From Religious Exclusiveness towards Inclusiveness in

Parung Panjang – Indonesia: Ethical Reflection on Just and Civilized

Humanity of Pancasila Ideology in Digitalized Era

Frederikus Fios

, Christofora Megawati Tirtawinata

, Catarina Manurung

Character Building Development Center, Computer Science Department, School of Computer Science, Bina Nusantara

Univeristy, Jakarta, Indonesia 11480

Language Center, English Department, Faculty of Humanities, Bina Nusantara University, Jakarta, Indonesia 11480

Keyword: Indonesia, Civilized Humanity, Pancasila

Abstract: A difference in social, cultural and religious reality in Indonesia is ambiguous. In one side, the religion

difference is a good thing and beautiful, but on the other it creates disharmony relationship. It appeared in the

phenomenon of counter-value practices of just and civilized humanity, as already outlined in Pancasila

ideology. The root of the problem caused of the lack of a proper understanding of the substance of the human

being to a just and civilized, so bring the negative implication in intolerance condition that is not accordance

with the ethical imperative precepts of just and civilized humanity. This study aimed to dismantle the

empirical fact of religious exclusivist practices that occurred in the Kabasiran Village, ParungPanjang, Bogor,

Indonesia in 2014 until now. Using the methods of philosophy (ethical reflection) on written documents were

found, researchers construct moral ethical values that should be practiced in relation of different religious

beliefs to the establishment inclusive ideology in Kabasiran Village, ParungPanjang, West Java, Indonesia.

In the digitalized humanities era, the role of social media is very strategic and important as an effective means

of channeling ethical values to society.

1 INTRODUCTION

In 2014 until now, there was a case of religious

intolerance in the village Kabasiran, ParungPanjang,

Bogor, West Java, Indonesia. A group of Muslim

communities provide a letter of rejection to the

Catholic people who will perform worship

celebration of Easter, the Passover of Lord Jesus

Christ. Rejection letter signed by 115 Muslim

residents and approved by local government officials.

The letter forbade Catholics to worship using prayer

house located in the Kabasiran Village,

ParungPanjang. The reason of rejection letter because

Catholic prayer house has not been granted legal

permission by Bogor Regent according to SKB of 2

Ministers of Republic of Indonesia about building the

church.

This phenomenon is interesting to reflect on

ethical manner within the context of the ethics of just

and civilized humanity contained in the ideology of

Pancasila. Pancasila is the state ideology of Republic

Indonesia. Until now this case has not been exposed

in the media because the local government asked

reporters not to publish. So this intolerance case is

disguised and hidden in the silence of the mute.

Exclusivism practices continue to occur in

ParungPanjang. Exclusivism (intolerance) has not

been resolved satisfactorily by the local government

and the parties concerned. The government has not

provided a solution that is satisfactory to all parties in

ParungPanjang. Therefore, this study represents an

offer theoretical solution to resolve the cases of

intolerance in ParungPanjang. This intolerance

phenomenon needs to be solved by building a

positive-constructive ideology which is useful as the

application of relevant approaches to resolve this

issue ethically and wisely namely: from religious

exclusiveness to inclusiveness ideology.

These research questions are: a). what is the

ideology of exclusiveness and inclusiveness of

religion? b). What are the roots of the main reasons

for the attitude of religious exclusivism in

ParungPanjang? c). How to practice exclusivism

operates in ParungPanjang? d). How ethical precepts

462

Fios, F., Tirtawinata, C. and Manurung, C.

From Religious Exclusiveness towards Inclusiveness in Parung Panjang – Indonesia: Ethical Reﬂection on Just and Civilized Humanity of Pancasila Ideology in Digitalized Era.

DOI: 10.5220/0010010600002917

In Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Social Sciences, Laws, Ar ts and Humanities (BINUS-JIC 2018), pages 462-466

ISBN: 978-989-758-515-9

just and civilized humanity applied to build religious

inclusiveness ideology in the village Kabasiran-

ParungPanjang to create social harmony?

