Religion Cannot Be Separated From Politics, Economy and Socio-Culture of the Nation and State
By: Jacob Ereste
Freelance Journalist
Religion cannot be separated from politics, even economics and socio-religion to culture. Because only religion provides spiritual content that includes ethics, oral and human morals to remain perfect as God’s creatures on earth so that they are worthy and called khalifatullah. At least it can be immediately imagined when politics is only separated from religion — not yet completely separated so that recognition of the Almighty God still remains — then the inequality can be seen from what has happened in Indonesia since the 1998 reformation until now.
The politics of mutual hostage-taking as is happening now is a direct result of religion that is ignored as a guide to ethics, morals and noble morals of the Indonesian people who continue to be noisy in dealing with corruption problems, treasonous attitudes by draining natural resources to abusing the people’s mandate to manage the needs of the people for the people.
The law that is manipulated to justice that is sold to enrich oneself, to positions that are traded in the practice of money politics, now adds to the suffering of the people who do not move in poverty and ignorance as stated in the Indonesian constitution to be independent physically and mentally. Therefore, in state politics to the economy, the government cannot ignore religion as a guide so as not to get lost or mislead themselves to take shortcuts, such as wanting to be rich through corruption, wanting a title for image and prestige through brokers or buying by any means. So that the essence of knowledge is also fake following false promises to deceive others. In fact, in essence all of that is worse than the attitude of deceiving oneself.
Religion that is separate from the economy has released unhealthy competition, deceit and fraud in various forms of business and commerce that are not based on ethics, morals and noble morals that honesty can only be maintained from the chamber of religion which is now also ignored, such as in the political field which continues to damage the nation’s culture that is deeply rooted in the ancestral heritage that upholds the attitude of chivalry as has been proven by the heroes of the Indonesian nation in fighting for freedom from oppression and colonialism of foreign nations.
Likewise in the social and cultural order of society, religion cannot be uprooted from the social and cultural roots of society — especially Indonesia which is more religious — so that in the social order religion can also be a glue for togetherness, solidarity, mutual cooperation and concern and empathy for other human beings.
Therefore, efforts to separate religion from politics, economics and socio-culture to legal practice have proven that ethics, morals and noble human morals — especially in Indonesia, are the main issues to be fixed. Because politics does not fix itself with politics. Likewise, the economic, social and cultural problems of society seem to have collapsed, they can only be fixed through the toughness of human ethics, morals and morals based on religion, as a reminder, provider of a way and guide for an orderly life. Not greedy and greedy to the point of raping the rights of others. In this context, the movement of awakening, awareness and spiritual understanding is very relevant to be encouraged and supported as well as carried out together to fix our country with ethics, morals and noble human morals so that we can control ourselves and not be drunk on the world.
This means that religion clearly cannot be separated from the politics, economy and socio-culture of a nation and state that does not want to fall into the chaos of an endless world. Because human desires and passions can never be measured, so that what is needed is only control. And the ability to do so can only be obtained from the depths of a religion that is maintained and practiced well and diligently.
Banten, March 12, 2025
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