W

IN/Gallup International recently published its poll result regarding the positive role of religion in countries worldwide.

The fascinating finding is that Indonesia tops the list, with about 95 percent of Indonesian respondents convinced that religion has a positive impact on society.

Further, another survey conducted by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) showed that Indonesians were indeed '€œhappy'€ as they scored 65.11 percent out of 100 on the BPS happiness index (The Jakarta Post, April 17).

The two surveys may suggest that the positive impact of religion is confirmed given the happiness index in question.

However, skepticism also has a place in this matter.

According to Paul J. Zak in his book The Moral Molecule, religion has the potential to bring happiness and trigger compassionate attitudes toward our peers.

Based on his study, it can trigger the release of the hormone oxytocin, the levels of which can increase if we engage with others and build trust, resulting in a sense of togetherness.

Up to this point, religion may be directly related to the happiness index because as we trust each other, we no longer suspect others, hence we feel safe.

However, it is also worth noting that religion also shapes our identity.

Thus, it is also possible that this identity can be very deeply rooted for some people until they reach a point where they no longer regard others as humans because those individuals have different religious views and do not pray to the same God.

In short, they can fall into fundamentalism and be disillusioned by religious identity. This brings a sense of exclusivity among religious believers.

For how long can people continuously produce happiness? The answer is clear: it is only sustainable in the exclusive realm, namely among the people who share similar views on religious beliefs.

The fundamentalists cannot accept others because they are different.

Thus what kind of happiness can fundamentalists produce? What kind of positive impact can we expect from religion on society when fundamentalism prevails?

In this scenario, intolerance will win at the expense of the happiness of others, especially minority groups.

According to the Wahid Institute, religious intolerance cases increased from 184 in 2010, to 267 in 2011, to 274 in 2012.

The increasing trend was confirmed by the Setara Institute. Cases of intolerance such as the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) Yasmin, displaced Shiites in Sampang and Ahmadis in other areas only exacerbate the trend.

Hate speech targeting political rivals embracing different faiths has become common and aggravates religious intolerance.

Sadly, religious intolerance may be used to attract voters, particularly from majority groups.

This will disappoint minority Muslim groups such as Shiites and Ahmadis who voted in the April 9 election in their quest for an end to their persecution.

Despite its positive impact on society and the happiness it can bring, religion can marginalize certain groups and make them suffer when it comes to relations between the majority and minority.

We may be tempted to reflect on the famous quote of Friedrich Nietzsche, a well-known German philosopher: '€œIs man only a blunder of God, or God only a blunder of man?'€

If we Indonesians believe that God creates human beings, we should not be a blunder of God and let God take the blame for rising intolerance in the country.

Killing tolerance will only result in inclusive happiness, which will only show that man is God'€™s blunder and that the findings of the two surveys are merely an illusion.  

Only when we can embrace each other as human beings will the survey results be verified.

The author, a chemical engineer, won the Ahmad Wahib Award at its annual interfaith writing contest in 2012.