After reading several issues of The Jakarta Post these last few days, I have been feeling very disturbed. There have been reports on churches and a pastor’s home being burned allegedly by Muslim mobs.

Yet the police were unable to arrest anybody on the pretext that it was done by a mob of people. The mobs had an excuse for burning the churches, on the pretext that the Christians did not have any permits to build the churches (the Jan. 25, 2010 issue).

Amazingly, we have heard nothing of this news in the local papers. It is no surprise then that Indonesia wins praise from the United States for religious tolerance.

Not only that, some local institutions believe that ethnic and religious issues are no longer the main conflict (Jan. 27, 2010 issue).

They say that the main issues are now politics, natural resources and corruption. That is why the government still thinks that there is no urgency to deal with issues of religious tolerance.

However, what is being overlooked and undermined is that religious conflicts and radicalism are potential weapons to be used to obtain political and economic gain. We have seen this happening in Pakistan and Somalia.

It is reported in the Jan. 27 issue that religious radicalism affects education. I myself know that there is a state high school in Yogyakarta where the students would like to have separate canteens based on their religion.

Their student activities are based on fanatic Islamic values which prohibit cultural and musical performances, notably forbidding the teaching of Javanese dance. So I find myself very disturbed when they say that Indonesia is praised for its religious tolerance. Forgive me for saying this, but maybe they have not invited nor even talked to the right people about it.

Sometimes, I begin to wonder if these people who insist on giving statements that there is no problem with religious tolerance in Indonesia are practicing the Law of Attraction. Beware; most people confuse the Law of Attraction and positive thinking.

The so-called positive thinkers tend to brush off negative topics. However, I am curious why they love to dwell on poverty or corruption issues. I believe because it has to do directly with money. Therefore, it draws a lot of attention from the public.

I, myself, am a Muslim who is not so much in favor of radicalism or fanatics. I believe that only those who do not have a firm faith in their beliefs would be either a radical or a fanatic. I am not saying Muslim radicals are solely to blame, but radical Christians, radical Buddhists, radical Hindus, and radical believers in Confucius are too. Fanatics and radicals are those who belittle others’ faiths. Not being able to see the majesty of Allah (in Arabic terms, not Muslim nor Christian terms) in each and every one of them.

Therefore, they can never appreciate one another. Sadanand Dhume gives a very clear picture in his book My Friend the Fanatic of the growth of radicalism in Indonesia and it being a threat to the state ideology Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution and the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).

So the question now is… what is the government doing? What is the law enforcement doing? All are busy with the Bank Century case? What about the other pressing problems that affect religious freedom in this country?

Even if it is true that the churches did not have any permit to build, does it mean that the people of Indonesia can form mobs to destroy them? So what use is the law? Do they still think that religious conflicts are not of great concern? Why can’t we learn from Somalia and Pakistan?

Like Prof. Jeffrey Winters once said in an interview on national television, “Indonesians lack a sense of urgency”. Let us all take this matter seriously and treat it as urgent.

The writer is the founder of the National Integration Movement (http://www.nationalintegrationmovement.org)

The food source of bees are nectars from flowers. For example, bees live in kelengkeng tree at Ambarawa’s region, getting food from kelengkeng tree flower. Because kelengkeng tree flowers are only blossom in such season, so bees keep nectars they collected with a special liquid from their body to used as food when there is no flower at the tree. That nutritious mixture is called honey. To watch over the quality, honey temperature is maintained around 35 degrees Celcius. When the weather is hot, bees make windy air with their wings. They prevent foreign creatures disturbance by some watchbees that will chase away them. They keep from bacteria outside with ”resin” which can harden their nest also. Their house are hexagonal forms which is the most efficient in nature, strong structure, with minimal amount walls produced gives maximal volume. The question is why bees make excessively amount of honey and far exceed their need? Why do bees give more to human?

More giving than receiving

Chicken lays one egg every day, and it is much greater amount than it is used to make chicken offspring. Cows are also produce milk exceeds their need for their calf. Rice at rice fields produces far rice grains exceed amount to maintain the species continuation. Mango trees are also produce more mangoes than needed to maintain species preservation. Cassava plants give leaves for human consumption, so its tubes. They only need remaining throwned away sticks to make new plants. Human gets profit with take care of them.

