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Research I am pursuing right now deals with every day ŧreligionŨ
in a group of ũIslam WerunŪ (New Islam) in Kedang which is located in
eastern part of Lembata island. Fortunately, I have ever
coincidentally had a very little talk with some of its members.
This phenomenon has significantly appeared a couple of years ago
and still attracting to observe. This attempt is intended to
acknowledge how that real fact works or makes sense in which we can
trace why this phenomenon comes to pass there. By acknowledging this
group objectively, we will also comprehend them because we judge the
reality as factually as how they do it for themselves day by day.


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The difference or advantage of using the approach of every day
religion is not ignorable. Every day religion stresses primarily on
the lay people who are doing their daily activities rather than those
who own authority or strategic positions in the frame of power. The
observation is absolutely free from authorityŨs intervention or ŧpower
relationŨ in any ways.
In other words, every day religion digs more deeply into the core
of lay peopleŨs activities and treat them as ŧhuman-subjectsŨ to
construct the understanding of ŧreligionŨ with them, from their own
frame work. This is really diverse with the conventional sociological
method which places lay people as the objects in the paradigm of
sociological theory and expect the certain results as what has been
clearly designed by the theory.

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 In observing the phenomenon of ŧIslam WerunŨ above and in dealing
with their every day ŧreligionŨ I will meticulously select those who
will be my subject of study.
They are men (fathers status) in a group. They adopt and live out
uncommon or unusual ways of lives. They do not so much concentrate on
prayers five times each day as other Muslims obey. They cultivate and
preserve a very modest and simple lifestyle in which they are willing
to go on foot from a distance to make a visit to their fellows without
any complaint, although public transportation is available. They
always take with them a small piece of towel on their shoulders to dry
the sweat on their faces. They have long beards. They are not very
keen on arranging big parties when celebrating certain events in their
lives, especially wedding party and custom (adat). When a man or woman
dies in their group or in their close families and relatives, they
immediately take over the role and arrange the process of funeral with
their own ways. No cry! No complicated process of ŧceremonyŨ! They
will quickly handle the burial of the deceased person without waiting
for the presence of all visitors, even the father or mother or child
of the deceased itself. The burial mostly takes less than one and a
half hour after a man/woman passes away.
Based on the characteristics of ŧIslam WerunŨ described above, I
will do my research or observation with questions to the members of
that group as follows: ũHow do they pursue their daily activities?Ū,
ũHow do they think of their lifestyles as such?Ū, ũHow do they feel in
the bottom of their hearts so far?Ū, ũWhy do they decide to practice
ŧnew waysŨ in their life time?Ū, ũWhat do people say or asses them
regarding their practices?Ū and so on.

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My thesis will be expected to cover all the possible answers

until the decisions made by the members of ũIslam WerunŪ group to
practice their everyday lives as such. There are some reasons or
answers as follows:

X  Praying five times each day might be considered as a routine

which has no penetration into the practices of ŧreligiousŨ elites in
local level. The teachings and real life of ŧreligiousŨ elites or
leaders apparently show the contradictory facts. For instance, some
leaders corrupt, commit adultery, tell a lie, etc.
X ". Culture of party in the society is regarded as merely
extravagant. It is not economical consideration at all. People spend a
lot of money that they have collected for years. That is why they
contradict such habits or customs by choosing their own simple and
modest way of lives. This is a kind of critics or ŧrebellionŨ they do
to evoke the awareness of the society.
 X &. Death is also a moment of holding party that takes 3 or 4
days and needs a lot of money, including many animals which must be
slaughtered for that purpose.
The limitation of this research might lie in one thing: how those
people should conceive and believe in their own frame works? The
reality will conceive the concept or theory. In so doing, the end of
all researches (of course, not ŧpower-orientedŨ) can uphold all their
subjective feelings and assessments or the like to the realities or
practices which are certainly not all untrue. Yet, their paradigm of
generalization in concluding the fact as attached in number 4.1. above
is, for me, rather arbitrary. How can they decide not to pray five
times each day any more, just because some ŧreligiousŨ leaders commit
adultery? Why do they not actively participate in the society to
promote the common awareness rather than retreating and grouping
themselves exclusively? ---

