TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The number of faith groups in Central Java continues to decrease. Data from the Community Faith Groups Supervisor listed 60 faith groups in Central Java as inactive or extinct.
The Director of Religion and Social Studies Agency in Central Java, Tedi Kholiluddin, reckoned faith groups have been marginalized after the approval of the Administrative Law of Population, according to which each person has to choose among the five recognized religions as their self-identity.
He said there are two factors causing the inactivity of faith groups. The first is the internal factor, a regenerative process where the youth is not as interested as the previous generations in their ancestors’ beliefs.
The second, external aspect comes from the government and society. The government disbands faith groups, Tedi said, because of pressure from certain religious groups who consider them as heresy. He asks the government and other agencies to be careful; such labelling could become a justification for religious violence.
ROFIUDDIN
