Religious Diversity in Indonesia – Pluralism

Indonesia is the multicultural country with variant religions, ethnics, and believable, those are the special things that can find by tourists when come in Indonesia. if you’re a newcomer, you will recognize there are a lot diversity from one island with other island. in this case, Indonesia still being country with peaceful and there is no war because of the diversity. The important thing about the variant of Indonesia is the religious. It is the sensitive topic, but there are a lot of good message to imitated by others country. How the government and the society can life together although in the different religion. There will be four main points in this article will explain about religious diversity in Indonesia.

Religion in Indonesia

There are officially six religions in Indonesia, the first is Islam, and then Christian (catholic), Christian (Protestant), Hindu, Buddha and Kong Hu Cu. Every religion have characteristics that different each others. The way they are praying, doing activity, the holly book and believable are different. The differences and how they tolerance is only find in Indonesia.

Islam is the biggest religion in Indonesia, it is the majority religion in this country. Indonesia become the country with the biggest moslem in the world. However, Indonesia is not called as moslem country like Arab. It is because the comparison between how many religion and the inhabitant. Moslem (Islamic people) is praying in the mosque. They have AL-Qur’an as holly book, and every years celebrate Idul Fitri and Idul Adha. Read more about Eid in Indonesia.

There are Christian Catholic and Christian Protestant. Both of them are celebrate Christmas in every December 25. They are praying in the Church. Indonesian people that have Christian Catholic as the religion is around 2.91%. and then for Christian Protestant is around 6.96%. The differences between Catholic and Protestant are in the believable. You may want to read about Christianity Growth in Indonesia.

The next religion is Hindu and Buddha. Those religion is easy to find in Bali. Majority Balinese are Hindu and Buddha. The holly book for Hindu is Weda, while Buddha is Tri Pitaka. Hindu people is praying in the temple, and then Budha is praying in the Vihara. The important character in Budha is Siddharta Gautama. The important days for Hindu are Nyepi, Saraswati, and Pagerwesi. For Budha, every year they celebrate some important days like Waisak, Asadha, and Kathina. Read more about Hinduism in Bali Indonesia.

The last is Kong Hu Cu. This religion brought by Chinese in Indonesia. Some Chinese ethnics have this religion. The Kong Hu Cu people is praying in China temple (Klenteng). The Chinese, especially Kong Hu Chu people have a certain new year. That’s special china calendar that so called Imlek. When Imlek, there are a lot of Chinese will make all restaurant in Surabaya (one of city in Indonesia) full, because their family will spend the Imlek night together. You may want to read about Chinese New Year Celebration in Indonesia.

Religion Tolerance

The religion diversity in Indonesia can be a good example for others country because Indonesia are peaceful, so quite and life together although there are a lot of differences among them. In Indonesia, there are some family consist of some religion. For example, the father and child are moslem, but the mother is Christian. Sometimes the aunt and uncle can be have Hindu or Buddha religion. That variant religion in a family caused by in an environment the people quantity that have those religion is same.

In the Lamongan, there is a village with variant religion. Balun village, is a small village with four different religion, Islam, Christian, Hindu, and Buddha. In those village also have four different religion place. The first is Chruch that build in front of a Mosque. Behind the mosque, there are temple and Vihara.

All of them are life in the Balun village with peaceful. In that village, never happen a religion conflict. They clean their Balun village together every weekend. when the moslem celebrate Idul Fitri, there will be a banner in front of the Chruch that contains happy Idul Fitri.

Another example is Nyepi (Hindu special day), almost all of Balun village happy to welcoming this day. There is an Ogoh-Ogoh party in the wide field. Ogoh-Ogoh is a big statue that represent bad people. Ogoh-ogoh in the Balun village is very famous in Indonesia. This party always reported by all Indonesian television, and become one of tourism destination. All Balun village will sit on the field to see the big Ogoh-Ogoh.

The Indonesia government have important role for the tolerance between religion in Indonesia. Joko Widodo, as the president of Indonesia is always have dialogue with all religion representative. All of them, often invited by Joko Widodo in the country palace. This efforts is the stability for all religion, and to avoid a conflict that can happen.

