Nia and Ari say different is ‘beautiful’

The Jakarta Post   |  Mon, 09/29/2008 6:53 AM  |  People

(JP/P. J. Leo)(JP/P. J. Leo)

JAKARTA: Married couple Ari Sihasale and Nia Zulkarnaen say having different religions is something “beautiful”.

“For both of us, this difference is something beautiful,” Ari was quoted as saying by okezone.com on Friday.

The couple, who produced the movie Denias, Senandung di Atas Awan (Denias, Song Above the Cloud), say their religious differences had brought them closer to each other.

“We indeed have differences in many things, but because of that we are learning to respect each other. It is the differences that have made us mature and careful to nurture our relationship,” said the man whose real name Juharson Estrella Sihasale.

The couple married in 2004, after Nia’s first husband, the late racer Ahmad Iskandar Zulkarnaen, died in an accident in May 2002.

Nia, whose real name Vanya Zulkarnaen, said that Ari, who was born on June 19, 1970, in Papua from a Christian family, joins the fast with her during Ramadan.

“Ever since we got married, he has fasted with me every Ramadan,” said Nia. — JP

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Iain (not verified) — Sun, 10/05/2008 - 12:57pm

I wonder if Nia will fast at Lent. I wonder how she embraces her partner's religion as he has embraced hers. Let's hope it is not one sided.

Nurina a. (not verified) — Fri, 10/03/2008 - 1:37pm

yes indeed, difference is something beautiful.

even God has been telling us..
that difference is the nature of life.

u could see the analogy from a garden.
u see there, grasses, colorful flowers, trees...
they live together, peacefully.

so, regarding to question of choice,
well..it's not polite enough to deliver question such as
"whom do u love most? God? or ur boyfriend/husband?"
why?
coz they're two different concepts and separated.

God is always in man's heart and mind.
God's spiritually embedded in our life.
God's already in!
we want it or not ..
God is our assigned 'need'
we're addicted to God for breathing, living, etc.
(even for atheist, though they say "i don't believe in God", but im sure..deep inside their heart they admit one supreme power)

but boyfriend or husband or whatsoever u call it..
they're in because we picked them
for some people..they're embedded..but not spiritually
(spiritual part of our life is God belonging)
we need them for secondary activities
such as accompanying, friendship, sharing, building a family, etc.

so i guess it's clear enough why i think question such as
"whom do u love most?God?or boyfriend/husband?"
is better preserved for ur own consumption.
dont ask it to people,it's too harsh.

regarding to two different religions live together as a family,
i think it's an irresistible ongoing phenomenon.

because world today (thanks to globalization and technology)...
the distance is getting shorter
the walking space is narrower
people know each other
people from south continent (from different race) can easily making friends to people from the north one, and reverse,
they're connected each other.

and thanks to rapid developmnent of sociological science..
people today are able to and know how to cope problems such as difference, racism, etc (though some are not).
people today more understand how to bridge gap better than their elders.
so,today..it's really really natural if we find couples from different background committed to a mariage.

and about religion,
well i'm a moslem..
Qor'an is my primary guidance
but as most moslems know..
Qor'an is multi-interpreted (even if we buy Qor'an with domestic language translation, we'll find different meanings),
each moslem has their own interpretation of each word in Qor'an.

thus i believe Qor'an is dynamic, it's valid up to the end of human's life.
what textually written in Qor'an, it happened at the time of Muhammad's life and the attributive conditions.
it doesn't mean..contextually describing today's reality.

so (again),
nia zulkarnain surely has her own interpretation, which is unfortunately different from majority.

but still..we have to respect it.

I putu adi kusuma (not verified) — Fri, 10/03/2008 - 9:54am

It is a good example that a couple can live in harmony with different religion. We should place LOVE above everything, our love not just to be expressed with our family but with all of God creatures that live on earth. Like Balinese belief " TRY HITA KARANA" Three principal of life in harmony. 1. Life in harmony with God 2. Life in harmony with other human beings, without see their social status, religion and other differences 3. Life in harmony with environment. If all human being is fully with love and tolerance, life will be in harmony and peacefully.

Rara (not verified) — Tue, 09/30/2008 - 10:17pm

I agree with you Jamila

Nala (not verified) — Mon, 09/29/2008 - 11:25pm

If you're talking about "love", then I LOVE my God more than I'd love my boyfriend or husband. When your religion said it's forbidden, then IT IS FORBIDDEN NO MATTER WHAT. It is NOT a matter of fanatism. You must not allow the forbidden things by saying it's because of "love". Again, whom should you love more? Your God or your lust?

Yustin (not verified) — Mon, 09/29/2008 - 9:52pm

how do we get married with different religion in Indonesia? what are the choices?

Jamila (not verified) — Mon, 09/29/2008 - 5:37pm

The best news for the coming Idul Fitri! I´m so happy to read that fanatism is not above love and that we can actually live in harmony with different religions, after all, ISN´T THERE ONLY ONE GOD? THE ONLY ONE? we claim to be monotheist, yes us: moslems, christians and jews but even between us we are not able to settle our minumum differences. All religions teach us to respect and love each other, just because our formula prayers (that most of us memorize without paying attention to what it really means), our fasting days and a couple of details more are carried out in a different way...
Let´s be good moslems, christians, jews, budhist, hinduists or whatever...but above all, let´s be good to each other and not use God as an excuse to divide mankind, let´s make sure that on the name of God we remain united.
Selamat ya mba Nia dan mas Ari, you´re just the best!

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