Agama itu milik siapa sih?

Saya terlahir dari kedua orangtua muslim, dan saya juga memiliki nama islami sekali. Semuanya berproses. Sisi spiritualitas saya haus untuk terus menggali lebih dalam tentang hakekat hidup. Ketika proses itu berlangsung, saya juga memertanyakan tentang agama yang bukan sebagai pilihan personal, tetapi diturunkan. Sama halnya, ketika saya dilahirkan sebagai orang Indonesia. Saya tidak memilih untuk hal tersebut. Segalanya berproses hingga pada suatu titik orang tersebut boleh jadi berpindah warganegara, atau pindah agama, atau juga memilih untuk tidak beragama sama sekali. Segalanya berproses.

Lalu, ketika sekelompok orang yang mengaku “relijius” dengan dalil-dalil sebagai tuah yang disucikan memertanyakan atau justru membahayakan hak hidup orang lain, apakah masih cerminan sebagai sebuah nilai-nilai dari agama?

Agama itu milik siapa sih?

Apakah seseorang yang memiliki orientasi seksual berbeda dengan kebanyakan tidak mendapat tempat dalam sebuah agama? Apakah agama punya warna? Apakah manusia sah menyakiti orang lain menurut agamanya?

Seorang pelacur, homoseksual, orang bertato, transgender, atau seorang filsuf tidak pantas diberi ruang dalam agama? Lalu mereka hendak dikemanakan? Dibunuh kah? Dicacikah? Dipenjarakan? Dipaksa dengan cambuk agar menjejali agama yang dimaui?

Saya melihat begitu dekat. Begitu nyata aksi-aksi yang mengatasnamakan agama justru cenderung menyakiti dan penuh kekerasan baik secara verbal, serta non verbal.

Apa yang dicari dari agama? Surga? Neraka? Pernahkah ke sana? Garansi darimanakah kita mendapatkan kriteria-kriteria yang dituahkan? Apakah manusia itu bisa melepas dari konsep “dosa”?

Seorang homoseksual tidak pantas ditolong bila kesusahan, karena dibenci menurut “agama” – katanya. Sekejam itukah? Sebuah aliran kepercayaan yang berbeda dari pola agama tertentu, kemudian dimusuhi? Sebegitu anarkiskah? Bukankah semakin banyak melihat perbedaan, maka segalanya akan banyak menemui jurang kesusahan. Fokus pada persamaan sebagai manusia yang memiliki hati nurani bukankah jauh lebih bijak? Terlepas lagi, bahwa sebuah ketidaksetujuan harusnya menjadi celah kebersamaan, toleransi, dan pemahaman mendalam dibandingkan pembenaran-pembenaran karna merasa paling benar, suci, dan lebih tinggi di mata agamanya, bukan?

“Raffles and The Golden Opportunity” by Victoria Glendinning

It was such an honour I met a remarkable writer, Victoria Glendinning (23 April 1937) in Jakarta, at the launch of her book, “Raffles and The Golden Opportunity”.  Who is Raffles?

As Indonesian people may also relate his name to “bunga bangkai – corpse flower” where was found by Raffles and Arnold in the Indonesian rain forest.

Raffles had a significant influence on Indonesia.

And I think this book is worth it, In Rupiah costs,  IDR 239.000,-

 

Here is the synopsis of the book…

In 1819, Sir Stamford Raffles, without authority from London, raised the British flag on a small jungle covered island and founded a settlement that would become the city state of Singapore. It was the most significant moment in the life of a man who defies definition: an English adventurer, disobedient employee of the East India Company, utopian imperialist, linguist, zoologist, civil servant and troublesome visionary.

From his beginnings as an obscure young man with few advantages, he carved out an extraordinary career in South East Asia, rising to become Governor of Java. A great heart lodged in a physically frail body, he inspired both devotion and hatred among those he met and his life in the Tropics was overshadowed by personal tragedy and tropical disease. He returned to England a ‘sorry carcase’ of a convalescent, and died in disgrace and pursued for debt by his former employers, the East India Company.

 

Acclaimed biographer Victoria Glendinning charts a unique life filled with adventure and shot through with sadness. But if Raffles’ own end was tragic, the mark he left on the world is indelible. Even today, Raffles’ fame remains undimmed and, as he hoped,Singapore has become his own lasting monument.

Indonesian Muslims should be introspective!

Don’t hurry to blame others toward negative perspectives of Islam. They’re supposed to think seriously with what is going on recently. Have a look on the news, so many sweeping during Ramadan, some of the extremist groups even bravely force hawkers or food vendors to close their shop until the exact time. I mean, don’t they have a conscience? How can that hawkers make some money for living? There are many non-muslim who are not fasting too. Do public order agency (Satpol PP) and extremist groups consider about? Again and again, I’ve declared that Indonesia is not Islamic state, we live here under the values of Pancasila, UUD 1945, and Unity in Diversity (Bhinneka Tunggal Ika).

Frankly, I disagree with Sharia Law, if that would impose in this country. For me, this can be a chance for unfairness, violence, and intimidation. I do literally come up with this opinion, it is not because I am a devoted follower of Liberal Islam Network (JIL), and none of your rights to judge anyone as a heathen or evil either.

