PHENOMENOLOGICAL APPROACH IN INTERFAITH COMMUNICATION: A Solution to Allegation of Religious Blasphemy in Indonesia

Abstract

This paper will research the phenomenological approach in interfaith communication. The strength globalization’s flow which is destroying every border between nations, regions, and cultures, unfortunately, is not strong enough to destroy one solid wall, the border of religion and faith’s differences. The phenomenological approach is a theoretical perspective based on the concept “back to the things themselves”. In Husserl’s phenomenology, he made an epoche and eidetic vision as the starting point of this perspective. Both of those concepts are a main and basic concept which is needed in interfaith communication to postponing judgment and looking with their own believer’s perspective. This approach is radically needed to smooth out the interfaith communication. This approach also allows the transcultural communication and identity transformation from one religion’s followers to another to reach a mutual agreement and decrease religious sentiments which are born from the subjectivity of one religion’s followers in judging other religions and their followers. In the end, al-Banna’s Role of Brotherhood can be interpreted as the foundation of Islamic phenomenology in building the solid society.الملخص: عنى هذا البحث الكلام عن المنهج الظواهري في الاتصال بين الأديان. قوة موج العولمة التي تهاجم الحدود بين البلدان والمناطق والثقافات لم تكن تقوى على هجوم جدار متين، وهو جدار اختلاف الأديان والإيمان. المنهج الظواهر هي إحدى وجهة النظر القائمة على أساس "الرجوع إلى الأشياء نفسها". على نظرية Husserl, يقوم هذا المنهج على نقطتين أساسيتين, هما Epoche وEidetic Vision. كانا مفهومين مهمّين في ابتداء الاتصال بين الأديان لتأجيل الظنون والتقييم والتحكيم عند نظرتهم إلى الأديان المجاورة. وبهذا المنهج أيضا، يمكن لأحد المتيدينين معرفة عادات أديان غيرهم وتحول الهوية بعضهم بعضا للوصول على كلمة السواء بينهم ولإضاعة الكراهة الدينية بين الأديان المولّدة من نظرية ذاتية لديهم. في آخر المقالة، بيّن الكاتب نظام الأسرة عند حسن البنا الذي سيكون أساسا في إقامة منهج الظواهر الإسلامي من أجل بناء مجتمع صلب.Abstrak: Paper ini akan membahas tentang pendekatan fenomenologi dalam komunikasi antar agama. Kuatnya arus globalisasi yang menggerus berbagai batas antar negara, regional, dan budaya nyatanya tidak cukup kuat untuk menghancurkan salah satu dinding tebal, yaitu dinding perbedaan agama dan kepercayaan. Pendekatan fenomenologi adalah sudut pandang yang berdasar pada konsep “kembali kepada sesuatu itu sendiri”. Dalam fenomenology Husserl, ia menetapkan dua titik awal dalam perspektif ini, yaitu epoche dan eidetic vision. Kedua konsep tersebut adalah konsep dasar dan pokok yang dibutuhkan dalam komunikasi antar agama untuk menunda penghakiman dan melihat suatu agama melalui kacamata pemeluknya sendiri. Pendekatan ini dibutuhkan untuk memuluskan komunikasi antar agama. Pendekatan ini juga memungkinkan komunikasi lintas budaya dan transformasi identitas dari satu pemeluk agama kepada pemeluk agama lainnya untuk menggapai suatu kesepakatan bersama dan mengurangi sentiment keagamaan yang lahir dari subyektivitas seorang pemeluk agama dalam melihat dan menilai pemeluk agama lainnya. Di akhir, penulis memaparkan sistem kekerabatan yang disusun oleh Hasan al-Banna yang dapat pula diinterpretasikan sebagai asas gerakan “fenomenologi Islam”dalam membangun masyarakat yang solid.

Exclusivism in Cyberspace: Challenges in Interfaith Communication

“…Exchange of culture, economics, science, ideology, and information today is hard to avoid. In fact, exchange and interaction become a man and society needs to exist and survive [9]. Without it, people will only be in a primitive circle and the community is in danger of extinction gradually.…”

“…The introduction is an active attitude from both sides against each other's identity. This process is followed by the encountered value and orientation of each party either through verbal or non-verbal communication [10]; [9]. Hasan al-Banna stated it as at-ta'aruf 'knowing each other' [9].…”

“…In that phase, there will be a lot of contact between two different cultures that cause big amount of conflict management. Various common words can be gained from understanding each group of identity and the identity of other groups (at-tafahum) [9]. For the climax, it will create cross-cultural adaptability, even the transformation of identity and competence among the community (at-ta'awun) [9]; [10].…”

“…This communication requires a symbolic exchange between individuals or between communities that come from a different background. This process begins with cultureshock, and then proceeds with the process of knowing each other (at-ta'aruf), understanding each other (at-tafahum), and the implications for the community to help each other (at-ta'awun) [9]; [10].…”

“…It also provides the opportunity to read their different content, listen to their perspectives, and start a dialogue with them [30]. Therefore, the younger generation of social media users need to equip themselves with a view epoche or postpone of labeling and stereotyping to the other party [9].…”