Problem and Solution for Religion Conflict in Indonesia

Indonesia with that variant religion is not always peaceful. Sometimes, there is a little conflict between those religion. That’s usual tragedy that often happen in all country. Even though there are so many conflict, the conflict will finish quickly. The role of government, society and important people in a religion is important to finish the conflict. A religion conflict is the hard conflict for a country. If the conflict cannot end, it will developed a big war.

There are some example for religion conflict in Indonesia. however this conflict is already finished and there is no bad purpose for blow up the conflict again in this article. Firstly is religion conflict in Ambon. That is one of Indonesian area in the east. This conflict is happen in the January 19 1999. Beginning with simple problem, the conflict become more crowded and cause 12 peoples died and hundreds draw blood. However the conflict is end with the peace reconciliation between both of them and there is a help from the government.

Another conflict religion in Indonesia is happen in the Poso. This is one of big religion conflict until more than two years. This conflict was finished by government, especially Jusuf Kalla that have initiation to make Malino declaration in December 2001. Since both of religion sign the Malino declaration, the condition in Poso is better than before. Read more about Christian Persecution in Indonesia

The last example is Tolikora conflict. Tolikora is an area in Papua. This conflict included in the big religious conflict in Indonesia. This conflict happen in Juli 2015. Some people become the victims of Tolikora conflicts. Because of this conflict, there are two peoples died and minimally 96 house was broken because burnt by society. However this conflict end with reconciliation between two religion. From that conflict end, until now, there is religious conflict again in Tolikora.

The Variant Religious Tourism Places

The religion diversity in Indonesia have role to developed the Indonesian tourism. Furthermore, there are a lot of building related to the religion. For example, Istiqlal Mosque in the Jakarta. That’s the biggest mosque in Southeast Asia. For all people that visit Jakarta, always want to come in this mosque. Istiqlal mosque build as the grateful expression for independent day. Istiqlal mosque built by a non moslem, Fredrich Silaban. There are seven doors name based on Asmaul Husna. You may want to read about Largest Mosque in Indonesia.

Having a big drum as the sign of five prayers if some one hit it. In front of the Istiqlal mosque, there is Katedral church. Two of religion building is represent how the Indonesian people is tolerance. They share each others the parking place. In the Idul Fitri, the thousands moslem often praying in the morning. When the parking of Istiqlal mosque is full, the people can use Katedral yar for the parking place. That condition is also happen when the night Christmas. Christian people can use the Istiqlal mosque.

The second is Pura Ulun Danu Beratan. All of people that visiting Bali will know this place. Almost every people will visit Bedugul lake. In the Bedugul, there is a temple called Pura Ulun Danu Beratan. The society around Bedugul lake is praying in this place, so the visitor can look the way they pray and celebrate some Hindu moment.

Pura Ulun Danu Beratan is very special because the place is very cold and fresh, the temperature is around 18-22 celcius. Those situation will be felt by tourists since they enter the Pura Ulun Danu Beratan. From the parking place, you will pass the street full of flower and grass with green tree. The street directed to the Pura Ulun Danu Beratan. Read more about Buddhism in Indonesia

The last recommended religion tourism place in Indonesia is Borobudur temple, located in the Yogyakarta. This place is amazing and very famous beside Bali in Indonesia. It is included in the seven world miracle. Many International and local tourists visiting Borobudur temple. Sometimes, people with Buddha religion will pray in the Borobudur temple. You can walk up the stair of Borobudur temple, you can find the Buddha people praying with walking around Borobudur temple. You may want to read about Buddhist Temple in Bali Indonesia.

The tourists are from variant religion, and never happen any conflict in this place. In this temple is full with Buddha ancient inscription and so many statue. Some people also use Borobudur temple for their wedding, because the field is very wide and appropriate to make a wedding party. It can be wedding party from variant religion. The view is also beautiful, in that place there are so many trees that make the air is fresh. There is also Borobudur temple museum. You can buy variant souvenir in the Borobudur market with cheap price.