Faith Matters

There are any number of reasons people embrace a certain religious belief or go in search of their own kind of spirituality. Lately, though, the idea of a generic, all-encompassing spirituality has not been enough to soothe souls caught up in excessive material consumption and fear of war. Today, many young people are returning to the path they half-heartedly left behind and finding their road to enlightenment lies in their faith. Maggie Tiojakin reports.

It’s 8 p.m. on a Friday evening and Jakarta’s Baiturrahman Mosque opens its doors to dozens of people who have come for a lecture and gathering led by H. Faizal, a 56-year-old cleric with thinning gray hair and a grateful smile. He welcomes the participants by shaking their hands or tapping their shoulders affectionately, as a father would his children, followed by a light chat about families, jobs and the weather.

For the next two hours, H. Faizal sits with his legs crossed and hands clasped together before him, answering questions and quoting verses from the Koran as the audience listens in silence.

“Forgiveness is something our Prophet Mohammad always encourages others to give without being asked,” says H. Faizal. “Love and forgiveness are inseparable; one cannot exist without the other, and therefore loving is forgiving.”

The room vibrates quietly with approval, men and women nodding their heads at the cleric, caught in a moment of revelation, validation and correction. This is the reason they have come here tonight, to find absolution and spiritual answers to worldly sins committed on a daily basis. It is also a chance for them to reach out to one another and take solace in the fact that they are not alone in their struggles to understand life’s basic issues.

Some of the participants are regulars at the mosque, and others hail from neighboring cities such as Bandung and Bogor. Refreshments are provided in abundance, to be served after the lecture, a social time when everyone gets a chance to catch up. H. Faizal, a native of Banda Aceh, flies all over the country to give lectures. He is pleased to see more and more young people taking part, because he feels it is an important step for them to reconnect to their faith.

“Three years ago, gatherings like this were filled participants in their late-30s or over 40,” says H. Faizal. “People who have come to a crossroad in their lives and suddenly realize that neither wealth nor pleasure can give them the satisfaction they so desperately need. I have always said that it is never too late to find your faith, but it is better if you find it earlier in life.”

On this evening, the gathering is mostly made up of young men and women in their mid-to-late 20s who come from various walks of life. It was the first lecture at the mosque for Jani, 26, who works as a sales associate at a major department store in Jakarta.

“I usually go to a gathering at a friend’s house,” says Jani. “It basically has the same concept as this, except on a much smaller scale.”

Asked what these lectures do for her, Jani quickly replies that they inspire her “to be a better person”.

“It’s nice to see so many people agreeing on the same thing,” she adds. “Looking at life through the same pair of glasses, holding onto the same basic principles and going after the same goal. The lives we lead outside of these gatherings – our individual lives – are polluted and stifling. Coming here is like drinking from a well after a long walk across the desert.”

In an ever-changing society, where values are modified, structured and eventually boxed into sales commodities, the search for one’s spiritual roots often leads to frustration. In major cities such as Jakarta, the quest is almost a mission impossible.

Over the years, some believers were dismayed by religion, what with the constant bombardment of institutionalized labels and the messy involvement of religious personalities in political and commercial practices. However, many are now making their way back to mosques, churches and temples, some alone, most with their families in tow.

Is this a sign that people are becoming more religious?

“I think people are tired of believing in one thing and not believing in another,” says Eko, a priest who serves at a Catholic church in Kelapa Gading. “The young, especially, are weary of the old dogmatic religious teachings. They don’t want to hear about how Jesus sacrificed himself for other people, they want to hear what it means to fail, to succeed and to share.”

Leading an afternoon mass one Sunday, Eko points to the pews at the far end of the room where young and old squeeze together to fit as many people as possible under the one roof. The church is packed, but that isn’t unusual. In his sermon, Eko provides an anecdote about his younger days in the seminary, where he led many Sunday masses in front of sleepy churchgoers.

“I miss those days,” he says, chuckling. “I would be talking nonsense and everyone would nod understandingly. Today, I actually have to prepare a 15-minute sermon that will mean something to you.”

Everybody laughs. “It’s not easy, I tell you. But I’m happy, because I see you with your parents, wives, husbands, children, friends, lovers and would-be lovers—” Another laugh. “And I feel like I’m doing something important. I feel like God is here with us, telling us that nothing and no one is forsaken.”

Perhaps it’s a little premature to say we have rediscovered our faith or that it has rediscovered us. Heaven and hell are two things that, until today, still draw plenty of skeptical frowns. Even the idea of God is becoming more abstract as we search for the idealization of peace, unity and balance.

Riko, 29, claims to be an agnostic who believes in everything and nothing. During his relatively short life, he has traveled the world in search of what he dubs his “calling”. For this backpacker, religion and spirituality are ultimately reflected in our actions.

“Religion is one way to bring yourself closer to God,” he says, “but it’s not the only way. I’ve prayed with Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Jews – and everyone wants the same thing: a good life. So the way I see it, it doesn’t really matter what religion you are; it matters what you do in life.”

Once a year, Hindus meditate and cut themselves off from worldly attachments. In silence, they are meant to search for the God inside themselves, repent for their wrongdoings and walk on a path toward cosmic enlightenment. They believe in reincarnation, past lives and making amends. In the past few years, Bali has resurfaced as the destination for many young people from around the country who wish to experience a spiritual pilgrimage.

“I wouldn’t say we’re becoming more religious,” says Ansari, a yoga practitioner who finds meditation the best path to spirituality and enlightenment. “I would say we’re opening ourselves to all kinds of possibility. Religion, spirituality and faith are interconnected. It’s a three-lane road.”

H. Faizal sees faith and religion as two sides of the same coin: one validates the other. “Faith is how you choose to believe and religion is what you believe,” he says. “You may find the religion that suits you best much later in life, but you must never lose your faith.”

Illustration by Staven Andersen 

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