This study aims to map the root problems of

religious exclusivism practices in ParungPanjang,

Indonesia and try to develop a strategy to build a

theoretical epistemological paradigm of positively

inclusive to solve the issue based on the ideology of

Pancasila, especially just and civilized humanity

ethics. Analysis developed by philosophically

reflective practice to dismantle the religious

exclusivism towards the construction of an

inclusiveness paradigm among adherents of different

religions in the Kabasiran Village, ParungPanjang,

Indonesia.

The method used in this study is philosophy

methods especially applying ethical reflection using

Aristotelian ethics and ethical traditions of Alasdair

MacIntyre (Bochert, 2006). MacIntyre thinking about

ethical reflection method can be found in his book

“After Virtues" (MacIntyre, 2007). MacIntyre claims

that a person's actions presuppose the context of

moral traditions espoused in certain cultures. Humans

act ethically with based on sources primacy within the

scope of a cultural tradition where it is located. In the

book "After Virtues", MacIntyre postulate that the

essence of the moral virtues of human is comes from

3 elements are: practice, narrative order, and moral

tradition (MacIntyre, 2007). These three elements are

interrelated and an important role shaping the quality

of one's ethical conduct manifested both internally

and externally in social reality.

This study overall categorized in Qualitative

Research Methods to approach ethical reflection.

Researchers conduct ethical reflection on the

phenomenon of religious exclusivism which occurred

in the Kabasiran Village, ParungPanjang with a focus

on two (2) construct namely: exclusivism ideology to

construct religious inclusiveness based on ethical

precepts just and civilized humanity of Pancasila

Ideology. Data was collected by looking for evidence

of written documents and observation participatory

that are relevant to the research topic. The data

obtained is reduced to finding constructive meaning

that is useful to overcome the existing problems. The

study design includes: data collecting, data reduction,

interpretation of data, and conclussion.

2 JUST AND CIVILIZED

HUMANITY ETHICS IN THE

IDEOLOGY OF PANCASILA

Ethics is a branch of philosophy that studies the good

and bad of human action in social life. Aristotelian

virtue ethics emphasized the good attitude and ethical

human action. Virtue ethics emphasizes the character

traits of human being (Bochert, 2006). Ethics of

Aristotle put character of the human person in the

morally good act for the common good (bonum

commune). Characteristics of virtue theory of

Aristotle noticed dimension of attitude or character of

human as moral actors in the actualization of its

actions with others. "I see the other as 'like me' in

some respects and 'unlike' me in the others, but this

both ways of seing the other are in terms of 'me'

(Treanor, 2006).

The theory of virtue ethics laid by classical Greek

philosophers such as Plato (427-347 BC) and

Aristotle (384-322 BC). Aristotle claimed the highest

goal of human behavior that produces the good. "...

That man aims at a knowledge of the Idea of the

Good” (Stumpf, 1982). Aristotle’s ethics virtue there

is in his work on Nichomechean Ethics that showed

the highest goal of human life that cultivate the virtue

of kindness. Virtue Ethics of Aristotle also

teleological. Human life is ethical and meaningful life

by basing him/herself on the qualities and values of

kindness. Virtuous life is what needs to be

comprehended by the human subject in the totality of

his existence in social reality.

Pancasila Ideology is the source of ethics for the life

of Indonesian people in the mindset, attitudes and

patterns of social action. The second principle of

Pancasila reads: "A Just and Civilized Humanity".