In Shrimad Bhagavatam’s, it is found a story about Little Krishna with his friends played game and after felt hot they sheltered below a tree at Govardhana’s hill. Krishna exclaims: ”Look! How friendly does this tree, her branches prepare an umbrella for hot and rain. She doesn’t sigh for hurricane and rain, also from the frozen winter. When someone approached kindly, she is never chase away with empty-handed. The leaves, the flower, the fruit, even branches and its body whole dedicated. Without trained a holy book, a tree did bhakti, devotion far better than best human.

It is clear that Bhagavad Gita said in Chapter 3 Text 12, “The Gods, replete with sacrifice will fulfill your desires. But, the one who doesn’t offer any sacrifice to the gods but enjoy the natural gifts given by god is considered a thief”. In Text 13, “The pious who ensure to offer their food first to the gods and then eat only what is leftover are said to perform sacrifice even while eating and are thus relieved of all evil. Wicked are those who cook and eat all by themselves. Such people get to eat only impurities”.

Various human awareness level

Follows Guru teachings, there are development in human awareness level. From base that is sex ,looking for ownself satisfaction. Robbing, seizing without care to others, influenced by ego, individualistic character. Furthermore awareness is love, receiving something but also giving a substitution. Working and getting payment, buying and receiving goods. In this case is a logic action. Then come to love affection, more giving than receiving. Here, it is elaborate un-logic, but with feelingness. Universe affection character is more giving than receiving. Earth gives all to creatures live on, Sun heatens all creatures without un-fairness. Someday, it comes a moment, an awareness question ”Who am I”? “Could I really help”? All right, I am only a servant, let’s me serve, my hand is a lenghten of His arm such as those done by bees, chickens, cows, and also rice plants. Until it comes a moment that “ Who am I? I merely His tool”. All are His deed, that is only His existence. Thanks Guru.

Triwidodo, July 2007.

The spirit for the busy people is ”Time is money”, so they work efficiently. In Indonesia, their children are entered to school very early stydying foreign languages and mastering science subject as much as possible. For executing the burden job, their having fast lunch at fast food counter, eating is even also interrupted with phones and sms by selular phone. Solonese girls do not walk likes Macan Luwe, an Hungry Tiger, an elegant steps. Their rhythm of shoe steps like a rap music. A greedy human mind wants to do many things at one moment.

Nature is not always moving fast

My friend, a doctor from Jepara Kelet Hospital told that nature is not alway moving fast. Eating must that slow therefore food is perfect chewed and giving time for intestines prepare digestion enzyms. Regulating breath formerly, continued by praying before meal and thank to God expresivelly after finishing meal will influence digestion organs and also will tranquilize brain nerves. How expensive and sophisticated human digestion organs, and eating in a hurry does not appreciate the high value organ. It is like driving a luxurious car inaccurately.

Giving various subject in early age is only developing a left brain. Subject scoring values for children trigger on left brain use. Children should play enough, so that the right brain can be developed. That is why many persons are too serious and work like robots, uncreative, because the right brain is less developed. Working with left brain causes full logic and people always pay attention for profit or loss and have consequences that affection and forgiveness character from inner heart are pulled over to the side.

Working hastily, making a fast breath vibration rythm, and on a long term will increase the blood pressure. When somebody takes breath calmer, the vibration brain is slower and the mind is clear and problems appeared finished easily.

Work constantly until harvesting time arrived

Chicken’s egg hatched 21 days, rice seed harvested after 140 days, mango seed produced fruits after 6 years, teak tree growed 25 years to get a satisfy result. For whom believe in karma law, deed consequences are even also wait to next birth. According to them that is why some children born in happy families or the opposite ones. It is Need a long time waiting children become adult. Changing character is also need a long time. The important thing is that human must work constantly waiting the result come. Somebody that wait egg hatches without clutched or heating mechanically is like waiting in vain. Intelegent ancestors said sepi ing pamrih rame ing gawe, ojo nggege mongso, works hard never think the result, do not shortening the season, do not work in a hurry untill the harvesting time arrive.

