State and Inter ReligiousToleration in Democaracy
Eleven September (9/11) tragedy was one of world humanity tragedy ever happened early in this century. Thousands of innocent people died for no reason. Some who survive became handicap, and got very deep traumatic experience. So many rumors grew speculated the reason of the action, and who was really behind that tragedy. Was it really Al-qaeda or could be America it self for political interest or might be anybody else. The media kept telling us that it was Alqaeda organisation who should be blame. This constellation remind us to Reene Gerard theory of scapegoat mechanism, that there must some body or some thing to be pointed to keep the stability againts people’s curiousity.
Religion seems to be like fast food that could easily grabbed as the motivation of the action. And in so many violence happened was commonly connected to religion. Some might be true but other part is not true, means that religion has been hijacked for the interest of other.
violation above show us the fact of reality that people live, and influenced by religious values surrounding them. As we noted, it is rooted in the core metaphor of a violent cosmic contest between good and evil in terms of wich all of reality is consciously viewed and that is derived from the ancient Israelite root of all of our religions (Harold Ellens).
As it has been explaine by Harrold Ellen about religions. Eastern religion focus on individual and intrinsic spirituality that moves toward transcendence of self, society, and world, but the western religion (Abrahamic religion) tend to externalize their values in sociocultural influences (Harold.6). this explained why for some fundamentalist Muslim they still believe that building civil society based on Islamic values on their community is Muslim’s responsibility. In this kind of community, religious leaders also have very strong influence to his congregation. When he allows people to do such violent, they will take it for granted and use it as license to kill. Sounds that his (religious leader) permission is equal with what the God say. So the interpretation of the sacred texts by the religious charismatic leader play very big role in brain storming his congregation to become militant and the devender of they religion and nation. They are willing to die for things they believe.
Indonesian Muslim Council (MUI), in Indonesia, as elite which represent Indonesian Muslim community have as much power as religious leader in Iran or other part of Islamic states in centre east. When it gave fatwa (a binding ruling in religious matters) againts Ahmadiah tenets as a mislead sect of Islam, imply the violence action from Islamic Fundamentalists. They violated the Ahmadia congregation. Thing that suddenly jump to my mind was where is law enforcement? Where are the policements? How could they be good an audience while these all violation happened? Is my country a real republic? Or people get misunderstanding of the term of Re-Public itself. It is true that Democration concept is always about majority and minority. But it doesn’t mean to sharpen the distinction between this two categories. Conversely, democracy should guaranty all citizens right, no matter who they are, what their skin colour or even people’s religious affiliation.
There is something that we can learn from this empirical experience that those who joined in the terrorism are usually those who have been alienated from his or her society. People who are alienated will hate those who are perceived to those who are alienated them and for some of them, they get together with people who are experiencing the same experience. People like these are likely to become member of terrorist. Government should aware of this sociological condition, By not giving any privilege to certain religion or group of people is the best way to maintain peaceful condition and very good stand point to start cultivating tradition of tolerance.
