Sebelum benar-benar lupa semua percakapan yang kulakukan dengan'nya', mungkin ada baiknya aku tulis sejauh yang kuingat. Ini berhubungan dengan percakapan pendek antara aku dan 'dia' hingga kudapatkan kembali kelas Religious Studies.
Nana: "Miss, I am wondering if it is possible for me to get my religious studies class back?"
She: "Oh? what is it all about?"
Nana: "Before the changing schedule, I was to teach religious studies class of grade 11. Now, it is handled by K. But, I have checked the schedule, with a little changing, I can have the class back."
She: "Ah ... what made you interested in having the class? What material do you give the students?"
Nana: "I downloaded the material from bbc There are five religions provided in the website, and for me it is very interesting. When the first time I gave the material on Hindu, the students complained why they should 'study' anything about Hindu while in fact they are not Hindu, so I explained to them that we had better know other religions in order that we respect other people's belief."
She: "Oh ... from that website! That is really interesting. I remember studying them when I was in college. Talking about this, I remember a friend of mine, a counselor of one institution who was wearing five necklaces with five different pendants that show five different religions, Jewish, Islam, Christian, Buddhist, and Hindu. When giving counseling to teenagers who were involved in alcohol, drugs, free sex, crimes, etc, she -- with the people working in the same institution with her -- was of opinion that religious approach was one very good way. It would be easier to guide those teenagers to get rid of those negative stuff by introducing them to the almighty, the power outside them, that would save them from deep ravine."
"I myself believe in such a god -- without any definite name though -- from one gruesome and terrifying experience I got in the beginning of 1990s. I was still young and innocent at that time, still learning about Buddhism -- one belief that does not introduce any god -- when someone offered me to have that journey to Africa. Innocently -- without being aware of the danger that would face me -- I joined three nuns and one priest on a journey to Africa. Those people wanted to tell me the very sad 'accident' that happened a lot there; something that now we call as 'human trafficking'. Many very young girls were sold to be prostitutes by their own parent due to poverty. Lots and lots of cases like this happened there, and the world did not know yet. The world thought it was just a rumor while in fact it did happen there!"
"In the middle of threatening tribes, five of us had to save some girls from being trafficked. That effort absolutely put our lives really in danger. It was really hell there! I myself was really terrified, so terrified that I thought I wouldn't be able to escape from there. I would die there! ... ... ..."
"The fact that I could run away from there, and successfully saved some girls, made me believe that there is a power outside me, outside us, that watches us, runs this life. This 'power' does not necessarily mean to refer to one certain name, such as Allah or Yahweh, or whatever. Religions that spread the idea of 'my god is better than your god' or 'my religion is the best of all' are already 'polluted' by politics. This kind of thinking will absolutely enable people to say, "in the name of my god, I must kill you."
She: "I was brought up as a Catholic, so I thought, but now that is what I think. I believe that the best 'religion' is where the adherents do not refer to just one name of god. So, Nana, may I know your religion? or your affiliate?"
Nana: "Mmmm ... I was born in a very religious Muslim family. However, after growing up, I came to think the same way as you do: all of us have one god, the same god, so there is no need to fight which god or which religion is the best or the rightest. And this subject really attracts me much because I have to discuss five different religions in the class."
She: "Okay Na. I think this is a very interesting stuff to talk. Let me tell ya we need to talk about it more in the future. I even have an idea to have a certain project for this religious studies class with you. For now, yes, the class is yours. Take it back. I believe K will be happy."
Aha ... tidaklah selengkap yang aku perbincangkan dengannya tentu saja, meski mungkin ada satu dua kalimat yang kukarang sendiri, yang tidak sama persis dengan apa yang kita perbincangkan kemarin siang. But anyway, kurasa tulisan ini cukup memberi gambaran bagaimana aku bisa mendapatkan kelas Religious Studies kembali. 
PT56 22.22 310311
No comments:
Post a Comment