This statement contains ethical values that are

important in human interactions to the harmony of

living together. Permatasari (2011) conducted a

study entitled "Implementation of Just and Civilized

Humanity of Pancasila in public life". Permatasari

(2011) find the values of just and civilized humanity

is the foundation of national life and social. Just and

civilized humanity has meaning: weigh the same

weight, the blame is wrong and justify correct, restore

the right to the owner and not unjustly. So long as

justice is still available in the community, the

association will be safe, arising mandate and trust

each other. Mutual respect and respect for others will

produce social harmony and can grow together to

tackle the nation's development. Pradana conducted a

study entitled "Implementation of Pancasila Juat and

Civilized Humanity in the Life of Students in

From Religious Exclusiveness towards Inclusiveness in Parung Panjang – Indonesia: Ethical Reﬂection on Just and Civilized Humanity of

Pancasila Ideology in Digitalized Era

463

Boarding Schools: A Case Study of Pondok Pesantren

Muhammadiyah Weak Mountain Village, Sub City

Kudus” (Pradana, 2014). Pradana (2014) found that

the boarding school has implemented a value precepts

of humanity just and civilized of Pancasila in each

program activity: 1) Do not differentiate students rich

and poor, 2) The recognition of human dignity that in

determining the room distinguished students boys and

girls, 3) the punishment for students who violate and

gift-giving on-abiding students/achievers, 4) the

existence of activities to promote tolerance, mutual

cooperation, mutual respect, nationalism, justice, and

democracy.

3 FROM RELIGIOUS

EXCLUSIVENESS TOWARDS

INCLUSIVENESS IN PARUNG

PANJANG

Hick says religious exclusivism is an idea that

religious ideology against the principles of pluralism

and ignores the altruistic attitude in social life (Hick,

2006). De Ridder said that religious exclusivism is

something which in fact has never stopped happening

and the values of life of neighborhood harmony (De

Rider, 2011). Johnbaek (2013) said that exclusivism

is a logical claim religious truth itself is considered

the most correct. Mathivanan and Soundararajan

(2016) claim that exclusivism is a truth claim one God

who is not accepted (rejected) by a group of followers

of other religions. From a conceptual understanding

above, we can be concluding that religious

exclusivism is a claim of thinking that considers itself

religious belief is the most correct compared to those

of other faiths. This claim is shown in how you think,

how to feel, patterns of attitudes and actions that are

not friendly or hostile to other faiths even seem

arbitrary.

Pozza says that inclusiveness is the ideology of

universalism that is blend different religious beliefs in

an atmosphere of togetherness and tolerance (Pozza,

2016). Thus, inclusiveness is a religious ideology that

respects differences of religious belief in social life

and respect for the reality of religious pluralism in the

reality of social life. Inclusivism able to create social

harmony in peaceful co-existence and fraternal in life.

Looks significant differences between

exclusivism and religious inclusiveness. Anti

exclusiveness of religious differences and beliefs of

faith in God, whereas in fact appreciate the

inclusiveness and respect for diversity of religious

beliefs in faith to God. Exclusivism hostile to other

faiths outside, while inclusiveness considers other

faiths as relatives and friends who need to respect

each other and work together in a social difference.

ParungPanjang District is a region located in

Bogor, West Java Province with a land area of

7118.06 hectares. ParungPanjang consists of 11

villages with a total population of 122 838 inhabitants

consisted of 63 413 men and 59 425 women

(Kecamatan Parung Panjang, 2016). ParungPanjang

is a social reality that is classified as plural. The

existence of the synagogue of followers of Islam in

ParungPanjang is guaranteed well, but adherents of

minority religions (Catholic, Protestant, Buddhism,

Hinduism and Confucianism) not guaranteed by

either the government. Data from Bogor District

Secretariat (2015) states that in 2012 there were 86

mosques, 245 sub mosques, 91 boarding schools, 0

Catholic church, 0 Protestant church, 0 Vihara

temple. In 2013 there were 98 mosques and 245 sub

mosques, 0 Catholic church, 0 Protestant church, 0

Pura, 0 Temple. In 2014 there were 105 mosques, 0

Catholic church, 0 Protestant church, 0 Pura, 0 Vihara

(Kecamatan Parung Panjang, 2016). This suggests

that the availability of formal houses of worship for

religious minorities in the District of ParungPanjang

not facilitated by the government. Though society

adherents six official religions in Indonesia living and

domiciled in ParungPanjang well and growing over

time.

