{"id":305,"date":"2020-04-25T05:14:57","date_gmt":"2020-04-24T22:14:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/studiagama.or.id\/?p=305"},"modified":"2020-04-25T05:23:06","modified_gmt":"2020-04-24T22:23:06","slug":"studi-agama-nalar-keragaman-di-indonesia-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/studiagama.or.id\/en\/opini\/studi-agama-nalar-keragaman-di-indonesia-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Religious Studies and the Logic of Diversity in Indonesia (Part 1)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ustadi Hamsah<\/strong><\/p>\n

(The first of two articles)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Indonesia, often referred to by its cultural name, Nusantara, describes a vast region situated between two oceans and two continents, specifically in Southeast Asia. This term highlights the diversity of various ethnic groups, religions, cultures, and customs that coexist with a common purpose. The notion of unity in diversity is encapsulated in the words of Mpu Tantular, who, in his work Sutasoma (1370 AD), famously stated, \"bhinneka tunggal ika tan hana dharma magrwa,\" which translates to \"diverse but united; no power can weaken it.\" This concept predates the motto \"e pluribus unum\" (out of many, one) found on the Great Seal of the United States, which was created by Charles Thomson in 1732 AD. However, Mpu Tantular's depiction of diversity is still more recent than the narratives of diversity expressed in the Qur'an, dating back to the 7th century AD.<\/p>\n

The Symbolism of Diversity in Noah's Ark<\/strong><\/p>\n

Given Indonesia\u2019s highly diverse and complex background, one might initially imagine a \u201cchaotic,\u201d \u201ccrowded,\u201d and utterly disordered society. However, this is far from the reality found in the archipelago. On the contrary, what emerges is a harmonious life, rich in the spirit of mutual cooperation (gotong royong), and far from hostile attitudes in the face of differences, all embodied in the spirit of bhinneka tunggal ika (unity in diversity). This social condition resonates with the Qur\u2019anic description of the atmosphere aboard \u201cNoah\u2019s Ark\u201d (safinah Nu\u1e25)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Noah's Ark is a narrative that symbolizes the reality of diversity, demonstrating how differences can coexist without being an obstacle to achieving greatness. Imagine a ship filled with various kinds of animals, each different from the others. Some are predators, while others are prey, which creates a complex situation. It is impossible for all the animals to be kept together without some form of separation based on their characteristics and behaviors. This arrangement is necessary to prevent them from attacking one another, and it requires careful management. Despite these challenges, the remarkable outcome is that all the animals coexist peacefully, allowing Noah's Ark to sail safely even when faced with large, tumultuous waves from the outside.<\/p>\n

Prophet Noah faced two significant challenges: those arising from within the ship and those from outside it. Internally, there were conflicts and differences among the passengers, while externally, he contended with the violent, towering waves. Despite these obstacles, Prophet Noah skillfully navigated the ship and managed all its occupants to ensure they reached their destination safely. He could not remain silent in addressing the tensions onboard; he naturally possessed the wisdom and understanding to handle both the internal disagreements and the external turmoil simultaneously.<\/p>\n

Colonialism and the Loss of Diversity Awareness<\/strong><\/p>\n

Much like Noah's Ark, Indonesia is an archipelago that stretches from Sabang to Merauke and boasts remarkable diversity. Comprising approximately 13,466 islands, Indonesia is home to various religions, languages, customs, and cultures. According to the 2018 census by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), there are about 1,331 ethnic groups and a total of 1,158 language varieties in the nation. With such a complex level of diversity, the Indonesian people have coexisted harmoniously across different islands and among various ethnic groups since ancient times, particularly during the Majapahit Empire, which reached its peak between 1350 and 1389 AD. At that time, the Majapahit region encompassed much of what is now known as Southeast Asia. A shared value that helped uphold the glory of this archipelago is encapsulated in the phrase \"Bhinneka Tunggal Ika,\" which means \"Unity in Diversity. bhinneka tunggal ika<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The management of diversity in the archipelago is so effective that there is almost no conflict among different ethnic groups, religions, and communities. Even when conflicts arise, they are typically rooted in political interests between kingdoms rather than inherent differences. As a result, the region remained united in its diversity until the establishment of the modern nation of Indonesia. The key values that have emerged from this diversity are harmony and mutual cooperation, which play a crucial role in maintaining social cohesion.<\/p>\n