Triwidodo
August 2008

On the other hand, our ancestors have guidance that “Sopo sing nandur bakal ngundhuh”, Whoever plants seeds will reap the fruit plants. For anyone who sees only physical outer, allowed all manner to attain success is a kind action guided by Sun Tzu. Fortunately, our ancestors have term “panen wohing panggawe”, reaping action fruit plant is a consequence result. All process will also be seed plants and will gain fruits in the future. A Gimmick action may comes successly in a relatively short time. But, gimmick process will give aloof consequences on a long term. Human necessary alerts his thoughts, words and deeds so that they will not dissapointed facing his reaping time. Therefore our ancestors wisdom is too close with Sri Krishna’s wisdom in Bhagavad Gita. All thoughts, words and deeds are seeds that will result fruits later.

For Sun Tzu, a victory must be a principal aim. Winning a battle concerns a discipline of no retreat. Management taken is based on objective target. It is important to win allowing all manner. Sun Tzu wisdom is clear, for him a war is based on gimmick. His follower will not angry when his child cheats in exam. That is his skill. He will angry if his child is found out by his teacher, it shows a careless action. The question is, “Is this matter suits for Archipelago’s culture value?”

In Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna’s policy is more focused in process, in thoughts, words and deeds, not in result. Management is based on process. If all process done properly, the following proper consequences will happen. Doing cheklists of proper process resulting proper consequences. In human life, it is important to realize every process i.e. thoughts, words and deeds been done. The result will come to human as consequences of his done action. Archipelago’s culture is more harmonious with Sri Krishna’s wisdom. Bhagavad Gita said in Chapter 16 Text 7, 8 and 9 as follows: Those of demonic nature do not know how to act and how not to act. Neither cleanliness, nor good behaviour, nor truth is found in them. They describe the world to be an illusion, without foundation, without God, brought about by a materialistic union caused by desire for sense gratification. Following such misconception these lost soul of inadequate understanding engage in unbeneficial, horrifying activities that is desructive to the world.

Our ancestor has slogan, “Sepi ing Pamrih, Rame ing Gawe”, does not think end result but active work hard as devotion. In Baghavad Gita Chapter 3 Text 9: Except as sacrifice, every kind of action done in this world is binding. Hence perform action like it were a sacrifice that you are doing on the name of God. Do it without any attachment, o son of Kunti.

His Exellency Sri Mangkunegara IV submits some devotings stages in spiritual life. First body curtsy sacrification. Human uses this body as devotion. In this case belong to work by using body as devotion. Second creating sacrified curtsy. Thinking as devotion, controlling desires so that he can think soundly. Third soul sacrified curtsy. Always aware, remember and carefully observe. Actually all universe is overwhelmed by God. Only His Existance, nothing else. Fourth inner heart sacrified curtsy. Curtseying done by who has attain pure awareness, achieve enlightenment exceeding body layer, energy layer, mental emotional layer, and intelegent layer.

In Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna also give explanation about Karma Yoga, Gyana Yoga, and Bhakti Yoga.

There are many path choices, among them are Sun Tzu, Sri Krishna, Ancestor’s path and others. All flows into increasing awareness. In the end human necessary return tp his spirit. Who am I? Universe is overwhelmed by Him, nothing else but Him.

Triwidodo

Juli 2008.

There I was, on the lane of the park of Monas, going to the site of event. In a distance, I heard several dozens of people gathering together, singing, dancing, and laughing together. There was no stage, even the music players were sitting on a mat. Everyone is free to join the celebration. At the end of the show, there was a brief role-play. It was simple but full of enlightening messages.

Laughing people flocking at the southern side of Monas area can be seen regularly every two weeks on Sunday morning at 6.00 am. What a cheerful activity it has been for so long. If one happens to be there for the first time, he or she may wonder about what is happening. Especially for Indonesians since this kind of event was rather unpopular in the country.

Some people may hesitate to laugh at the first time. But as they are enjoying the show, they will start to grin and do a little singing. For those who attend the event regularly, they will move their bodies happily in tune with the rhythm of the music.

This kind of scene, to my astonishment, does sometimes make me in tears. Thinking that every person in the committee of Pesta Rakyat NIM is not paid, they just do it out of love. Thanks to Mr. Anand Krishna, the founder of NIM, that has made us realize that our country, our nation, is at stake. For gaining its abundant natural resources, some foreign powers have been using religious sentiments to divide our nation. They have created the so-called radicals, fanatics, terrorists. Such are the modern big-business warfare.