Statistic of Catholics people at the Secretary

Church of St. Lawrence Parung Panjang as many as

350 people, consisting of 70 families dispersed in

Parung Panjang Region (Sekretariat Stasi Laurensius

Parung Panjang, 2016). It has been 10 years of

Catholic adherent’s worship using prayer house in

Block E/II No. 3-4, RT 004 / RW 05,

GriyaParungParungPanjang, Bogor. The number of

Catholics continues to grow up because now many

private housing developers who build new housing

projects that further increase the number of Catholics

who come and stay in ParungPanjang.

In April 2014, the Catholic adherents

ParungPanjang receive a letter Number 037/RT04-

05/PP.2014. The contents of this letter saying Islam

rejects the citizens Easter celebration worship

activities of Catholics People in RT 004/RW 05. The

letter signed by the Head of RT 004 (T) and the

Secretary (AS) also 115 adherents of Islam People

(Catholic adherents Parung Panjang, 2014). The

reason for rejection because of Easter activities 2014

in the location not yet get permission from the Village

Chief of Kabasiran. Substantively, this letter contains

Muslims reject the worship activities of Catholicism

in the RT 004 and objected to the presence of Catholic

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people to worship were considered incompatible with

the rules of SKB Minister of Religious Affairs and the

Minister of Domestic of the Republic of Indonesia

Number 8 and 9 of 2006.

The root causes of the exclusivism attitude of

religion is caused by several factors among others: the

attitude of formalism of government officials and a

group of Islamic people, closed attitude of Muslims

towards Catholic people, attitude fanaticism of

religion of the followers of Islam, there is a

conspiracy and arrogance among a group of Islamic

society supporting by elements of the local

government. Exclusivism operates through public

element is supported by a group of Islamic society

and local government.

To overcome the problem of religious

exclusivism in ParungPanjang, the Pancasila ethics

can have used as the main framework. All parties can

learn from the noble values contained in “Pancasila

Ideology”. Pancasila containing ethical guidelines for

everyone in Indonesia to behave and act towards

others. The second principle of Pancasila reads: "Just

and Civilized Humanity", containing the basic ethical

paradigm with regard to the importance of each

subject of the Indonesian people to treat others

ethically. Humanity gives an ethical imperative to any

human subject to ethically treat each other any ethnic

background, religion, race and faction. Ethics

emphasizes the humanitarian principle of Pancasila

moral action is good for others. Aristotle's theory of

virtue ethics containing the payload contents of the

quality of human act ethically virtuous life alongside

others. Virtue ethics emphasizes the character traits of

human being [1]. Ethics Aristotle put character of the

human person to act morally to achieve the common

good (bonum commune). Virtue ethics hints that

human activity is said to be good if it had a positive

impact for good to live together in the social order.

Pancasila is the crystallization of cultural values

of the Indonesia nation since the beginning and

becomes the ethical value system for the Indonesian

people's behavior over time. Pancasila is proven to

unify the diversity of tribes, groups, religions,

languages in public life of Indonesia from Sabang to

Merauke, being the life of the nation Indonesia in the

form of culturally diverse [15]. Therefore, officials

and a group of followersof Islam in ParungPanjang

not aware of the ethical values of Pancasila. Unethical

acts they did to the Catholic people also hurt not only

Catholic people, but also against the ethics of

Pancasila Ideology.

To restore relations among all religious in

ParungPanjang (Islam versus Catholics), Just and

Civilized Humanity of Pancasila can be used as the

main reference in the awareness and actions of all

people in the society of ParungPanjang. The

adherents of different religions in ParungPanjang

need to be aware of and to make Pancasila ethics (Just

and Civilized Humanity) as a moral benchmark in

attitudes, actions and everyday behavior among

humans. Officials and a group of Islamic community

in ParungPanjang need to make Pancasila as a source

of moral act towards others, especially Catholics. If

the followers of Islam make the humanism ethics of

Pancasila as a standard of behavior, then the act of

religious exclusivism will not occur or definitely stop.

