How the Religious Leader Maintenance Religious Harmony in Indonesian Plural Society
Zulkarnain (1*), Samsuri (2*)

(1) student Civics Education Department, Graduate School Program Yogyakarta State University. *Email: Zulkarnainmuhsinin[at]gmail.com
(2) Lecture at Civics Education Department, Graduate School Program Yogyakarta State University. *Email: samsuri[at]uny.ac.id

Abstract

Plurality is a must which found in the life of modern nations in the world. At the post-modern era like this, it is hardly to find the country which consists of only one race, nations, cultures, ethnics, and religions. The plurality of religions is the fact which cannot be denied by us, it is not only caused by the highly spread of immigrant from Middle East but also there are countries which grow and develop in nations’ plurality, cultures, ethnics and religions just like at Canada, America, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and other Asian countries. Religion as one of identity of countries in Southeast Asia is the pride and also the trigger of conflict, if it is not controlled well. Religious leader as one of important actors in the spreading of religion based peace. Furthermore, the religious figures have big contribution to the harmony of religious social living in society. Besides that, religious figure as a person who gives understanding about religion will influence the behavior and the spirit of plurality in society. Religion’s conflict in Myanmar proves that religious leader has huge contributions in mobilizing the Budhist to fight again Rohingya’s Muslim at Arakan which involves physical violence and murderer. Then, religious leaders has important role in Middle East war in creating radicalism from each member motorized by Islamic State Irak and Syria (ISIS). In the context of Indonesia, religious leaders is not only has power to influence his people in politics but also has big contributions in the battle of religion followers. Even, those people will obey the command from their religious leader to fight against other religion believers. In the middle of religious conflict in Asia which provoked by religious leaders, there is one place in Indonesia which the religious leaders become volunteer in the front line to maintain the harmony among different religion believers in their place. That place is Alor regency in East Nusa Tenggara Province. This regency even got Harmony award in 2016 and 2017 from the Indonesia government as a place which is the best in harmony of plurality religious living of the society. The object of this research is religious leaders at Alor regency. This research uses naturalistic ethnography methods. This research shows that spiritual leaders have big contributions in maintaining tolerance in the plurality of religion in Alor. This article shows that spiritual leaders have role in establishing tolerance through the dialog from cross religion perspectives. They gave moderate religious speech and appreciate the difference in beliefs. The most interesting part of this was they joined and participated in other religious ceremonies. This result shows that spiritual leaders have important role in establishing harmony of religious living in society.

Keywords: Religious Leaders, Religious harmony, Alor regency, Indonesia.

Topic: Pluralist Society: Freedom and Tolerance