1. Normative study of religion is another language
for emic way concerning the examination of religious study. This way tries to
examine religion from within, which is trying to be deeper and broader area
than another way of examining religion called descriptive or etic way. The
differences between normative and descriptive study of religion emerged about
the methodology of study.
Descriptive way
plays role in scientific methods, which contains many ideological values such
as objectivity and universality of scientific knowledge. Those values are very
important for many scientists because it can warrant the accuracy of research
by using a set of scientific methodology which is so tight from the first
research until the last by conducting several stages of those methodologies.
The good example
for normative or emic study of religion is theology. According to Davaney, Theology
is a kind of study of religion which is trying to examine religion from that
religious teaching’s or history itself.[1] Theology gives
more space for normative value of religion intentionally for serving and
represents the teaching or faith of that religion.[2]
In contrary,
descriptive or etic way is religious studies. Religious studies are one part of
scientific knowledge which tends to examine religion such as social fact or
reality so people or scientists can know and conducting research based on
scientific methodology. This way then tries to explain descriptively all of the
things from religious phenomena or activity in order to describe it
scientifically.
Theology
explains Shalat (Pray), as one of the obligation for Muslim. Theology studies
that Shalat is one of the principles of Islam (Rukun Islam). Before doing Shalat,
Muslim must fulfill some requirements such as taking ablution, clean from
filth, etc. besides that, theology also examines Shalat as a way to close to
God with several tools to reach it.
On the other
hand, religious study does not give much attention for Shalat. For religious
studies, Shalat is merely one of the obligations for Muslim and there is no
deeper explanation about it. Shalat is important such as Zakat or Pilgrimage
without clear explanation why it is important, etc.
The strength of
theologian studies is that theology explains deeper and broader within
religious perspective itself particularly. It is so important because in any
reality, usually there are many things intersected and overlapped within
religious itself. The weakness arises because theology is a work from insider,
sometimes there is no critical analyses about it. Muslim theologian never do
question or answer why Shalat is important for Muslim except that it because
God has obliged them previously.
The strength of
religious studies is that usually their work examines universal thing in
religion. The universal thing of religion can be used to differ it from another
religion or to make some similarities so religion can work together each
another without worrying to lose anything about their beliefs. The weakness is
that religious studies reduce the means of religion because just trying to
portray religion only from universal or common character. The scientific works
sometimes reduces much in particularity which always exists in many religions.
2. There is no doubt that Religion brings social
change. From historical perspective, the religious emergence usually emerges with
something new within society. The emergence of Jesus brings something new for
Jewish at the time, although he had a lot of challenges, his apostles could
spread his teaching around the world (missionary) and created new religion
called Christianity and now becomes the biggest religion in the world.
Historically, until now Christianity has succeeded to color the change of the
world.
Muhammad also
did the same thing. He was sent to give enlightenment for decadency in that era
in Arab. The first his invitation had made a controversy and hostility from the
Elite at the time because they felt that Muhammad could be their contender for
their privileged. Muhammad then moved to Madinah, conquered Makkah and sent
letter for many Kings around Arab, and spread his teaching until his death.
Till now, there is no doubt that Muslim have the important role for this world
today because of the strength of value/ideology, and the big number of Muslim
around the world.
In Indonesian
historicity, religion plays important roles more for stabilizing force than
destabilizing it. In the early story about Proclamation of Independence, the
prominent Muslim who stood as representation Muslim society in PPKI (The
Indonesian Preparation Committee for Independence) were willing to erase the
last sentence of first principle of what we called now Jakarta Charter (Piagam
Jakarta), changed it to be only “Ketuhanan Yang Maha Esa”.
That acceptance
stabilized the emergence and the proclamation of Independence without more
debates within people. We cannot imagine if there was no wise action from
Muslim prominence to accept that, maybe until now Indonesia does not exist and
still trapped in Civil War between Muslim against another religion.
Fortunately, Indonesia, the most plural nation in the world had succeeded to
face that crucial era.
Defining
religion as a stabilizing or destabilizing force, it casuistically depends the
story or phenomenon occurs. In Indonesia, the role of religion is more
stabilizing than destabilizing force. It
can be traced back that in the first emergence of Indonesia, religion played
much role such as standing as representation from religion. Until now, the
existence of dominant religious institution such as MUI, NU, Muhammadiyah, and
PGI (Persatuan Gereja Indonesia) play much on it. If there is any force who
wants to destabilize the status quo, they are usually small group of Muslim
schools which maybe do not believe with Government or Democratic system in
Indonesia. Generally, religion in Indonesia always plays role to support the
status quo.
3. The similar approach about religion from Marx,
Weber and Emile Durkheim is that they admit that religion has its role in
society. They were aware that religion plays important role for supporting many
things in the world.
The differences
are that Marx tends to be more negative of examining the role and the influence
of religion because religion only plays as one of the many supports for
Capitalism. We know that Marx is very concerned about studying capitalism. One
of his theses is that religion plays such as opium which only gives a temporary
satisfaction in order to denying the pain. Religion is useful for escape from
powerless condition for the oppressed and also to calm the oppressed.
On contrary,
Weber and Durkheim tend to analyze that religion positively plays role in
society. Weber has conducted a research about the relationship between
Calvinism and Capitalism. He found that Calvinism teaching called Protestant
Ethic is the basic values of capitalism. Calvinism believes that God has
predestined them to be saved or unsaved people. The way they know that they are
saved people is by possessing wealth or money as much as they can. Because of
that, Weber concluded that religion is one of the bases of Capitalism.