All in all, as human beings, we need to look back our history, when Borobudur temple and Majapahit’s authority firmly established in Java, that is exactly Indonesia, live in mutual respect and tolerance.

Sudahkah saya ikhlas hari ini?

Sebagaimana bulan Ramadan sebelumnya, Ramadan tahun ini pun begitu semarak, penuh pesona bagi tiap ummat muslim di seluruh dunia. Momen ini dijadikan peluang untuk memperbanyak ibadah kepada Tuhan, seperti mengaji, sembahyang, dan mengumpulkan sedekah. Semua itu dijadikan kunci untuk mendapatkan ridho Tuhan atas syurganya.

Akan tetapi, pernahkah berpikir bahwa apa yang kita lakukan “ikhlas” dari hati kita? Atau hanya sekedar rutinitas biasa tanpa makna?

Banyak dari kita yang lahir dan mengikuti agama dari orangtua kita. Pernahkah kita memertanyakan atau menggalinya lebih dalam?

Bagi saya pribadi, belajar untuk ikhlas itu penting. Sukar, tentu saja. Tetapi dengan keinginan yang kuat dan sebagai bentuk dari perjalanan batin yang terus diasah, bukan tidak mungkin menjadikan kita pribadi yang tak sekedar “panas-panas tahi ayam”, dimana hanya didapati ketika Ramadan tiba.

“Sudahkah saya ikhlas hari ini?” jawabannya jelas ada dalam hati kita masing-masing.

Why don’t you become a Politician, Jane?

At one time, Henrik – my current partner, asked me, ”Why don´t you just become a Politician?” I mused quietly,  asking myself – “perhaps not, or not at this particular moment”. Being a politician itself need an extra courage toward every action and reaction will give a big influence, mainly for supporter as well as proponent of a party. All these things must be handled responsibly, and chosen wisely. I don’t think I’ll be ready now, regarding my limited experiences and frankly I hate bureaucracy, I really do.

 

As an outsider of politics and government, all of us I consider have rights and thoughts in every aspects of policy and government’s legitimacy. In this way, we move through the social conscience. When there is untrustworthy or sneaky on the government, every citizen spontaneously have the same dream I guess – living at ease with each other, and they may react to the arrogance of government.

 

Don’t get me wrong, however a conflict on government seems inevitable. But, at least we know how this would work in harmony. For whatsoever, our life actually facing almost 100 % problems, and we’re simply forced to get the solution.

 

At the end, ready or not ready yet, we must learn to live with it!

When fasting, how does it feel like?

How do you feel when you’re fasting? Thirsty, hungry, or you may feel weak and bad breath, right?

As we know since more than a hundred years ago, fasting has been used for treatment, to heal a spiritual aspect of our body and soul, it is not just for religious reason, like Muslim, Ortodox-Catholic, Hinduism, or Budhism does. For me, fasting in Ramadan it refrains me not only from eating, drinking, or sexual desires. All of them to help me practically how strengthen my spiritual connection, and enhance my positive outlook, such as to avoid jealousy, revenge, and greedy.

I’m doing it frankly without any pressure, solely it happens from deep in my heart.

Somehow, when I saw the news this morning on TV, some cheap hotels and café were swept by the police and public order agency (satpol PP) during fasting month. They tend to catch some couple without marriage at that hotel or even some people who consume alcohol. What they did most likely the same as sharia police in Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia.

Do you think it would work?

I wouldn’t think so. How does a person become independent if public order agency (satpol PP) or police officers tried to organize our godliness. In my own opinion, if you have a strong faith, you do not need control from elsewhere, it comes from your conscience, is there very close at you!

We must remember that we live in varied religious beliefs, not only Islam, we’re not officially Islamic state either. So, being tolerant each other makes us intellectually human.

I’d prefer do whatever you do and you believe, as long as you’re not bother anyone, stay in your line – keep responsibility with what you have been doing. About your pious behavior let God deal with you in the end of this world.

Kamu Salah, Aku Benar

Nanar mata memandang

Dengan meneriakkan takbir yang ia rasa mereka tak disucikan, dikeramatkan

Berpaling yang lain yang dianggap haram, kotor, dan penuh setan

 

Benar semua apa yang dalil itu diencamkan dalam otaknya!

Setan… Setan… Setan…

Anjing kalian semua! Masuk neraka

Karena kamu salah, aku benar

 

Sodomi itu haram! Kalau perlu tak usah digembar-gemborkan

Tapi dilakukan dibawah bayang-bayang jubah putih

Korupsi itu haram! Tapi tak apa dilakukan, selagi tak ketahuan

Punya banyak istri, harus!

Harus cantik, semok, dan lebih mudah dari si renta yang sudah kusut sendinya

 

Masukkan sekelompok domba itu dalam terali ayat-ayat setan yang ada diotak mereka

Karena mereka semua haram!!!

Kecuali aku, kamu salah, aku benar

Surga itu milikku, bukan kamu!!!