It was
the kind of event that Lady Gaga would have surely supported. About 60 people
squeezed into Kedai Tjikini in Central Jakarta on Wednesday night to watch the
2009 film “Prayers for Bobby” and discuss the intersection of faith, sexuality
and pluralism in Indonesia. The event wasn’t so controversial, perhaps,
considering that these ideas are debated regularly on campuses across the
country. But given the events of the past month, such concepts now carry much
greater weight.
“Hate stems from a lack of knowledge,” said Mohamad Guntur Romli, an activist from Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesia’s largest Islamic organization, who spoke at the film screening. “When people say homosexuality is a European or Western import, they are neglecting the fact that alternative sexualities have always been present in the archipelago. When we talk about diversity in Indonesia, diversity of sexuality is one of those components.”
The made-for-TV movie, based on a true story, stars Sigourney Weaver as Mary Griffith, a deeply religious woman who rejects her son as a sinner when she discovers he is gay. After her depressed son commits suicide, she begins to re-examine her faith, looking for alternative interpretations of the Bible that might be able to reconcile her son’s homosexuality with Christianity.
The film screening was part of a series of events being held over 10 days by the newly formed Beda.Is.Me peace movement to mark the anniversary of the birth of the Pancasila state ideology on June 1. Beda.Is.Me, an Indonesian play on words that simultaneously means “I am different” and “diversity,” was formed as a response to recent violent attacks on religious minorities, the controversy over Canadian author Irshad Manji’s visit to Indonesia, and, of course, the all-encompassing saga surrounding Lady Gaga.
The movement was launched at Kedai Tjikini last week with a photo exhibition of victims of religious violence.
It is notable that increasing religious intolerance and violence has sparked growing calls for a return to the values of Pancasila. While the state ideology was once co-opted by Suharto to serve the interests of the New Order regime, it is now re-emerging as a counterweight to extremism and exclusivism.
Daniel Awigra, campaign manager at the Association of Journalists for Diversity (Sejuk), and one of the movement’s organizers, explained the philosophy behind Beda.Is.Me.
“We realized that the silent majority is not going to act in oppositional campaigns against radical organizations,” Daniel said. “They are always going to choose what’s safe for them. A positive campaign that targets the state is likely to have a greater effect.”
Tantowi Anwari, also known as Thowik, advocacy manager at Sejuk, added: “We really want to emphasize that this is a peaceful movement that is not seeking to confront those intolerant groups in our society. Rather we are targeting the state for allowing repeated and increasingly intense acts of religious-based violence to occur.”
Prudent words, given that Thowik was stripped and beaten by members of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) last month for supporting the Congregation of Batak Protestant Churches Filadelfia parish’s right to worship.
With that in mind, Beda.Is.Me. is holding what is to become a fortnightly event titled “Aku Cinta Indonesia” (“I Love Indonesia”) in front of the Presidential Palace on Sunday starting at 1:30 p.m. The peaceful event provides an opportunity for religious groups and concerned citizens to express their love for the country and deliver their complaints about the state’s handling of pluralism.
The Beda.Is.Me movement will culminate in a diversity concert, billed as a tribute to victims of religious violence, at Taman Ismail Marzuki at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday. The concert will feature local acts Saras Dewi, Marjinal, Lokal Ambience, Melanie Subono and headlined by Bali punk outfit Superman Is Dead.
Alongside the concert on Sunday night, Beda.Is.Me is hosting a premier of the film “Romi dan Yuli Dari Cikeusik” (“Romi and Yuli From Cikeusik”), a love story set against the backdrop of the 2011 Cikeusik tragedy. The film is directed by prominent local director Hanung Bramantyo (“Ayat-Ayat Cinta”/“Verses of Love”) and explores issues of prejudice and hate surrounding the attack on the Ahmadiyah community, which killed three.
For more information on Beda.Is.Me. events, visit sejuk.org.
“Hate stems from a lack of knowledge,” said Mohamad Guntur Romli, an activist from Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesia’s largest Islamic organization, who spoke at the film screening. “When people say homosexuality is a European or Western import, they are neglecting the fact that alternative sexualities have always been present in the archipelago. When we talk about diversity in Indonesia, diversity of sexuality is one of those components.”
The made-for-TV movie, based on a true story, stars Sigourney Weaver as Mary Griffith, a deeply religious woman who rejects her son as a sinner when she discovers he is gay. After her depressed son commits suicide, she begins to re-examine her faith, looking for alternative interpretations of the Bible that might be able to reconcile her son’s homosexuality with Christianity.
The film screening was part of a series of events being held over 10 days by the newly formed Beda.Is.Me peace movement to mark the anniversary of the birth of the Pancasila state ideology on June 1. Beda.Is.Me, an Indonesian play on words that simultaneously means “I am different” and “diversity,” was formed as a response to recent violent attacks on religious minorities, the controversy over Canadian author Irshad Manji’s visit to Indonesia, and, of course, the all-encompassing saga surrounding Lady Gaga.
The movement was launched at Kedai Tjikini last week with a photo exhibition of victims of religious violence.
It is notable that increasing religious intolerance and violence has sparked growing calls for a return to the values of Pancasila. While the state ideology was once co-opted by Suharto to serve the interests of the New Order regime, it is now re-emerging as a counterweight to extremism and exclusivism.
Daniel Awigra, campaign manager at the Association of Journalists for Diversity (Sejuk), and one of the movement’s organizers, explained the philosophy behind Beda.Is.Me.
“We realized that the silent majority is not going to act in oppositional campaigns against radical organizations,” Daniel said. “They are always going to choose what’s safe for them. A positive campaign that targets the state is likely to have a greater effect.”
Tantowi Anwari, also known as Thowik, advocacy manager at Sejuk, added: “We really want to emphasize that this is a peaceful movement that is not seeking to confront those intolerant groups in our society. Rather we are targeting the state for allowing repeated and increasingly intense acts of religious-based violence to occur.”
Prudent words, given that Thowik was stripped and beaten by members of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) last month for supporting the Congregation of Batak Protestant Churches Filadelfia parish’s right to worship.
With that in mind, Beda.Is.Me. is holding what is to become a fortnightly event titled “Aku Cinta Indonesia” (“I Love Indonesia”) in front of the Presidential Palace on Sunday starting at 1:30 p.m. The peaceful event provides an opportunity for religious groups and concerned citizens to express their love for the country and deliver their complaints about the state’s handling of pluralism.
The Beda.Is.Me movement will culminate in a diversity concert, billed as a tribute to victims of religious violence, at Taman Ismail Marzuki at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday. The concert will feature local acts Saras Dewi, Marjinal, Lokal Ambience, Melanie Subono and headlined by Bali punk outfit Superman Is Dead.
Alongside the concert on Sunday night, Beda.Is.Me is hosting a premier of the film “Romi dan Yuli Dari Cikeusik” (“Romi and Yuli From Cikeusik”), a love story set against the backdrop of the 2011 Cikeusik tragedy. The film is directed by prominent local director Hanung Bramantyo (“Ayat-Ayat Cinta”/“Verses of Love”) and explores issues of prejudice and hate surrounding the attack on the Ahmadiyah community, which killed three.
For more information on Beda.Is.Me. events, visit sejuk.org.
1. Simple
Tense
The film is directed by prominent local director Hanung
Bramantyo.
= Film ini disutradarai
oleh sutradara lokal ternama
Hanung Bramantyo.
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