To be Religious Today is to be Inter-Religious

As mentioned in previous blogs, dialogues can help seeking new and deeper truths and change the way we act/ behave to others. But the fact is many dialogues are stopped because we too much follow our own opinions without understanding the other’s ones.

For the last three days in Omah Petroek, we had interesting meetings with many resources people who somehow brought us to another (maybe not so comfortable) zone.

On the first day of August, we welcomed a guest who had a talk about Indigenous faith: Sunda Wiwitan. They are still fighting against discrimination until now. Said Ibu Dewi Kanti, who came from Sunda Wiwitan, colonization can contain many forms: economics, politics or religions, culture… And the best way to maintenance the culture as well as ancestor’s wisdom is education, especially for children. Therefore, never give up.

Retno Ngapon is our very first School of Peace in 2006. She had some sharings about Christianity and ended up with an interesting story from the Bible. But it reflected us in our daily life.

One day, a donkey unfortunately fell into the deep well. The farmer thought he couldn't help him to get out of the well so he decided to bury the donkey. Then the farmer scooped the soil up to throw into the well. But the donkey did not resign himself to death. He kept shaking his body, harder and harder. The soil dropped more and more in the well and the “ground” was uplifted. Finally the donkey- by shaking himself hard- could get out of the well.

It was such a story for us to deeply think about and reflect to our own community.

Next day, Pr. Muhammad Machasin shared us about Islam in Indonesia. He talked objectively about religious configuration, the coming of Islam and its important role nowadays, especially in Indonesia. We might be different, but conflicts are not because differences, it came from our own benefits.

In a harmonious way, next day we had a discussion with Mr. Ida Bagus Wika Krishna about Hinduism in Indonesia, which is different from Java to Bali to Kalimantan. Questions were asked about 5 principles for Hiduism (Brahma, Atman, Karmaphala, Punarbha, Moksa), how we can think right- speak right and act right… Even he just spoke in Bahasa and it was difficult for Lioni to translate with full meanings, but we did enjoy his session.

Then move to MLKI (Majelis Luhur Koperrayaan Indonesia) in the afternoon, said Ibu Noor and Ibu Endang, “we receive heritage from our ancestor, and we have responsibilities to keep it and teach our children”. But that does not mean children are forced to follow their beliefs, their kejawen. Also, they believe in nature, in all creatures. This does remind us of a quote we heard from Max (and he heard from a movie actually) “Every question you have, you can find in the nature”.

Everyday we come up with new things, as well as questions. We learn about indigenous people and let’s take a look back to our country, what have our government done to indigenous communities? Has information been shared wisely?

It’s undeniable that religion still plays a big role in our life nowadays. However, is it just in spiritual aspect or what else? Does religion escalate strifes? We have same teaching, but different understanding/ practice, just like the color of the water depends on its container. Understanding your own first, then understanding others helps make a dialogue, by which you not only enrich people but also be enriched by them.

Ordination Ceremony Kariuw Chruch GPM with Gandong from Hualoi (Muslim Brothers-Sisters)

Living in “modern era” you can not only know yourself, your own religion, or faith, but to be religious today is to be inter- religious.