''Aliran Kepercayaan'' ( eng, the branches/flows of beliefs) is an official cover term for various, partly
syncretic
Syncretism () is the practice of combining different beliefs and various schools of thought. Syncretism involves the merging or assimilation of several originally discrete traditions, especially in the theology and mythology of religion, thu ...
forms of
mysticism
Mysticism is popularly known as becoming one with God or the Absolute, but may refer to any kind of ecstasy or altered state of consciousness which is given a religious or spiritual meaning. It may also refer to the attainment of insight in ...
of
religion in Indonesia
Several different religions are practised in Indonesia and in practice the country is a secular state.
Indonesia is officially a presidential republic and a unitary state. Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim populationFrederick, ...
. It includes ''
kebatinan'', ''kejiwaan'', and ''kerohanian''. In the Indonesian language, it is also used for local religions and beliefs, even new religious movements, in other parts of the world.
Characteristics
Kebatinan can be described as an amalgam of
animist,
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
-
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
, and
Islamic (especially
Sufi) mystical elements that combine to form Javanese mysticism. According to Caldarola, kepercayaan "is not an apt characterization of what the mystical groups have in common". The
US State Department's states:
Recognition
As a body of belief, kebatinan is officially recognized in the 1945
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
n constitution; however, to avoid recognizing it as a formal religion, it is administered by the
Department of Education and culture rather than by the
Department of Religious Affairs. The Indonesian Government recognizes the right to follow Aliran Kepercayaan, as long as its practitioners do not upset the public order or offend the sensitivities of the followers of the major religions.
Indonesia's Constitutional Court in November 2017 ruled that followers of faiths outside the 6 recognized are allowed to state so on their national identity cards, as a 7th category ''Aliran Kepercayaan'' including
Marapu
The Marapu religion (also known as Marafu in Sumba) is a form of ancestral religion that is practiced mainly in the island of Sumba in Indonesia. Marapu is also practiced in many more remote areas of Sumba and Flores. Both the Christians and Mu ...
religion, the
Parmalim The term Parmalim or malim describes the followers of the '' Malim religion'' (''Ugamo Malim'' or Batak nation religion), the modern form of the traditional Batak religion. People who are not familiar with the Batak language may erroneously assume P ...
followers of ''Malim'' religion, and
Sapta Darma, something that has never happened in Indonesia.
Nevertheless, it is unclear if Papuan religions are recognized at this point.
Notes
References
Sources
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External links
Article on Indonesia People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
Religion in Indonesia
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