Theological Discussion on Religious Violence in Indonesia

“No peace among the nations without peace the religions; No peace among religions without dialog between the religions; No dialogue between religions without investigating the foundation of the religions”

(Hans Kung)

1.       Our Story

“On March 21, 2013 in Bekasi, a city near Capital City Jakarta, local government used excavator to demolish church building owned by Huria Kristen Batak Protestan (HKBP). The reason that used by local authority was because HKBP Setu did not have official permission letter from authority and permission from their neighbor to build their church building. One of militant and fundamentalist Muslim organization, FUI or Forum Umat Islam, strongly resisted church’s plan to build church building. While excavator demolishing church building many people gathered and they were shouting the verses from Holy Quran. They were shouting “Allahhu Akbar, Allahu Akbar” (means God is the Greatest)”

Indonesia is the biggest Muslim population country in the world with more than 85% of 300 million people. From the beginning there was a peaceful inter-religious and inter-faith relationship. But it happened perhaps because our past government used strongly power to oppress people and their freedom to express them self in term of national stability, and also in term of our unity above our diversity. After we have more so called democracy after 1998, almost at the same time, there was a rising of some fundamental Muslim groups. 

Since Yudhoyono became The President (since December 2004), there are significant assaults against minority in Indonesia (Ahmadiyah, Christian, Syiah and others). There are significant rising violence against religion minorities in Indonesia. There is a valid data said there are 430 churches being attacked, burned, closed down or demolished. And until now, Yudhoyono and his administration do not do anything significant to this condition. Even Yudhoyono just kept silent.

2.       Theological Discussion

Generally it said that the theological roots of religious conflict started from religion itself. It started from how believers understood their Holy Scripture as the Only One Truth and the only source of righteousness.  Also from how believers specified several factors: (1) Their Holy Scripture consistently contained The Only Truth without any error at all; (2) Their Holy Scripture and also their religion / belief as final tenet and did not need any truth from other religions / beliefs. (3) They convinced that their religion is the only way to salvation, enlightenment or deliverance. (4) They believed that the whole truth originally came from God without any human effort and intervention.

Still I feel that within believers in every religion in Indonesia, especially Christian and Muslim talk about who is better and who is belong to heaven in negative expression. Using  verse from Holy Scripture (The Bible and The Quran), people attack each other with the idea about who belong s to heave and who belongs to hell, or to legitimate their violence actions against other believers. 

Of course this situation is not an ideal situation for building a sustainable peace and harmony in every society levels. Fact this situation becomes threat to our not only stability but threat to our unity as a nation which build from diverse ethnic s and religions background.

But there is a good tendency within people. There is awareness about how important to preserve peace and unity as a nation. Now days, there are many inter-religion and inter-faith forum and movements which have an incredible efforts about building peace.  There are many ecumenical forums movements within the churches as a body of Christ who being called to be neighbor for every people. 

3.       My Assessment

As an Indonesia citizen and also as Christian, I am really concerned about the rising violence against religion minorities in Indonesia. I am also disappointed to how Indonesia authority, local and national, encounter this situation. It should be a freedom for every people has their own religion or belief, and to worship according to their own religion. Government should protect and sustain freedom in religious. It includes protecting any places or buildings used to worship. And the most important thing Indonesia government, particularly local authority should not obey. Indonesian government should treat every citizen equally and really pay attention to every effort sustaining human rights and justice without any discrimination.

For the church: we have to realize that now on it is very hard to have a legal permission from authority and also from our neighbors.  Actually the real problems are more complex than simply about people understanding about Christianity and church’s organization (ecumenical situation within the churches), or simply about resentment feeling from fanatic fundamental Muslim groups in Indonesia. Sometime the problems come from inside the church itself.  Sometime church lives only for its own. What I mean is that church should realize always be a part of their community. Church should express their presence within community. Church should engage with community while presenting the sign of the Kingdom of God. 

Church has to learn become an open church. Building a good relationship with people with their differences is important. Using dialogue as a way to communicate with community is also important. Church should not talk about doctrine any more when having a dialogue in inter-faith and inter-religion relationship. Instead of talking and arguing about doctrines, like who will be saved or who will not be saved, it is better to talk about our common task within society like poverty, any social issues, injustice situations and many things that can be worked together with people with different background. 

So I chose to become more non-violence people in term of struggling against religious violence in Indonesia. As non-violence, I always try to use mode dialogue to build inter-religious and inter-faith relationship. And at the same time together with other inter-faith groups who against violence fundamental groups, we usually have a strong statements to either government or others non-government organizations concerning to this situation.

In my context, using violence against violence will be useless efforts because we are out numbers compare to the fundamental Muslim group members. Beside that it will be caused losing sympathy from people who have same ideas about building peace with non-violence movements. So I prefer to concentrate and use my energy building networking, partnership and cooperation with people and groups who also non-violence, rather than dealing with fundamental violence Muslim groups like FPI (Front Pembela Islam). And together with non-violence people and group within the society, we try to make real peace action in the society and with the society.