The incident of June 1st on Monas bears witness to that. NIM members together with the AKKB finally got their “payment“. They were bloodily bludgeoned for the cause of celebrating the birthday of Pancasila (The essence of Indonesian culture). What an irony.

Having about 5000 regular participants in Jakarta, Pesta Rakyat NIM now is widely known. It is held routinely by NIM in Jakarta, Bali, and Joglosemar (Jogjakarta, Solo, and Semarang). It has somehow an immense affection to our society. When I watch today’s commercials, I notice that they are beginning to talk about national integration, indigenous culture, appreciation toward other faiths and religions, importance in buying local products, reducing the climate change and many other values that NIM has been campaigning for in Pesta Rakyat and it’s other activities. Now Batik has become so popular. I do believe that NIM has the major part of causing that.

I hope the media and press cover more stories about this activity for it can speed up the recovery of our nation. The whole country is in a dire need for such messages. Pesta Rakyat NIM is rather touching the heart than the mind of the people. And such touched heart cannot but be proud of his or her national identity….the pride of being an Indonesian…the nation that was envisioned by Soekarno to contribute towards the world’s advancement and peace.

Akeh kelakuan sing ganjil

Wong apik padha kapencil

Akeh wong gawe kabecikan padha krasa isin

Luwih utama ngapusi

Translation in English,

Many odd behaviour

Good people isolated

Many persons shy to act good things

Cheating is a more priority

Guidance from outside and not from inner self

If we are honest, in Indonesia’s todays society, it happens that there is a laziness to use mind. Acting good needs awareness and it is not easy to carry out it, in an instant culture society, an easygoing culture society. Person glads when society or certain institution decides haram-halal, good-bad for himself. People aware that they are doing wrong things, but because their society keeps silent, so they choose opinion that they have not done wrong things. If such condition happens frequently, they will close the inner awareness and depend on outside opinion. At one time, when they attempt to do wrong things, their inner heart remind it, but they look around at instruction outside that permit it. The smart sly mind justifies the action, and the inner heart places into the corner. They are that want to do good things coming from their sound mind, exactly cornerred by the society. Most of people cheat their ownselves. Jangka-Jayabaya Script did not give a wrong expression: Many odd bahaviour; Good people is isolated; Many persons shy to act good things; Cheating is given more priority.

A shackle comfort zone

In a state of lazy and hoping for fun themselves, it is really comfort to hang on outside opinion, furthermore if decision gived by outside institution can justify their action. Outside institution only related to outer, shariat, physical, or visible law, and it is difficult to enter inner heart. Hoping fun themselves, forgetting awareness, making people shackled in comfort zone where there is unnecessary brain worry about, and conscience is moved to the side.

Defending self in comfort zone means a human cheat. Depending on outside evaluation and having fun for ownself do not make happy? Efforts cheating ownself will not success. Human that cheating himself, means he lets himself cheated. There is a law of nature that thinking, saying and acting been done are seeds and they will give results in a next suitable time. Somebody knows that a group of persons make wrong thing and he lets it done and thinks: “What is the relation with me? ”, someday it will come a moment that he treated inequitable and another person lets it done.

A lazy person who follows a lazy society and keeps quiet when see a wrong thing done, will not change the society better. He is less sensitive likes that he has seen a wound in the body, but he lets it until become fester. He who is sensitive but lazy also knows that the wound can become fester, but he keeps quiet and thinks that the fester wound recovers itself.

Somebody can create a comfort zone and bumpers. Perhaps he can comfort the body but, how can he comfort his soul? The soul is a witness that never deceited.

Somebody is part of a society, so he must start a good thing himself and this action followed by people around him. They are who wait New Age’s coming, but still live in a comfort zone like life in a fantasy world. We must begin new life and people around will follow us and New Age is created.

Triwidodo

July 2008.

Last month, something happened to me. Something that never cross my mind could be happened to me. I was one of Monas, June 1^st 2008 tragedy’s victim. That day, some people want to force their belief to our constitution with violation. That day, Pancasila was despised, right on its birthday. This tragedy leave marks both physicly and mentally within me. But my reaction is not likely.

