Response Paper to Sita Hidayah : How the world would have to be if there is no “Agama” in Indonesia (Academic Study of Religion)

I do agree that the concept of Agama in Indonesia is more political than religious issue. It can be traced from the history of the application of identity card from Sukarno till now. Every regime has followed the same rule for placing what is people religion there. This action is also followed by the application of the five official religions in Indonesia, which is now becoming six religions, indeed Kong Hu Cu or Confucianism.

It is more political than religious issue because our state tends to take place inside the circulation of religion only and only for making sure that religion always becomes under controlled. Although state has Ministry of Religion now, it could be said that this ministry is still lack of role and influences in the inter-religious affairs. Many people agreed that Ministry of Religion is now only for Moslem people, not for all religions.

This political issue obviously has big effects for religious life in Indonesia. Actually it is not truly new in the discourse of religious daily life here. It has displayed many cases based on the government’s political regulation and application there. The most interesting thing in this case, the relationship between religion and political government, is that there is many colors played and involved in this case. Those colors are such as economic, group, ethnicity and also ideology. It can be referred to the case of communism which was banned and become forbidden ideology in Indonesia. For me, the case of communism in Indonesia is not simply religious case, but larger as Sita noted in her paper, not only about communism but also can be atheist, un-nationalist or the most is irreligious.

After understanding that the case of religion in Indonesia is mostly political issue, the next question is how do we solve it?? It is important question because as far as I know, many scholars who had finished their reading about the reality just stop and do not do anything. If they give solution, mostly it will be unreal solution. This is the task of many scholars, actually who believe that the change must be create to make a next better life. For me, because this case is based on political side, so we have to finish it from the political side, too. OK, it sounds simply, but we know that we have to do it.