. Among the speakers were KH Said Agiel Siradj of the
Indonesia's largest Muslim organization, Nadhlatul Ulama, I Made
Titib of Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia and paranormal Permadi.
"Sukarno was a controversial man. To Louise Fischer, Sukarno
once said he was at the same time a Muslim, a Hindu and a
Christian. A layman might find it very difficult to understand
this concept," Bambang Noersena told.
On the contrary, that concept was very familiar for many great
mystics. Noersena quoted the great Sufist Ibn al-'Arobi, who said
that his heart was open to all and every symbol, "Be it the
temple of the monks, the idols house, the Ka'bah, Torah, or the
Koran."
Sukarno himself once said his grandmother gave him knowledge
on Javanese culture and mysticism, his father gave him theosophy
and Islam, while his mother gave him Hinduism and Buddhism. And
Sarinah gave him humanism.
"The knowledge helped create a holistic spirituality in
Sukarno's heart, which made him able to pass over theological
boundaries which for centuries have kept the world's religions
apart," noted Hindu scholar Made Titib said.
Sukarno found wisdom and solace not only in the Koran, but
also in the Bible and the Bhagavad Gita.
Therefore, by his open and tolerant spirituality, Sukarno was
able to unify the multiethnic and multireligious people of
Indonesia.
The message of the seminar was clear. Without the ability to
be sincerely tolerant toward other religions, the humility to
respect other religions and the commitment to compassionately
help and protect other religions, we will lose the very
foundation this nation was built upon. (zen)