If Pancasila as a benchmark of ethics in Islamic

society action, then this time the ideology of religious

inclusiveness can be constructed in ParungPanjang.

Pancasila is the basis of ethical behavior that should

serve as a rational awareness within the apparatus and

a group of followers of Islam so that it can become a

habit that creates an attitude of acceptance attitude to

the adherents of the Catholic religious minority.

Acceptance as a human would produce a sense of

unity, brotherhood, humanity and tolerance of

different religions in ParungPanjang.

Build a sense of religious inclusiveness based on

Pancasila ethics is not easy. It takes the role of all

political and social agents namely: the government,

parliament and police institutions and community

leaders to fight the attitude of exclusivism in

ParungPanjang. Efforts should be made to socializing

(educating) awareness ethical values of Pancasila to

the citizens of Islam so that they can open patterns of

thought receive different other faiths. Local

government officials also need to get the socialization

of the ethics of Pancasila intensive and programmed.

Socialization ethical values of Pancasila must be

promoted and carried out to the people who have the

attitude of exclusivism that they have an open

paradigm to appreciate the social differences. With

openness to others, then the followers of Islam

ParungPanjang able to treat each other Catholic

religious minorities in a fair and humane. It will

create a climate of tolerance of different religions in

ParungPanjang ethically based on the ethics

humanism of Pancasila Ideology. Ethical precepts

just and civilized humanity is able to form the basis

for the construction religious inclusiveness ideology

in ParungPanjang.

In the current digital era, the role of social media is

very strategic and important as an effective means of

channeling ethical values to society. This opportunity

can be maximized to campaign for the values of

inclusivism based on the noble values of Pancasila.

Pancasila values ranging from the values of divinity,

humanity, unity, social and social justice can be used

From Religious Exclusiveness towards Inclusiveness in Parung Panjang – Indonesia: Ethical Reﬂection on Just and Civilized Humanity of

Pancasila Ideology in Digitalized Era

465

as an effective means to socialize inclusive values to

the public and society. The use of digital media can

contribute to the dissemination of positive

information to the community so that a change in

mind set can be created in a positive direction to

replace the exclusive paradigm with an inclusive

paradigm.

4 CONCLUSION

The phenomenon of religious exclusivism by Islamic

adherents to the Catholic minority in ParungPanjang,

West Java is a contradiction to the essence of ethical

precepts just and civilized humanity of Pancasila

Ideology. Until now, this problem taken away without

settlement prudent approach and especially satisfying

for the parties involved. This should be a concern the

government, religious leaders, police and parliaments

of Indonesia and community leaders. Because if it is

left, it is feared at times will give birth to horizontal

conflicts are increasingly damaging the religious

tolerance in ParungPanjang. This research resulted in

the following points: First, the attitude of religious

exclusivism is thought that considers the claims of

religious belief itself is truest in comparison with

groups of other faiths shown in mindset, feelings, and

patterns of human action that is hostile to other faiths.

Second, the attitude of religious inclusiveness is an

attitude of appreciation of the religious faith that is

open to the followers of other religions are different.

Third, the root causes of religious exclusivism in

ParungPanjang namely: the attitude of the formalism

of local government officials and a community group

of adherents of Islam, closed stance adherents of

Islam of religious differences, the attitude of the

followers of Islam in religious fanaticism, conspiracy

and arrogance of local government officials. Fourth,

just and civilized humanity of Pancasila is an ethical

system that can be relied upon as the basis for

constructing the philosophical foundations of the

ideology of religious inclusiveness in the village

Kabasiran, ParungPanjang, West Java, Indonesia.In

the current digital era, the role of social media is very

strategic and important as an effective means of

channeling ethical values of Pancasila to society.

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