Hindu Center adviser Ida Pedanda Ketut Sebali Tianyar Arimbawa said the economy was an obvious challenge, during the temu wirasa (meeting) of Hindu devotees from the province.

"Indonesia is heading into a neoliberal economy, and Hindu devotees are not yet ready to cope with it. We're lagging behind others in terms of global development," Pedanda Tianyar said.

He said all Hindu people on the island should take their economic resources into account when holding religious ceremonies, citing the irony between lavish religious ceremonies and rising poverty rates.

"Everyone who holds a religious ceremonies should consider their economic resources, so that we can reduce poverty and improve people's welfare."

The Hindu priest acknowledged Hindu devotees' lack of understanding of the philosophy of religious ceremonies. He said that many Hindu followers thought that the vyadnya (holy sacrifice) ceremony or mecaru were mere animal sacrifice rituals.

"Mecaru is not merely a ceremony. It is more about how we build harmony with nature," he said, adding that he expected all parties, especially penglingsir (well respected figures) in society, to help develop awareness of religious teachings.

"I am very optimistic that Indonesia, especially Bali, will move forward with the willingness of the Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa the God Almighty."

Governor Pastika welcomed the meeting and hailed it as an important forum to discuss the implementation of religious teachings to strengthen the existence of Hinduism.

He told Hindus to cope with the globalization challenges wisely.

"The globalization that brings Westernization poses both threats and challenges for Bali. We have to be selective, so that it can enrich our religious and social values," said the Governor, who is a native of Buleleng.

Pastika said that there has been a shift of paradigms on how the community perceives religious and social values, and said that problems could arise if values are neglected.

"We should be able to address the problems if we don't want to leave others behind. I call on religious and social organizations to work together to raise people's awareness of this situation."

He said the organizations should continue to conduct religious studies and provide input to the government.

The Governor said the majority of Hindu people were aware of current issues, but he regretted that many criminal cases were associated with traditional customs and religious conflicts. "This is an irony. It runs counter to our efforts to promote tourism in Bali."

He said he was concerned about religious ceremonies that were often considered as a burden for some people. He attributed the condition to the lack of understanding about the philosophy of Hindu teachings.

"More action should be taken to disseminate teachings. I hope the forum can outline what we need to do improve harmony among Hindus and other people, as well as their devotion to the God," he said.

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