Religious Contestation in Rural Area Cigugur Kuningan West Java, Indonesia

Abstract

Religious harmony has become a fundamental challenge in a pluralistic society like Indonesia. Although this diversity has in many ways created space for cooperation, interfaith contestation remains open and prone to conflict. This article discusses religious contestation in rural area Kuningan, West Java, between Muslims and Madraism. a local syncretic religious stream, on the one hand, and Catholicism on the other. The work is aimed at explaining why, and how the contestation occurs, and what is the impact of the contestation on social life. The research data obtained through observation and interviews with certain individuals who were selected through purposive non-random sampling technique. The study finds out that the competition began with differences in views between two local Islamic religious leaders, Muhammad Thohir and Muhammad Rais, which led to heretical assumptions about Muhammad Rais and his followers (Madraism) which was followed by pressure and intimidation. To “save” their religious beliefs, Madraists converted to Catholicism. However, the conversion is not complete as the followers are reluctant to get baptized because they still want to practice their old beliefs. Such conversion, thus, simply to protect themselves from external pressures.