The Jakarta Post, June 22, 2007
Church attacks underline need for religious dialog
Nurrohman, Bandung
In daily life, every Muslim when he or she intends to initiate a good activity is
supposed to say, "Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim" (In the name of God the
Compassionate and the Merciful). It is this sentence which was inscribed on a
ceramic tile in the shape of a dove that was given by Mustafa Cagrici, the Mufti of
Istanbul, to Pope Benedict XVI when the latter visited Turkey in November last year.
We don't know what is going on in the heart and mind of Benedict XVI, but what is
clear is a few months later, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, in an interview with La Stampa
newspaper, said the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialog would again become
"a separate department". (The Jakarta Post, May 29, 2007)
Benedict closed down this office in March 2006, by putting it under joint presidency
with the Vatican's culture ministry and removing its president, Archbishop Michael
Fitzgerald, a Briton. In September, six months after shutting the Muslim dialog office,
in a speech in Regensburg, Germany, the pope angered many Muslims around the
globe by quoting a 14th century Byzantine emperor as saying Islam only brought evil
to the world and that it was spread by the sword, a method that was unreasonable
and contrary to God's nature.
A month after the Regensburg speech, 38 Muslims scholars and leaders around the
world signed an "Open Letter to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI". The letter clarified
issues relating to violence and reason, according to Islam, and expressed an
appreciation for the pope's self-declared "total and profound respect for all Muslims".
The true Islamic goal, the leaders insisted, was to live together "in peace and mutual
acceptance and respect". Less than two month after that, one of the signatories of the
open letter, Mustafa Cagrici, personally met with the Pope at Istanbul's Sultan Ahmed
Mosque.
The plan to restore the religious dialog office indicates the Pontiff realizes that in order
to disseminate the message of peace in the world, religious dialog is needed. Despite
the violence perpetrated by proponents of Islamism or fundamentalism -- an ideology
distinct from Islam as a religion -- the majority of Muslims all over the world strive for
peace and mutual respect.
Dialog will eliminate misunderstanding and might capture the essence beyond
frequently disputed matters. Dialog, if conducted honestly, will highlight what is
considered taboo or sensitive in each religion so the other can appreciate it.
In this context, open and honest dialog between Muslims and Christians in Indonesia
is badly needed because of the frequent church attacks.
Simon Timorason, the head of the Java chapter of the Indonesian Churches
Communication Forum, has recorded 70 disputes involving residents and Christian
communities using private homes as churches since 2004. Most of the cases took
place in Bandung regency, as well as Bekasi, Bogor, Garut, Surakarta and Subang.
Simon said the main problem faced by a Christian community intending to apply for a
permit to establish a church was opposition from Muslim communities in the area.
It is saddening to see the growing spirit of revenge among religious followers.
Christians often complain it is difficult for them to get official permits to build a church.
Meanwhile, in areas where Muslims are the minority, they have the same complaint
about mosques.
If this way of thinking continues, the spirit of national brotherhood and national unity
will be endangered. Muslims who nurture hatred toward other religions act in
contradiction to the meaning of bismillah al-rahman al-rahim and assalamualaikum
(peace be upon you).
Under a revised joint decree issued by Religious Affairs Minister Maftuh Basyuni, the
establishment of a house of worship must gain the approval of at least 60 local
residents and have a minimum of 90 followers. If a Christian community cannot fulfill
the requirements to build a "permanent church", why can't their Muslim neighbors
help them find a temporary location that can be used to hold religious services?
Haroon Siddiqui, an Indian-Canadian scholar, once told this story: "When Muhammad
was in Medina, a Christian delegation went to see him. After he had met them, what
did he tell them? He said you can hold your service in my mosque if you want."
Preventing others from conducting religious services is tantamount to repudiating their
basic rights. Religious services held in temporary locations should be allowed and
protected, because the Constitution guarantees religious freedom for all Indonesians.
Fears that the religious activities of Christians will lead Muslims to convert are
ridiculous because faith is very mysterious; it is God's domain. Even the Prophet
Muhammad could not lure his uncle Abu Thalib to become a believer.
The existence of the Forum for Religious Harmony, or FKUB, a new institution
mandated by joint ministerial decree, is in question if they cannot halt and resolve the
problems beyond the frequent attacks perpetrated by a group calling itself the
Anti-Apostate Movement Alliance (AGAP), such as recently occurred at Sidang
Jemaat Allah Church at the Gading Tutuka housing complex in Soreang, Bandung.
As a last resort, if Christians have trouble finding a location to build a church, it is the
duty of the government to provide one. If the authorities in this country cannot prevent
the acts of groups who take the law into their own hands, and if religious minority
group continue to be oppressed, don't be surprised if there is growing concern in the
international community.
From the side of the Catholics, bolstering dialog with Muslims should be understood
as bolstering Vatican Conciliation II (1662-1965), the formal acceptance by the
Catholic Church of pluralism and recognizing the truths of other religions.
In line with Vatican Conciliation II, professor Boland, a Protestant priest, said Christ's
mercy in Indonesian society should be manifested by looking at the goodness of
Muslims as Muslims.
The writer is a lecturer at Bandung State Islamic University (UIN). He also manages
the Institute for Study and Human Resource Development (LAKPESDAM-PWNU) in
West Java
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