However, it is obvious that religion or religious understanding in many ways plays a pivotal role in producing violent ideologies that lead to brutal activities, as terrorists often manipulate scriptures or erroneously point to the idea of jihad to justify their terror attacks on innocent people.

In this respect, detaining terrorists or even killing them does not necessarily end terror attacks because this does not address the root of the problem. When one terrorist dies, others will come forward and retaliate. Stern raids on terrorist camps might reduce terror acts only temporarily.

One important step to eradicating religious extremism, radicalism and terrorism is to invoke critical and humanist understandings of religion. The critical method necessitates comparative and comprehensive approaches. Through comparison, religious devotees will be familiar with various different interpretations within their religious tradition.

They will acknowledge that religious scholars have already developed means and methods to expound a particular theme or doctrine. They will also understand that such-and-such doctrines are not given and self-evident, but rather produced through such mechanisms and processes that remain subject to criticism.

The comparative method will make them aware that their choice or thought of school does not invalidate others' choices as other also have their own arguments. The idea behind comparisons is that they will understand that their choice is not absolute, but relative and true. This will make them aware of the strengths and weaknesses in every school or tradition.

Religious fanaticism and bigotry commonly stems from a strict selectivity of thought and a rejection of pluralism. No religion is monolithic, and therefore no single narrative in a religion is authoritative and representative of, let alone superior to, all other narrations or interpretations of one religious tradition.

Unfortunately, the majority and dominant approach in religious studies seems to be normative, simply transforming doctrine from one generation to another. It fails to apprehend critically the history of religion and the production of religious discourse, which were yielded from specific power relations within historically embedded contexts.

Likewise, religion should not be approached partially, but comprehensively. Partial understandings might lead to reduction and manipulation. Extreme interpretation of religion often stems from an exclusive selection of a particular notion, while declining other related issues.

The comparison also helps appreciate differences that exist both within internal religious traditions and among inter-religious communities. This is a good start to stimulating sympathy for other faiths. And in comparison, it will uncover a common denominator lying behind diverse religious phenomena.

There is an essence of religion despite various manifestations of religious practices. The essence can refer to a divine being or a spiritual existence.

The essence might also refer to the spirit of affection, love and peace that every religion promotes. The notion of sameness and the common denominator in religions should become a vital point from which religious humanism and the spirit of religious humanists embark.

This spirit shows that religious devotees fundamentally share basic human needs and characters, such as the need to worship the spiritual being and spread peace and justice. This is exactly what humanist religion is. It is on this humanist notion that inter-religious interaction and dialogue should begin.

However, this does not mean that I advocate a unification of religions, because it is impossible to deny religious pluralism. What we need to do is acknowledge others as human and religious beings with their own beliefs. We do not have to judge other's belief against our own faith.

Neither do we need to fault others if they adopt different interpretations and practices from what we do. Every religious follower has a full right to implement their beliefs as long as they are realized within the frameworks of humanism, peace and justice. In contrast, every extreme view that might create exclusivism, radicalism and terrorism in the name of religion is simply contrary to spirit of humanist religion and therefore should be prevented through, among other things, critical and humanist understanding of religion.

The writer is a lecturer of State Institute of Islamic Studies (IAIN) Mataram and PhD student in Religion at Emory, Atlanta, the US.

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