Religions must be returned to their central function as sources of compassion because “this principle occupies a central position at the heart of all religions, ethics and spiritual traditions.
By
SUKIDI
·4 minutes read
DOKUMENTASI
Sukidi
Indonesia's unity is at stake. Our society is increasingly divided. Prejudice, hatred and even hostility paint the new character of the divided society. We have lost a leader figure who appeared to be a unifier of the people. Now, instead of uniting their divided people, not just a few leaders even display their libido for power, without caring about the increasingly worrisome social divisions.
In fact, unity is the legacy and noble agreement of the nation's founders. This republic achieved independence and was able to stand firmly on the pillars of diversity thanks to unity. Unity became the spirit of the collective struggle of the founding fathers of the nation, not only to fight against brutal colonialism, but also to form the state of Indonesia.
This republic was founded by those who fully internalized the importance of unity to form a pluralistic Indonesia. "We love our nation and the teachings of our religion (Islam)," said Hadji Oemar Said Tjokroaminoto at the Sarekat Islam Congress in Bandung, West Java, in 1916. "We are trying our best to unite all or most of our nation," he said. The Islam taught by Tjokroaminoto to the founders of this nation is nationalistic in nature because Islam is believed to be a unifying force for a pluralistic nation.
By imitating Tjokroaminoto as "his idol and mirror of his life," wrote Cindy Adams in Sukarno: An Autobiography as told to Cindy Adams (1965), Soekarno followed Islam as taught by his teacher by affirming that "I am convinced that it is only this unity which will bring us to the realization of our dreams: A free Indonesia” (Sukarno, Nationalism, Islam and Marxism, 1969:36). From exile in Bengkulu (1938-1942), Soekarno became a Muhammadiyah teacher who taught Islam for the love of the country.
This spirit of unity to achieve independence was reflected in Soekarno's noble intention when conferring the title of national hero in 1963 to Mgr. Albertus Soegijapranata, the first Indonesian to become archbishop, for his services in fostering unity and nationalism among Catholics in the struggle for independence. "If we are true Catholics, we are also true patriots," wrote Soegijapranata in "Letter of the Shepherd of the 12.5-year Anniversary of the Ordination of the Bishop", Feb. 9, 1953. "Therefore, we are 100 percent patriots, because we are 100 percent Catholic," he said.
Becoming a true Catholic, therefore, is becoming a true patriot. This noble creed should also be the noble commitment of every citizen with different traditions and religions. True diversity always walks hand-in-hand with love for the homeland because the Pancasila state reflects the nation's noble agreement with diverse traditions and religions. Even for citizens who do not believe in God, the natural goodness inside them is still encouraged to love Indonesia.
Unity to achieve independence, form a republic and foster love for the homeland has become the main character of the founding fathers of various religions, ethnicities and different origins. This is very, very important to emphasize so that the leaders now have full awareness of and internalize the struggle of the founding fathers of the nation, especially as a source of inspiration and as role models to re-establish faded unity in the midst of the nation's pluralism.
National pluralism is like a double-edged sword -- a blessing and a curse. Unfortunately, the diversity of this nation becomes a curse when ethnic differences are a source of social prejudice, differences in political choices are a source of conflict and religious differences are a trigger for hatred and violence. Terror in the name of God is also happening in this land whose inhabitants claim to believe in God.
In order to prevent this "curse of diversity" from worsening the condition of social division ahead of the 2024 general election, pluralism must be transformed into a blessing and a social capital to re-knit the ropes of unity. Pluralism must be tied with a rope of unity so that we stand strongly as a nation. This noble endeavor can be realized by, for one, restoring the function of religions, which have been misguided as forces for political identities, plunging this nation into an almost endless spiral of hatred and hostility.
Religions must be returned to their central function as sources of compassion because “this principle occupies a central position at the heart of all religions, ethics and spiritual traditions which lead us to always treat all others as we ourselves would like to be treated, eliminating the suffering of fellow human beings, respecting human sanctity and treating all human beings, without exception, with absolute justice, equality and honor,” writes Karen Armstrong, a free monotheist, in Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life (2011).
