Father Benny Susetyo Invites People To Echo Peaceful Messages Amid Intolerance Narratives

Special Staff to the Steering Committee of the Pancasila Ideology Development Agency (BPIP) Father Benny Susetyo. (ANTARA/HO-BPIP)

JAKARTA - Special Staff to the Steering Committee of the Pancasila Ideology Development Agency (BPIP) Father Benny Susetyo stated that peace and harmony messages need to be echoed, especially in the momentum of Christmas and New Year.

"In the midst of concern over incidents of terrorism and narratives of intolerance, the spirit of spreading God's love is an bidder that is needed by the people of Indonesia," he said in a written statement, Wednesday, December 27, was confiscated by Antara. According to him, the spirit of Christmas celebrations is actually not just a call for Christians, but for all religious communities and the Indonesian people at large. He explained that all children need to strengthen the importance of awareness of diversity by trying to respect differences. This nation is common in a way of thinking, acting, acting, concerned with respecting differences. This is shown when many people work together to organize religious big day celebrations together. Our society's attitude that tends to mingle is what influences the behavior of mutual tolerance,'' said Father Benny. He assessed that tolerance, which is a noble culture of the Indonesian nation, needs to be continuously nurtured and strengthened. With its high tolerance behavior, he believes that the Indonesian nation must be immune to attacks of terrorism radicalism that aim to divide the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). "The radicalismists actually do not know each other's religion. They only want to spread fear and hatred among humans, especially like the Christmas and New Year celebrations. Therefore, the community needs to be vigilant and united against the radicalism of terrorism," according to Father Benny. He continued, although people are often plagued by concerns about potential attacks of terrorism ahead of Christmas and New Year, the power of love and peace teachings within each individual can always give birth to optimism and joy. Love is the nature of human life. We are all created to love each other, regardless of religious differences, ethnicity, race, or other backgrounds,'', he said. Romo Benny added that diversity and progress in Indonesia have never experienced significant problems. Unfortunately, friction between groups of society is often caused by political elites who manipulate differences for their political interests.

To overcome this, he continued, Pancasila can be an ideology that unites all the differences of the nation's children. This is evidenced by Indonesia which consists of 714 ethnicities, ethnicities, and hundreds of religions and cultures, but all of them can unite in the auspices of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). "Pancasila was able to unite this nation because Bung Karno was excavated from Indonesian earth. Pancasila has finally become an ideology that affects our way of thinking, acting, and interacting. Although we are different religions, beliefs, ethnicities, professions, or ideologies, we can unite because we have one national bond, namely Pancasila," said Father Benny. He also added that inter-religious collaboration is also needed. This collaboration is not only to maintain public order and a sense of security, but also to realize the fifth precept of Pancasila, namely social justice for all Indonesian people. "In the principle of social justice, each religious community must strive to overcome economic and social inequality, namely by working across groups and beliefs," he explained. Romo Benny explained that the interpretation of religious text must be inclusive, not exclusive. That way, religious people can respect all religious major days because there is virtue for all.