Rev. Imanuel Teguh
Harisantoso, M.Si
Introduction
In the past in Java the role of the
women in so many aktivity: family and public has limited opportunity. In
Javanese term, “the woman” can be interpreted “dare to be arranged”. In the
understanding, culture social system growing among Javanese public - system
patriach, "woman" comprehended as figure playing role as: "giving
birth", "cooks" and "beautifies herself". In Javanese is
recognized as 3M, that is: "manak", "masak" and "macak".
Feminist hermeneutics, as approach
which focussing at now aspect, what emphasizes actual context where life
subject; what has liberation dimension, and cultural (Sugirtharajah); a method
challenging West hegemony (Lozada); places forward Bible as having authority (Samartha),
Bible authority capable to consort and answers problems in context (read:
reality) subject, this very precise to be confronted in Indonesia context,
especialy Java, including struggling of church in it. Cites Levison connecting
Bible reader context with process hermeneutic. He hook correlates with main realita
in Asia. First, Asian theology must
start from realita Asian nation; functioning Bible as mirror condition of
biography society. Second, some Asian
theologies starts with social reality, for example, focus in equality,
poorness, ecology, like the one developed minjung theology in Korea as
reflection of social. Third, gives
attention to economic realita happened in Asia until today.
Hence, this
article tries lifts gender problems: role of Javanese woman. Injustice facts
gender, role of social social location and institutes is around [by] it (State,
Church, education and others) and the next how we commit for always fights for
change and justice gender.
Problems of Javanes women
In Javanese culture,
existence of woman has important meaning in many things. In Church for example,
most of church which present in religious Sunday ministry has for certain is
woman. Womankind is community the always present activity seremony or worship in
the church, but woman snared in life patriach system.
One role side of Java
woman in activity of family and public is not argued, but on the other side
Java woman remain to experience marginalisation. Irony of course. This
situation strengthened by existence of policys of public limiting role of woman
in public activity.
1. The role Marriage Indonesian Republic number 1/1974; The church arranges
The East Java Christian Church (EJCC): that man’s is leading household.
Explained, men works outside to fulfill requirement of household and woman
manages domestic work.
2. Existence demarcation the number of women in parliamentarian. In
some Churchs in East Java, The East Java Christian Church (EJCC) for example,
gives constrain, church councilor from element woman and young man at the most
30% from grand total. Indirectly this thing limits woman role in public
problems and ( impressing) emerges an assumption woman is not allowed talks in
place of public, fore many people, including men in it.
3. All relating activities and "kitchen” work, cooks, manages
household and educates child always is connected as profession that must be
done by a woman. It all must be done by mother (woman) and not by father or
men. In housewifery, men only work to get a lot many and work of rest is part
woman responsibility.
4. Borrows Freire, education must giving awareness. Without denying
success of education, institute education is not able yet to doing many to
voice equivalence, and parallelism gender, race, ethnical and religion /
ideology. (There are still) many Javaneses who higher education assumes at the
highest a woman to go to school and having career, anyway in the end they also
returns to manages kitchen. Remain to just the Javanese woman must in kitchen,
mean (like upper) must do domestic work.
5. In family life, still very planted strong, that good wife is
clever wife cooks. The wife becoming choice of the boy old fellows for then
becomes the couple is they clever manages requirement of household. Woman which
cannot cook and manages household, in public gets imprecise woman lable to be wife.
6. In woman public always is identified who light as one. Its the
irony, this happened since they the womb mother / baby. Daughter must play at
doll, if fallen down is enabled weeps. Differs from boy, they play at cars,
manouver and if happened something with his is prohibited to weeps. A kind of
this thing happened until they to grew up.
In process of
socialization in the patriachy system which is strong, woman gets lable as
second class. Woman is not equal to men. He stays with men, but they are the other (Edward Said; The Liyan, Mohamad Gunawan) from the men.
Patriach System: ideologi (pria)
Javanese
social-culture is recognized [by] people as
a real culture patriachy, a real places forward role of men and father.
For me a kind of this culture hardly influenced by the tradition, belief,
religion (especially Islam and Christian religion), which then I call ideology
(man). Why that way? Patriach system becomes an ideology as can be seen in
feudal system growing in growing and growing goverment pattern and politics in
Javanese empires, and then adobted by various "goverment system"
modern. Arrangement pattern (read: regulation system) family, religious
institutes like church and islamic center (pesantren, Java), and organization
of the goverment is very jelling with situation of fatherhood.
Structure patriach
system increasingly in public Javanese, when Islam and Christian comes to
Javanese island. Christianity brought by Europe colonial increasingly
strengthens position of man in life of public and especially in the relation of
woman man. Bible Sentences which " talks" about woman used legitimated
power to the man.
