Interview

Secularism does not mean a curse for religions. In certain cases, secularism can even be the savior of a minority religion. For instance in France, due to secularism, Islam and Muslim society can develop. Because secularism upholds neutrality in regulating social-political field of the state, any religion and its society are allowed to express their religion naturally. Therefore, their religious identity is not threatened.

The 2004 Election will be the second election after the reformation. The battle between 24 political parties implies a fragmentation partly based in religion. In this case, fragmentation in Islam is interesting to observe. The use of Islamic symbols in politics, dragging has become a “commodity” for the parties. Focusing on democratization and Islamic dynamic in Indonesia, mainly the relation between Islam and politic and Islamic groups and political party, Ulil Abshar-Abdalla from Liberal Islam Network interviewed Dr. Robert W. Hefner. Also known as Bob Hefner, a researcher and politician from Boston University, he has conducted research on Islamic progress in Indonesia and published a book, Civil Islam.

The French government’s policy to ban the use of religious symbols in France’s public schools has invited controversy and wide reactions in the Muslim world including Indonesia though this state has also been enforcing secularism in its public policy. Through this policy the French government is expecting a reformation among French citizens, including immigrant and indigenous citizens.

Three months ago Ulil Abshar-Abdalla, a controversial central figure of Liberal Islam Network (JIL), left Indonesia. He was invited by the University of Michigan to be a guest lecturer on the subject of “contemporary Islamic thought in Indonesia”. After delivering a lecture there, Ulil stayed at Ohio University in Athens. Ulil wished to materialize his obsession: writing a book. This book is his whole interpretation of Alquran and general Islamic teaching from the liberal Islam perspective.

For less than a year now, political parties which will compete in gaining constituents in the 2004 election have consolidated themselves. However more recently, several Islamic parties or parties based on Islamic constituents, have experienced a worrying fragmentation. Why are Islamic parties so susceptible to fragmentation when unity of ummat (community) has been such a vocal issue? What factors determine the marriages and divorces amongst politicians within Islamic parties?

For less than a year now, political parties which will compete in gaining constituents in the 2004 election have consolidated themselves. However more recently, several Islamic parties or parties based on Islamic constituents, have experienced a worrying fragmentation. Why are Islamic parties so susceptible to fragmentation when unity of ummat (community) has been such a vocal issue? What factors determine the marriages and divorces amongst politicians within Islamic parties?

The debate about the presence of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) continues. Some people say that the claim about the presence of JI in Indonesia has been intentionally blown up to discredit the Muslim community. People believe that JI is not an organization but only a designation for the whole Muslim community.

Islam provides theological apparatus which is receptive upon trust as the social capital of democracy. But ipso facto, many citizens of Muslim countries are trust-less. Research held by Sarif Mardin in the Middle East indicates the lack of trust; hence the power of civil society is blunted and Islamic countries suffer a deficit of democracy. Here is the interview with Burhanuddin by Dr. Bachtiar Effendy, a political observer and lecturer at UIN Jakarta.

The agenda of the propagandist-missionaries religions is often determined by the success of converting other people. The paradigm has never shifted from the old concept: “no salvation out of Christ”. This old doctrine left by the mainstream Christians is used by the Christian evangelists to justify their spiritual bribery. Here is an interview with Rev. Kuntadi Sumadikarya M. Th, the head of the Synod of Christian Church of Indonesia (GKI) of West Java.

Involvement in religious associations, as well as in non-religious ones, correlates positively with the reinforcement of democracy. On the micro level, the collective dimension within NU’s rituals is also significant in order to strengthen the social network and make it capable of mediating public matters.