Durkheim sees in
more structural functionalism perspective that religion is one of the sub
systems in society. Society will run well if the system runs well too. In this
case, the system contains many sub systems which have to work together and run
their jobs well. So, Durkheim also gives more positively perspective about
religion relating its function as sub system in the system of society.
From three
theorists, I think that my anticipated theories will be more colored by
Durkheim’s perspective about society as a system. Durkheim tends to admit that
every single reality in our society has relationship with another reality
within. There is no single reality independently stands out. It is more logical
to me because I believe that the reality in society is always plural and also particular.
The plurality arises because society is a group of many different things
combining together and then producing a new label or new identity. Thus,
plurality reincarnates as system which contains with many particularities
within.
4.
The typology between traditional and modern is
the type of modern perspective. Modern people try to give sharp distinction
with their past. The most basic of modernity is Reason. The enlightenment in
Europe is the basic history of being modernity. People differ that distinction
is rational and irrational, between science and myth. Modern is rational and
scientific, and traditional is irrational and full of myth. Religion is one of
the cases usually grouped as the traditional way of recent people. There is much
irrational choice in religions, and. I agree that religion has its own style different
from modernity.
Those typologies
of course are so helpful in analyzing the influence of religion in Indonesia.
The case between Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama gave me broader understanding
about picturing the rational and irrational people. In the past, many scholars
differed that Muhammadiyah is modern organization and NU represents traditional
organization. The influence of religion here is much about the understanding
(tafsir) of scripture, when NU more concerns in the legacy of old islamic
civilization, while Muhammadiyah tries to be more rational with its new way of
translating scripture which is called “Pembaharuan” because Muhammadiyah tried
to connect the understanding of the scripture with the recent era, and make it
appropriate.
Toennies raises
“Gemeinschaft” as the typology of Traditional and “Gesselschaft” as the
typlogoy of modern. Toennies differs more apparently from social construction
which exists in Village and City. The special things of Gemeinschaft are such
something given. While Gesellschaft is constructed by people.[3] Durkheim distinguishes
society in the typology of mechanic and organic societies. In the mechanic
society, there is no individual freedom because they have similar obligation in
their society. On the other hand, In the organic society, people have their own
freedom to do their task although they are still in one system of society. Weber
proposes the value of religion (protestant ethic) as the basic of capitalism,
yet he does not give the clear difference between modern and traditional
society. Weber just believes that religion will disappear when society has
their new own value in modern society.
The weakness and
strength from Toennis, Durkheim and Weber’s definition are that they clearly
make the sharp difference between traditional and modern society. In one hand,
as “Ideal type”, this is very helful to analyze the social reality, but in
other hand we can see that in reality, there is no single reality. We can
conclude that this society is traditional and modern clearly because there are
many mixtures between traditional and modern aspect.
5. Talking Marxism in Indonesia can be traced back
from the history of the earlier Indonesian Independence. The most famous
Marxism in Indonesia had been represented by Indonesian Communist Party (PKI),
especially in 1960s. The influence of Marxism (PKI) is easy from the history of
politics in Indonesia. The top of that influence occurred firstly when PKI
could be the big four of Indonesian party as the result of 1955 General
Election. After getting that position, PKI grew rapidly. The final influence
was at 1960s when PKI could be one of three pillars of Sukarno’s concept about
this country, NASAKOM (Nasionalis, Agama dan Komunis). Because of that, PKI got
many special treats from Sukarno. One of the most requisitions from PKI to
Sukarno was the creation of fifth force (Angkatan ke-5) which contains from
Farmer and Labor. The demand never occurred because of the black tragedy of
G30S/PKI (thirtieth September’s movement of PKI), when PKI was accused to do
coup for Sukarno’s regime. This tragedy made PKI sank and its adherents got the
massacre.
The positive
aspect from Marxism in Indonesia is the donation of the creation of this
country. The history of Tan Malaka, one of the most prominent figures from
Indonesian Marxist is the answer of this question. Although there were still
many controversies about him, many people believe that Tan Malaka had played important
role in the early Indonesian history of Independence. Till know, his book such
as MADILOG is famous book which is the most hunted about Indonesian communism.
His idea about Indonesian communism made a different type of communism and
Marxism.
The negative
aspect of Marxism is the infiltration in many aspects, especially in politics.
This infiltration could make conflict within one party. This case occurred in
the story of SI (Sarekat Islam). The infiltration separated SI becoming SI
Merah (Red SI) and SI Putih (White SI). This infiltration was famous as the
political strategy for making conflict within another party in Indonesia.
Marxism is not
religion. Religion always contain with supernatural things such as God and
Angels. Marxism only believes with matter and everything real in the world.
Although many Marxists assume Marx as prophet, Das Capital as Holy book, it
cannot be considered that Marxism is religion. For me, it is joke, because
Marxism never do believe with religion.
Marxism is still relevant
in Indonesia. Although Marxism never believes with religion which is one of the
basic things in Indonesia, Marxism can give more perspectives about criticism.
For me, the strength of Marxism is about its belief that everything is
ideological, so we must be suspicious for everything in this country. This
behavior will make our people more critical with every system or party which
rules this country. As a religious country, people have to believe that
everything in this world is never perfect, they have their own mistakes and
weaknesses, because the only thing is perfect is only our God. So, the critical
perspective and attitude is appropriate and relevant with religious teachings.
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