When met with the word "agama", most Jakartans clad in oversized tees might respond with a giggle. Some might even be repulsed by the word, as it carries a lot of weight, judgement, and even trauma. So this begs the question --- does religion even matter?
For you, maybe not. And that's cool! I don't think your personal daily choices need to depend on what a holy book says, on what some cleric preaches, or on what a God (that might not even exist) thinks. And this is a revolution! Think about it. Religions are meant to control your every-day choices, from what you wear to what you eat, your work ethics, and who you make love to (and hopefully spend your life) with. So to demote religion away from your private sphere is already a rebellion. But I don't think this is the case for most Indonesians.
Most Jakartans cannot fathom the great expanse of this nation, from its contrasting landscapes to its diverse people groups. Take it from me, an ex-Jakartan now with a Denpasar KTP. I witnessed so many Jakartans transform the bule-ridden Canggu into Jaksel within months during the pandemic (or what we Balinese call "the WFB outbreak"). But if there is something that can unite all of our 18,000 islands, it has to be religion. And no, it's not nasi goreng that unites us, considering that most of East Indonesia does not even grow rice. And I'm not alone in saying this, as 98% of Indonesians agree that religion is important (according to Pew Research conducted in 2022, published in September 2023). Look, I'm not religious, okay? So I am not trying to make sure you are too. But I am a realist, so I want to rely on data to inform my opinions. And the fact remains that Indonesians are overwhelmingly religious.
There is no need to look far over to Aceh, Sulawesi, or even Kupang. I bet your family, too, is religious. And this might be, for some, the only interaction we have with religion. Expectations to pray daily, to attend worship, to dress modestly, and, of course, to marry someone... Wait for it... Of the same religion. This article should come with a trigger warning. Apologies. But, hey, if you are not religious, then I guess there must be hope that religion will not be relevant in the future, right? We are the change!
No. Religions have remained relevant since 1,500 BCE, and they will remain relevant in the future. And here is the secret: Religions adapt. You might be fooled into thinking that your religion is pure, unadulterated, and perfect. And that it has always been this way and will always be for time to come. This, my friend, is dogma. You have been indoctrinated to think this way so that you perceive religion as the 'right way', the 'eternal way', and even as the 'only way'. This is all a work of marketing. Religions must keep up with this image of being pure and immutable so that it can be a constant judge of morality. If religions can change, then it means that 'good' and 'bad' can also change. And this will decrease the influence of religious bodies. The truth is, religions are situated. This means that religions understand the context they are in: the people, the culture, the norms, and the leaders. And that religion will willingly reinterpret scripture to ensure its relevancy.
The secret to the adaptability of religions lies in the hands of the theologians, who are able to interpret and re-interpret the words and intent of scripture. The words might be clearly inscribed, but what they can mean really depends on the interpretation. This is why religious texts are usually abstract and thus hard to understand. You need someone to explain it to you. And it is in the hands of this person interpreting that religions can truly differ. But this person is usually not alone. Enter the government.
For centuries, religions and kings have been working side-by-side to ensure total control. And if you think this was so that the king would follow the religion, you are wrong. It is so that the king has control over what religion interprets. This is why governments and religions are besties, and don't expect any drama to break them up in the future. They need each other. Governments have facilities and money, and religions control the masses through faith and dogma. It is a mutually beneficial relationship (unlike the one you had with your toxic ex). And this is truly the case with Indonesia.
Long ago, in the fertile plains of Java, there existed many streams of belief systems. The indigenous Kejawen and Sunda Wiwitan, the many Saivite Hindu traditions, the many Buddhist schools, and the metropolitan buzz of spice traders. And all of these various traditions were combined to form the eclectic "Agama Siwa Buddha" by Sri Maharajadiraja Sri Kertanegara Wikrama Dharmatunggadewa---Kertanegara for short. Long story short, he made his own religion. He combined all the religious teaching present in his Singosari kingdom in the 13th century CE, and he also made himself God! Yes! He is Bhatara Siwa Buddha, a combination of the Hindu deity Shiva and the founder of Buddhism, the Buddha. This Siwa Buddha combo has persisted to this very day, with some alteration, to the Hinduism found in Bali.
And Indonesia still does not cease to exert its control over religion. We, after all, have a Ministry of Religious Affairs. And if you think all they do is help and fund religions, then you would be wrong. Because, besides being one of the most corrupt ministries (see reports from Indonesia Corruption Watch), they also ensure that all six official religions obey a standardised format for religions. This includes having a monotheistic God, which gets confusing for Hinduism (with a complicated number of gods) and even more confusing for Buddhism and Confucianism (both don't really have a God). But religion is crucial for Indonesia because it's this nation's uniting factor.
Yeap, you heard me alright. Religion is what brings this nation together, which is why it was made mandatory for everyone to have it on their KTP. In the mid-60s, not having a religion meant that you were a communist, and that could have killed you. So Indonesians very quickly (as a matter of life and death) adopted an official religion to save themselves. Religion is now what unites us all in a sense of "Indonesian-ness", but this can change. And this can change with us! There are many ways we can express being Indonesian without mentioning religion. But what can this new uniting factor be, and when will the government adopt it?
In my opinion, instead of hoping for change, we should work with what we have. And for now, that would be religion. But how do we make sure religion does not remain powerful? My mantra is "agama beragam". If someone tells you religion says one thing, give them another alternate interpretation. If someone tells you that your religion commands something, tell them that is not the case. Religions are internally diverse. This means that even within a particular religion, there are many ways of practicing and understanding. There are many sects or mahzab within religions, and this diversity is what allows them to be relevant for their followers. So use this inherent diversity of religion to your advantage and deflect any claims. For example: "Orang Muslim gak boleh melihara anjing!"; "Not really, the Hanafis do not see dogs as najis". Or "orang Kristen harus ke Gereja!"---"but I already accepted Jesus, and doesn't that make me a Christian already?".
Religions want to control you. But you can control what it means to you. And that, for me, is the true beauty of God. We all can see God in our own way, so why shouldn't the path to God be as unlimited and all-powerful as God claims to be?