"As in all the congregation of the saints, women should remain silent in
the churches. Because they are not allowed to speak. They subject themselves,
as also saith the law. If they want to know something, let them ask their
husbands at home. It is shameful for women to speak in church ". (I
Corinthians 14:34-35). Similarly, the "Wives, submit to your husbands, as it should in the Lord. Husbands, love
your wives and do not rebuke him. Children, obey your parents in everything,
because that's what pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not hurt your child's heart,
so that will not lose heart. Slaves, obey your master in this world in all
things, not just in front of them just to please them, but with sincerity of
heart, fearing God." (Kolose. 3:18-22).
The Holy Book texts
when studied deeper, why and what influencing a kind of this texts emerged in
holy article of Bible, simply a text having the character of ideological. An
ideological text developed by Aristoteles. That orderliness and peacefulness of
a state started from family. If wife, chlid, and slave in obedient family to
father, hence undoubtedly all relationship would harmonious. Obedient to
husband, doesn't change it an citizen ideology bowing to state.
Theological texts
(read: ideological) is then dominated much of the church today. Church of Bible
texts read textually, as a sacred document, without having to be scrutinized
further. Given and taught systematically to all the congregation, as a teaching
that comes from God and who must be obeyed. That means, indirectly perpetuate
and legitimacy Patriarchs of the church is in the public system.
From this it can be said that
talking about gender relations, in my opinion not appropriate if the church is
often used Biblical texts to speak on relationship issues of women and men.
Because, basically, not a few sacred texts of the Bible, like the above are not
intended for the relationship of men and women, but for ideological purposes or
structuring of the state.
To dismantle the dominance of the
ruling, if it is detrimental to the Patriarchs system or to dismantle the
dominance of female-domination of others, I refer to the church to use
Galatians 3:28, "In this case there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor
free, there is neither male nor female, for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
"for me, this is the biblical text in our power to criticize the Patriarch
system. Deconstruct and then reconstruct Patriarchs system based on Scripture
verses that uphold equalitas and equality.
Action for Transformation
Feminist hermeneutics as the
postcolonial hermeneutics is an approach that brings awareness of the context,
in this case is gender inequality. Borrowing a term Sugirtharajah, he related
to the liberation and cultural dimensions; a method challenging West hegemony
(read: male hegemony) (Lozada); places forward Bible as having authority
(Samartha), Bible authority capable Consort and answers to problems in context
( read: reality) subject, this very precise to be confronted in Indonesia context,
especialy Java, Including struggling of church in it.
Based on the above matters, I
propose a few things to be done by persons (male and female), church
institutions, governments and other institutions that koncern with gender
issues, marginalization, and equality.
1.
Self-realization.
Self-aware that around us there are
injustice, inequality and the role of domination by one party is very
important, because i believe without self-consciousness
(Anthony de Mello) will not be able to change one's self and surroundings. The
question is how do we realize that something is not right with ourselves and
around us? The answer, education, and
socialization (Groome) on the issue in question is a guarantee for both
direct and indirect awaken people, men and women will be the relation between
it and relation to the ecology. Without adequate education, then surely the
knowledge and the development of poor communities in the vicinity.
2.
Re-interpretation
of the dogma and doctrines of the church
The Church is an institution that is
directly responsible for the teachings that have been submitted to the people,
including the teaching of female presence and kedudukanya in the family and
society in general. The church today who inherited theology (see also:
ideology) of the early church which imposes limits on, "women should
remain silent in the churches" and "If they want to know something,
let them ask their husbands at home" (I I Corinthians 14:34-35) is a
castration of the right and the marginalization of the role of women in family
and church. The Church and the Bible in authority should be able to answer
today's problems of race. Authority of the Bible must bring freedom and not the
other way to make certain parties, in this case the woman was colonized.
The church must return the Bible to its
original role, as the good news. The news release the oppressed, the
marginalized, the weak, the defenseless and those who need help. Should have
been learned from the experience of church history, such as when they are wrong
to take action against Galileo Galilei. Church is now faced with more or less
the same thing, against the ideology of male (first: the ideology of
Copernicus). Mere-interpretation of his teachings. If in the beginning they put
the women and men perananya under ideology, now headed to the "in this
case there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, there is neither male nor
female, for ye are all one in Christ Jesus "(Galatians 3:28). Of the
spirit of gender inequality leads to gender equity.
3.
Commitment
and consistency enforce equality in all things.
Good education, which accompanied a
heightened awareness of equality and gender justice, which is supported by the
ideology (read: theology) is equal between men and women there would be no
meaning, if not accompanied by the commitment and consistency to make changes.
meaning of commitment and fighting spirit of equality, and feminism is a
struggle to the end.***
