The Politics of Religious Slaughter: Much Ado about Not Much

Suddenly, I find myself in the middle of the storm. Only recently, my colleagues and families at loggerheads on who would be best to lead the nation in the next five years. Then, my Facebook newsfeed had recently flooded with such politically charged memes and messages, which were inflammatory in nature, making me snapped in annoyance and utter disgust. In the end, I had to remove those who posted character assassination from my friend list so I have once again a control over the peace atmosphere of my virtual world. Spread love and wisdom, instead of hatred and idiocy.

The most ridiculous link I received was the article covering the Bandung-based group of Muslim clerics called the Indonesian People’s Ulama Forum (FUUI) which issued it was ‘haram’ (forbidden) to give vote for certain presidential candidate pair. I rolled my eyes in disbelief.

“C’mon you can’t be serious!” 

It’s so nauseating see how easy those who claim to a pious religious leader issue silly baseless ‘fatwa’ (religious verdict) to serve their own agenda. They believe they speak for God and therefore they must infallible. They cling to their own interpretations of scripture and refuse to look at any ideas that go beyond their beliefs. 

The misuse of religion for purely political ends is really sickening to my stomach. I recoil I horror. I am a muslim and I am against such move. RELIGION IS NOT FOR SALE!

Religion is a force for good but its “manipulation” caused divisions and even violence. It can be misused to promote inequality and injustice. Misusing religious teaching to justify treating others as inferior and defective is simply wrong. We know full well how uniquely harmful it is for a vital of one’s very being to be subjected to religious stamp of disapproval solely due to prejudice and misleading facts.

I remember a story on how Islam protects and promotes justice to all regardless of their ethnicity and religion. Once some Muslims dispossessed a Jew of a plot of land and built a mosque on the site. Upon learning this, Caliph Umar Bin Khattab sent a warning to the Governor of Egypt to provide justice to the man. A directive then was issued to demolish the mosque and the land returned to the owner. 

So many good examples have been laid out bare in our religious teachings, yet it is such political moves and blind fanatics who give religion a bad name. These people twisted and abused religious conviction to serve their own purposes. They are the monsters hiding in the cloak of religious authority. Instead of spreading good and tolerance, they spread harms, violence and division.

It is frustrating to see all this appalling acrobatic political movements by parties and authorities who hide behind the shield of a religion, trying to secure as much votes for their presidential hopeful candidates. It’s like watching a bunch of monkeys fighting for bananas while their mouth are already full with peanuts. 

It saddens me to see these few weeks before Presidential election; this nation is drowning in the new cults of bouquets and brickbats. They throw slander, libel or any other scurrilous attacks on each other, feeding the society with daily doses of hatred, extreme prejudice and bigotry. Horizontal conflicts are looming closely and clashes among groups pose greater risks for the unity of the nation.

Leaders regardless of their political tendency have the obligation to educate the public, the ordinary people for a dignified and fair competition. They should provide plaudits and good examples instead of vulgarly throwing brickbats and smear campaigns.

Law enforcers should arrest and bring whoever responsible to ignite horizontal conflicts and clashes into a fair trial. Vandalism and violence should not go unpunished. The Indonesian Military and law enforcers should safeguard and maintain their neutrality. Leaders from all groups should restraint their followers and constituents to resort in violence and negative campaigns to woo voters.

After all, we are not a bunch of savages but civilized humans with brain and conscience to know which is right and which is wrong. Acting like a brainless beast will bring us lower than animals.

I personally abhor the heated war of words which have no meaning at all, especially directed for character assassination. I just wish the 9 July is coming soon and all these debacles will soon recede. 

May the best candidate wins. May the winner promotes tolerance, justice, and equality.