Religious beliefs must be independent and free from all forms of persecution and tyranny, and have full sovereignty (sovereignty of belief).
By
SUKIDI
·4 minutes read
DOKUMENTASI PRIBADI SUKIDI
Sukidi
After 76 years of independence, we still witness the persecution of people who practice their chosen faith. Houses of worship, a sacred place where the name of God is spoken and revered, have also been destroyed. In fact, every form of persecution and tyranny over a human belief is a betrayal of the constitutional mandate and contrary to God’s commandments.
Religious persecution has betrayed the noble mandate of the founders of this republic "to protect the entirety of the Indonesian people". This protection applies inclusively and equally to each and every citizen without discrimination on any basis. In fact, this country guarantees freedom of religion to every citizen, so they can freely practice their chosen faith.
This is mandated in the 1945 Constitution, specifically in Article 29, Paragraph 2. The Constitution is a common consensus that binds us as one state. Our commitment to the Constitution, the foundational core of the state as manifest in the form of the Republic of Indonesia, is often violated. First, the civil government that is inaugurated in the name of the Constitution sometimes does not fully meet the constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion. Second, officials who are fully authorized to enforce the constitutional mandate sometimes appear incapable of dealing with the masses. Third, the perpetrators of persecution intervene in the beliefs of their fellow citizens.
Amid the inhumane acts of persecution, the civil government has the constitutional responsibility to take firm action against those who intimidate and persecute others for their beliefs, and at the same time, to protect the victims of persecution. The civil government does not have any authority to speak on the truth of any religious belief, rituals of worship or the form of salvation its citizens have adopted. Unfortunately, the civil government and religious authorities often act beyond their jurisdiction by aligning themselves with religious orthodoxy. This alliance is in itself part of persecution. And every act of persecution and tyranny against human beliefs is a betrayal of God\'s commandments.
Kompas/Hendra A Setyawan
A man sits on a sidewalk with a mural background with the theme of religious diversity and tolerance on a wall in the Mekar Jaya area, Depok, West Java, Tuesday (1/6/2021).
Betrayal of God\'s word
The founders of this nation guaranteed freedom of religion. Independence is interpreted not only as a physical struggle to liberate the nation from colonialism, but also as an effort to strengthen freedom of religion and belief in Indonesia’s pluralistic society.
Religious beliefs must be independent and free from all forms of persecution and tyranny, and have full sovereignty (sovereignty of belief). Each and every citizen must be free to be governed by their personal faith and belief without external intervention from the authorities. Even when faith and belief lead to a wrong and heretical path, as long as it does not violate the rights of others or social order, there is no theological justification for persecuting human beliefs.
Faith cannot be conquered by coercion and persecution. In the Islamic tradition, "there is no compulsion in religion" (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:256). In fact, God commanded the Prophet Muhammad: "If your Lord wills, surely the people on earth will all become believers. Are you [Muhammad] going to force every human being to believe?” (Surah Yunus 10:99). “Forced worship,” Puritan minister Roger Williams, who later became a Baptist, said in the burnt tract, The Bloudy Tenent of Persecution (1644, 1963:347), “stinks in God’s nostrils.”
Worship born out of coercion will not give birth to authenticity in religion and belief. In his classic text on tolerance, A Letter Concerning Toleration (1685, 1983:47), British philosopher John Locke emphasized that religion and belief require sincerity, which is determined only through impulses from within human beings, from the conscience, heart and conviction. It is for this reason that this faculty of faith is precious and worthy of infinite respect from all of us.
