JIL English Edition

The prime theological challenge in the recent religious life is: How does someone religious define himself surrounded by another religions. Or in its contemporary theological terms: How to theologize in the religious context.

The attack upon Iraq indeed could be used as an excuse to improve the larger military budget. But it will be expensive for the fragile American economy. The military industry’s will increase the state’s budget deficit. Within a year of his supremacy, Bush has turned the budget surplus of US$405 billion into a budget deficit of US$157 billion. Moreover, according to Stiglitz, the last gulf war resulted in the American recession in 1991, which caused the senior Bush to lose his re-election bid.

The United States government has requested its citizens to abandon Iraq as soon as possible. In the past, foreigners might have been kidnapped by Iraq and used as human shields to protect a range of strategic places. If the military invasion of Iraq is executed, the US government does not want any of the bombs falling on Iraq to hurt its own people.

The main problem in current Islamic understanding is the dominant view regarding the text as something “supreme” such that the comprehension of the text often involves denying reality and concrete human experience. The effect is an alienation from experience.

The veil has also become a symbol of liberation and resistance. As a symbol of resistance, it extends far beyond Middle Eastern society and can be found in modern Muslim societies all over the world. Resistance is a strategy to fortify either individual or communal existence. Cudjoe and Harlow define resistance as an activity planned to liberate society from oppression, and involving all aspects of experience including aesthetics as discussed below (Cudjoe dan Harlow 2000).

Since the invitation of an open discussion organized by Liberal Islam Network (JIL) under the title of “Islam and Secularism” was accommodated in daily Kompas on Thursday, 2^nd January 2003, the office telephone rang constantly. The program was held in JIL headquarters, Teater Utan Kayu, Jl. Utan Kayu 68 H East Jakarta.

A number of local publications have recently rejected or become overly wary of articles critical of Islam after an opinion piece by a moderate Muslim drew condemnation and a death threats from Islamic hardliners, two Muslim intellectuals said on Monday.

A single hegemonic truth is spread that cannot be confronted or debated through creative dialogue or debate. This condition forces society to accept hegemonic logic as something given. This results in a stifled society that is unable to view politics, religious understanding, and knowledge in a rational and critical manner.

When politics get co-opted by religion, or when religion gets used as a political tool a a highly repressive hegemonic condition results. In circumstances in which religious beliefs are comprehended as the absolute, universal and final frame of truth, politics and power are considered as one.

Which is more important in the Islamic point of view: liberty or justice? This question is significant in terms of the current dilemma Muslims are in. Liberty and justice appear to clash with each other. In fact, the Muslim countries are unable to balance liberty and justice, if the haven’t indeed already lost both.