Why we are study religion?
Starting with question, why study religion? Hinnel (Prof. Comparative religion, an atheist) tries to explain some interesting phenomenon relating to study of religion. He states that religion is important things; it’s a key to understand the cultures and all motivation behind religious actions. The great events in histories are, however, sustained by religions or religious faith. e.g crusades, Palestine’s war, etc. Religions have an ideal and moral teaching which leads to harmony and destruction for adherent.
He argues that religion is like diamond, there are many facets, and everyone can look at the simmer light wherever they coming, but at glance no one can see all sides. Religion is complex, not only represent in doctrine, but also in culture, politic, salvation, and sometimes geographical boundaries. Religious belief, symbol, and practice are naturally affected by socio-geographical conditions which the theology inside was elaborated.
However, although religion is not culture, not politic too, but, religion and religious leaders have been rarely outside political tension. For example: Muhammad, Jesus, and Gandhi are ideologist and leader of revolution in their culture. Hinnel noticed that religion is religion; religion itself only can be understood clearly when attributed to proper name,-for example, Islam, Christianity, Jew and sometimes for ‘thought and religious organization’-historical movement, and new word challenges -migration and globalization change the countries socially, and impact to state policies-. Religions flux by context, yet constant by doctrine.
Inasmuch study of religion has wide areas, so it is not easy. The problem nowadays is how to understand religion objectively. Hinnel realizes that at times study of religion fall into prejudices and bias, because researcher from outsider religion cannot step outside her identity. Thus, misunderstanding in comparative religion is easy happened.
Like Hinnel, I think religion is central for human civilization. Religion gives a rule, while human gives feedback because of human is active substance, not only object of religion, but also subject. Human has an awareness neither accepts nor reject to religion, but none can lost it. If religions have dramatic function, religions or religious prominent must encourage religion not only politic practices, but how to improve social harmonies between diversities, consequently religions be unity tool for being, -also how to improve economy, moral, education to build high culture. Everyone must begin to understand others, someone says “who one know one, he don’t know.” []
