Community Plural is a Reality

Amaladoss (2003) in his book “Making Harmony: Living in a Pluralist World” is not specific definite pluralism as an ideology. He prefers saw plurality as a reality in our society. Amaladoss wrote pluralism, first of all to denied assumption that plurality is a cause of the conflict in the world. Plurality is not a cause conflict interreligious. There real cause is injustice, marginalization, discrimination, and repressiveness. Because of their plural, each the people can learn to respect and can receive the other despite different.

Amaladoss observed that recently a lot of people who live in many groups background is living together. The groups of the people were formed usually because of their migrations, inhabitant exchange. They migrated because there was tensions of the war or poverty. After migrated, they began construct their community base on croups, race, religion. Later on, they became and lived in plural community. Plural community tend to form by politic ideologies. In plural community, awareness of the people for human right increase. It pushes the people make groups base on their plural identity.

Multiculturalism is often a problem because in our society there are claims that tend to marginalize other cultures. In multiculturalism, people in the majority group tend to dominate others who are smaller. Domination often takes the form of unity in cultural assimilation. On the one hand, people sometimes think that such a union is a better option than the genocide of ethnic groups. On the other hand, especially in a social democracy, every culture has freedom and autonomy to express.

That ideal, the people build plural community by their heart and though because if not, the people tend to make a new community just because of their images. Even the community is the result of consensus. We need to study how to live together in plural community. We receive plurality not only as reality but also as a good and right or positive choice. Recognition is a good attitude to make structures plural community. The structures can facilitate living together.

The Truth can be Found in every Religion and Culture

Recently righteous claims are made by fundamentalists can bring tension relation interreligious. Their claims are not realistic because righteous can be “dijumpai/found” in each religion. In spite of the people recognize right as a singular, we find right by several of way and media. The Lord of God can be found in each religion, because God is inclusive for everyone who seeks Him. Even though we can’t say that every religion is the same, because each religion has a unique tradition. Amaladoss said that in one side the practice of faith can be exclusive, but on the other hand religions can’t justice the other groups different who believe the same God.

In Amaladoss analysis, the truth cannot be understood absolutely. Claims on the truth are limited because capability of human to analyze the truth is limited too. Claims on the truth are not problem, but we don’t push our believing to the others who different. Push by violence will make a conflict.

In daily life, the truth become expressions. The truth usually expresses by rituals of religions and practice in the real life. The truth can too express by myths and symbols. In the past, it difficult to prove can explain by myths. Myths can be storied by propose to answer a lot of questions from the humans about cosmos. The humans make myths because myths often legitimate cosmic existence or social structures. In myths, the truth was symbolized by a lot of story and rituals.

In our society, the dogma religions use the people to understand the meaning of life. The life will have a meaning if contain values of religious. The people use dogma as grasp of life because the dogma supply a salvation. According to several religions, salvation means humans free from suffering and unite with God in the heaven. In Buddhism, salvation means the humans free from Will. The freedom can be reached in the nirvana.

Plurality will not destroy vision of faith and rituals of religion. The faith people can unite the values which teach the truth, such as honesty, humility, love, and something like that. Moreover, the values of religions can be a principle to act together in our society. So, we can practice those in daily life.

In Amaladoss analysis. The Lord of God is received in views of religions, God’s inclusive is there in religions because the Lord of God for everyone. So, The Lord of God has planned for the human beings.

The Build Vision of Harmony in Living Together

Amaladoss assumed that plural society need make vision together. Vision together is made for create harmony. Recently community dream and want to an ideal community. The leaders and the members of society can collaborate to make ideal community. Ideal community contain a lot of individua who aware how important live in community. Awareness of individuals can be built by commitment together. Commitment together is hoped can help individuals create ideal community.

In our society, different is a reality of life. We need to pursuit chance so different groups can collaborate good relation with the others. In Amaladoss analysis, community plural depends on with the others. Dependent situation is good aspect to build a good collaboration among individuals or the group of the people. In this situation, we hope the humans can respect their neighbors so that the conflict cannot be extended.

Amaladoss observed that the humans have the same position. So, the humans have the same treatment in justice, especially about human right. Every individu has the same right to practice participative of democracy. Democracy participative need instrument, one of instruments is inter-religious dialogue.

Amaladoss assumed that if occur the conflict so we need make reconciliation and resolution quickly so that the conflict cannot extend and danger. Our society needs a vision of harmony which can make peace conflicts. The people who different don’t be threat for the others, but it is opportunity to respect and collaborate with the others in our society to make harmony.

As a final note, living together on the basis of respect for human dignity, despite diversity, is a noble aspiration to create a harmonious society. There needs to be openness and continuous dialogue in life in order to maintain harmony in life in a pluralistic society. Hopefully all different people can join hands, willing to work together for better progress, now and in the future.