Between Myths and Realities

Abstract

IN THE numerous seminars and workshops that Indonesian intellectuals were fond of organizing in the past, especially during the first years following the fall of the Sukarno regime, the old division between the traditionalists and the modernists kept emerging time after time. This division first appeared during the nationalist movement for freedom under the Dutch colonial regime. Some nationalist leaders felt that a return the old Indonesian culture would give the Indonesian people greater strength and cohesion. Others rejected this view, and argued that the colonizer should be fought with his own weapons. Indonesians should abandon the old culture, and take over everything the West had offer. In one of those numerous meetings, a speaker seriously maintained that the final goal of man was serve God. His innocentsounding statement immediately touched off a furious debate. To serve in what way? The Islamic way, the Christian way, the Buddhist way? Is it enough simply go the mosque or church regularly, and do all the other things instructed by one's religion? After sharp debate, the discussion came the view that to serve God had have a wider meaning than merely following religious codes and dicta. To work for social and economic justice is also serve God. But achieve social and economic justice, you must have economic development, as the ideal or goal is not suffer poverty together, but rather share prosperity. At this point, a wide diversity of opinions were expressed. They ranged from Islamic social and economic concepts Socialist models from the West, the cooperative movement, free market forces (the