By: Abdul Razak)*
Religious moderation is believed to be still effective in countering radicalism. The community and religious leaders are also asked to play an active role in socializing the importance of religious moderation.
Religious moderation is a moderate religious perspective, namely understanding and practicing religious teachings without being extreme, either extreme right or left. This understanding is very important because indeed we should not overdo everything. Don’t be an extremist, don’t be too liberal either.
Head of the Batang Regency Ministry of Religion H.M Aqsho M.Ag stated that religious moderation is a religious way to embrace religion. Religion actually teaches the value of goodness in attitude, not prohibiting social behavior that is different from what it adheres to and disbelieves in other people. In a sense, we are strictly forbidden to vilify other people, if we understand religion in a moderate way.
Religious moderation is indeed one way to prevent radicalism. The reason is because he can teach people how to embrace religion in a moderate manner, without having to go to extremes. Meanwhile, the radicals are very extreme and like to blame other parties who do not share their opinion.
Therefore, religious moderation must be taught in schools, so that students understand how to embrace a good religion, and not be carried away by radicalism. The PAI Directorate of the Indonesian Ministry of Religion has implemented a religious moderation program in all elements, especially among NU teachers. So that they can teach it to students and finally no one wants to be poisoned by radicalism.
The chairman of the Committee for Capacity Building for Religious Moderation for High School and Vocational High School Teachers in Pekalongan Regency, Achmad Zuhri, stated that the capacity to increase religious moderation in schools is very important, because that is where the introduction of washatiyah culture and Pancasila values is. In a sense, the teacher is the spearhead in introducing religious moderation and the introduction of Pancasila to the students.
If all teachers understand religious moderation, then no one teaches radicalism, because he understands that it is not permissible to embrace and teach religion to the extreme. Understanding religious moderation is very important because if teachers are poisoned by radicalism, it can be dangerous. The reason is because he can invite students to jihad and become extremists since childhood.
Especially if those who are being taught are students who are still in elementary school, even kindergarten. They are still very innocent, so they are willing to be taught radicalism and its various misleading teachings. Do you still remember when there were some students who destroyed the graves of people with other beliefs? They become victims of teachers who teach radicalism, and do so because they do not understand what is right and what is wrong.
On the other hand, if the teacher understands religious moderation, his students will follow suit because they understand that radicalism is wrong, and religious moderation is correct. Don’t insult other people who don’t agree. Indonesia is a country with diversity in diversity and there are 6 officially recognized religions, so there should be no radicalism that is too rigid.
Therefore, teaching on religious moderation is carried out in other schools and is fully supported by the Ministry of Religion. The goal is that more teachers understand religious moderation, and they understand that it can prevent radicalism.
Religious moderation can prevent radicalism from arising, because it teaches many people how to embrace a good religion, and not to speak ill of others. When a person is moderately religious, he is obedient to worship without insulting others, and does not want to be dragged into the current of radicalism.
)* The author is a contributor to the Pertiwi Institute