Before the tragedy, I do understand that as a citizen I have an obligation to know my country and my state symbols, such as Pancasila and Constitution. And I also understand about nationalism, and that I must spread this nationalism spirit. This tragedy should make me stop spreading the nationalism spirit, this tragedy shold fear me. Because I was in the scene, face to face, with a group of people who clearly do not have any sense of nationalism, despising Pancasila, with their violant action. I have witnessed a group of people who want to eliminate differences, from internal differences in their religion, and might be all differences which is build us as a nation, with their violant action. But my reaction, once again, is not likely. I am anything but stop, I am anything but fear. That day I saw Mother Earth is being raped. That day I saw disintegration came into reality. I must not stop at all. I must not fear at all. Suddenly, I fall in love to Indonesia, I am crazy about this country. And I need to spread this love everywhere, everytime.

This love change my routine and ritual, from daily basis into offering to Mother Earth. And this love is so plenteous, that I can not keep it for myself. I need to share it. I need to share it in a ‘voice’, readable ‘voice’ and hearable ‘voice’. Soft yet firm ‘voice’. ‘Voice’ that will make a group of people who have any agenda or scenario to replace Pancasila with any other concept, who have intention to break our unity as a nation, or who want to force their belief into our constitution, will think twice. ‘Voice’ that will always defend Pancasila as our way of life in Indonesia, ‘voice’ that will strengthen our unity as a nation, and ‘voice’ that always put Constitution above all. ‘Voice’ that will remain non violance yet firm.

Our country 63^th independence day is coming, is there any love for our Indonesia ? Love to Mother Earth, that come into reality in daily basis, to handle any kind of threats, disturbances, obstacles and challenges ahead. It begins from ourselves, from countrymen and countrywomen who love their Mother Earth.

A giant snake desired to be a human to follow a King word. He did penance by surrounding Mount Ungaran waist so that his tail could achieve the mouth. Only when the mouth could bite its tail, he would turn into a human. He only ate anything passsed in front of his mouth. After ten years, his body nerves had become insensible, he could not sense his body, but each year the body became longer about 10 centimeters and in a few years more his mouth could achieve its tail.

A group of hunter from nearby village had not gotten prey animals, and sitted on long “trunk” to have a rest. When a hunter cut the “trunk” surprisingly he saw blood flew from the “trunk”. They are joyful and sliced the “trunk” as big as buffalo and brought it to the village as the result of their hunting. They did not realize that the “trunk” was a giant snake.

When people from the village had a party with steak and soup of this “trunk” which tasted very delicious, a hunger poor beggar child asked for a plate of food. The beggar child was chased away and then, he visited an old widow who did not come to the party. The child was served a simple food, and he was very happy. After that, the child came to the party and stabbed palm leaf rib at the soil. He challenged everybody to pull it out and the result was that there was not even one man was able to pull it out. The child then pulled that palm leaf rib and from that place, water spurted out without end. The water spurted out greater and greater and drowned the entire village with all citizens, and only kind-hearted old widow was saved. That valley is called Rawa Pening.

What be eaten influence human body and its action that follow it

In human body is found animal basic needs i.e. eating, drinking, sleeping, sexual intercourse and resting. In that basic needs human is same with animal. Consuming animal can arouse animal potential character within himself. The entire of village citizens had eaten snake body and they were un-logic influenced so that they had been harder and did not care towards others who needed food also. The old widow woman, appeared to be a stupid woman at village that she did not want to come to the “world party”. She had a simple food consumption and had inner heart to help the child. Stupid for the world but smart spiritually and full affection towards others.

When the village citizens concentrated the attention towards low “chakras” i.e. basical human needs, the stupid grand woman achieved higher “chakra”, love affection. When majority villager were logic, why they had to give delicious food to another person, the old woman exceeded logic, she used a feeling, a compassion to others. Her intuition has aroused and she helped another person with her intuition.