The legacy of colonialism has gradually eroded the spirit of diversity within the consciousness of the Indonesian nation since the era of colonial rule and the establishment of a new country. The colonial strategy of divide et impera (divide and rule) among different groups, tribes, and races has become a lasting influence embedded in the national consciousness of Indonesia to this day. This legacy has intensified due to the nation's growing vulnerability to foreign political and economic interests. The interplay of internal factors, such as the legacy of colonialism, and external influences, including the infiltration of foreign interests, has acted as a catalyst for conflict in Indonesia, particularly following the 1990s.<\/p>\n

Data presented by Lambang Trijono et al. in their book \u201cPotret Retak Nusantara: Studi Kasus Konfik di Indonesia (A Fractured Portrait of the Archipelago: Cases Studies of Conflict in Indonesia), published in 2004, indicates that the roots of conflict are primarily caused by two factors, leading to various models of conflict such as political policies, ethnic sentiments, and religious misunderstandings. To achieve a correct and objective understanding of these root causes, as well as to manage and resolve conflicts effectively in order to restore harmony, comprehensive and interdisciplinary studies are essential.<\/p>\n

The Logic of Indonesia\u2019s Diversity<\/strong><\/p>\n

Understanding the roots of conflict, particularly through the lens of diversity and plurality, encompassing religion, race, ethnicity, culture, and class is essential for developing effective conflict resolution strategies. It is crucial to conduct philosophical studies that explore how society perceives identity and diversity, as these ideas significantly influence actions. Additionally, methodological studies on the diverse interpretations of religious texts are essential. Examining religious teachings, traditions, behaviors, and the relationships between various religions in Indonesia, such as Islam, Christianity, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, local beliefs, and other spiritual practices is also vital. Furthermore, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the sociological contexts of religion and cultural diversity necessary for conflict resolution, a study of the sociology of religion is imperative.<\/p>\n

The archipelago of Indonesia is home to a predominantly religious population. According to data from BPS in 2010, the largest religion in Indonesia is Islam, with approximately 207.2 million adherents, making up about 87.18 % of the population. Islam replaced Hinduism and Buddhism during the Majapahit era, which united the archipelago during the height of the Malay kingdoms before the arrival of Western colonialism. Following Indonesia's independence, Islam has served as a foundational \"ethos\" for nation-building. It has become a significant factor in fostering national and state awareness among the people. As the majority religion in Indonesia, Muslims bear a considerable responsibility for promoting development, unity, and harmony within the country.<\/p>\n

To be continue\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Written by: Dr. Ustadi Hamsah, M.Ag. The author is the Head of the Study Program in Religious Studies at the Faculty of Ushuluddin and Islamic Thought, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ustadi Hamsah (Bagian pertama dari dua tulisan) Indonesia, atau istilah yang lebih kultural disebut dengan Nusantara, adalah sebuah istilah yang menggambarkan wilayah yang diapit oleh dua samudera dan dua benua, yakni kawasan Asia Tenggara sebagaimana yang dikenal dalam Kakawin Negarakertagamakarya Mpu Prapanca. Istilah itu menggambarkan betapa luas kawasan itu yang di dalamnya hidup berbagai suku … Continue reading Religious Studies and the Logic of Diversity in Indonesia (Part 1)<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[33,32,17,31],"class_list":["post-305","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-opini","tag-indonesia","tag-nalar-keragaman","tag-studi-agama","tag-ustadi-hamsah"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/studiagama.or.id\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/305","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/studiagama.or.id\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/studiagama.or.id\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/studiagama.or.id\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/studiagama.or.id\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=305"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/studiagama.or.id\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/305\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":310,"href":"https:\/\/studiagama.or.id\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/305\/revisions\/310"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/studiagama.or.id\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=305"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/studiagama.or.id\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=305"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/studiagama.or.id\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=305"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}