It is also realized that snake or other animal only eats when they are hungry. When a snake has consumed a prey animal into his body, he do penance for months until the food finished digested. Different with many human, his greedy exceeds the animal. He will accumulate the treasure which will not finished consumed until he will leave the world. There is fear in human himself if he doesn’t get again his portion and he accumulates exceed his need. Human with his mind, feeling true with his opinion and going away from Him, The Very Giver. Fulfiling the greediness, human forgets ethics and closing affection character towards human being and environment.

Human fear towards hunger actually has begun when he was born out from the mother’s pregnancy. During pregnancy as fetus, food is filled by the mother. When he was born, he was assaulted by hunger fear. Then, he is sufficed with the mother milk. Less attention in early age will make potential fear hunger expand and become potential for greedy.

Water used as finishing legend has showed that the legend maker has realized that water is a natural element. Justice water that appear out can not be dammed. He has fairness, indiscriminate, he enters decrefit or luxurious house and he always flat. Justice water can not be depressed, it only beat by intelligence fire that can make it “lost” to water steam or a humility valley whom he fill it.

Local legend with Scientific and Spiritual Comprehension

Besides this legend, At Rawa Pening region is found an ancestor message that is told heredityly. That Javaneese language translation message is : “Future when Watu Gong (Gong Stone, name of place) become kingdom and Watu Kodok (Frog Stone, a hill likes frog) jumps to Demak (Name of far away place), Rawa Pening for playing ground quail birds, will come a great disaster. Nowadays, Watu Gong has became a settlement, Watu Kodok has been excavated and transferred for filling swampy areas near Demak. Lake of Rawa Pening become shallow due to excessive sedimentation and become quails playground. Therefore flooding often occur because environment damage. Wise foresight ancestors have seen future ecological damages can causes the floods.

We have forgotten nation spirit for long times, time has come that we must return to dig archipelago culture treasure. There is still many pearls in it and we are wasting times busy looking for toy stone from outside. Time has come that we have to use mind as a tool and do not make it as leader. Let the concience, inner hearts lead ourselves.

Triwidodo.

July 2008.

The attack by the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) on a pro-pluralism group had undone five years of hard work spent eradicating the violent image of Indonesian Muslims after religious-based bombings and horizontal conflicts, Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin said Thursday.

“We have to start again from square one to recapture the image of moderation after the attack,” Din told The Jakarta Post.

He said after horizontal conflicts in Central Sulawesi, Maluku and West Kalimantan as well as vertical conflicts in Aceh and several terrorist bombings in Bali and Jakarta, Indonesian Muslims had had a hard time convincing the world they were moderate and that there were only few radical groups.

The image was tarnished after FPI members, armed with bamboo sticks, beat and kicked activists of the National Alliance for the Freedom of Faith and Religion during a rally at the National Monument park on June 1, leaving some 70 people injured.

The peaceful rally was to commemorate the 63rd anniversary of Pancasila state ideology and to show support for Islamic minority sect Ahmadiyah.

Before the attack, Din said, Indonesian Muslims had been gathering trust for their moderate stance.

“But with newspapers globally publishing the story of the attacks and TV stations vividly broadcasting the pictures, I can’t say what kind of image we have now,” he said.

He admitted criticisms of mainstream organizations such as Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah for their failure to speak out against extremist and conservative elements were partly justified, but said the attacks should not be linked to religion.

“A violent attack is a purely criminal act and the state should take action against it. Violence has no root in Islam. It’s a misuse or abuse of religion,” Din said.

“The reason we seem to be doing nothing is because we don’t want to be provoked.”

Observers have criticized moderate Muslim organizations for failing to demonstrate their religious tolerance following a government decree against Ahmadiyah.

They said NU and Muhammadiyah had allowed hard-line groups too much leeway in taking the public stage and claiming to represent all Indonesian Muslims.

The anti-Ahmadiyah decree was issued by the government earlier this month amid intense pressure from several extremist groups, including the FPI and Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia.

Din criticized the media for failing to report on the actions of moderate Muslims, compared with the coverage of radical groups.

He said moderate organizations such as NU and Muhammadiyah had been very active in fostering an image of Islam that spreads blessings for all.

“We reach the majority with teachings of moderation. We fight poverty, injustice and ignorance with our education and cultural activities,” he said.

Abdul Khalik ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Fri, 06/20/2008 10:33 AM  |  Headlines