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Although the CDA method has its own limitation, it can be used to
analyze the discourse on Mount MerapiŨs Deadly Eruptions (for further,
called: Merapi). The strength of CDA in the discourse presented below
is its capability to promote identity of those involved. Identity
evokes due to the fact: differences. By using CDA, we will also
explore to acknowledge on how and what the identity is in the
diversity level.
Beside that, CDA assists us to comprehend the reasons and
thoughts or concepts which lie behind the claim on Merapi from some
people with diverse backgrounds. CDA will also aids us to admit that
there are different opinions regarding Merapi to trace the more
profound and comprehensive meaning. The weakness of CDAŹ-it might be
the logical consequence to promote the identity---accentuates the
ŧsubjectivityŨ in viewing Merapi based on their paradigm or framework.
Nevertheless, all the different views can fix or make sense in a more
profound and broader context of understanding.

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 In this session, I will raise some beneficial questions on
account of my research regarding Merapi. Those questions will assist
me to analyze the text from a transcription given. There are some
specific research questions I would like to discuss.

2.1. Who are the respondents in the transcription?

2.2. How the respondents in the transcription are
chosen?
2.3. What kinds of answers are given by the respondents?


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#3

The transcription about Merapi is very fascinating due to the

various roles played in the discourse. The respondents are scholars
and interestingly embedded in paradigm of mythological, scientific and
religious minds. They are chosen with intension to cover many sides
and arrange the colorful discourse with the frank comments from the
lay people about their own identity, sufferings and unity with Merapi.
Technology and science (seismometers, GSP and radar satellites)
in some respects, is still inexact in knowing when (time and day) the
eruption precisely happens as well as the movement of the lava dome.
SURONO (indonesiaŨs chief volcanologist) states that it is inexact in
knowing when (time and day) the eruption precisely happens as well as
the movement of the lava dome. SURONO (indonesiaŨs chief
volcanologist) answers :Ū Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Inexact. I
think not exactly.Ū That is why John Eichelberger, a volcanologist
from USA prefers using the word ũforcastŪ because it is still harder
than predicting weather or a hurricane.
Based on this fact, mythology and ŧlocalŨ belief play its role
and color the discourse. Damardjati Supadjar, a javanist mystic and
Bernard AR stand on this side. Bernard affirms :ŪMerapi is a very
powerful deity who is really behind the fertility of this land.Ū ũFor
Javanese, Central Java---Bernard continues ---Merapi is the most holy
place in the universeŪ. It is the center of the universe. Merapi is
regarded as a deity behind the fertility of the land. We bear in mind
the concept of Rudolf Otto about ŧthe wholly otherŨ who is a mystery
with tremendous as well as fascinating aspects (mysterium tremendum at
fascinans) to which people extend their ŧsense of dependenceŨ. Merapi,
on the one hand, brings sufferings, and on the other hand, it also
prepares the fertile soil for Merapi people. They are fully dependent
on Merapi, their place of birth. Damardjati sees the fiery result of
shifting plates and a dead gatekeeper as a clear message from the
gods.
Critically thinking, mythological thoughts, in this discourse,
come to complete the vacuum sphere in science because science still
does not precisely know when the eruption occurs. When science is
vacuum, mythology can share the meanings and make sense the discourse.
This is an excellent synergy to search for meaning of lay peopleŨs
life.
Then, religious refugees also appear on the stage to color the
discourse with their own opinion. A boy who suffers from the disaster
utters meaningful words :Ūŝif everyone is crying , it would become a
flood. I feel very calm because the cow and the house and everything,
Allah lent it to me. So, now he is taking it back, and that is OK. As
long as Allah gives us health, happiness and patience, I will start
again.Ū
The above statement emerges to show the strength of lay people.
In God, they trust and they will not completely destroyed. They
surrender (nrimo ing pandum) in bearing the sufferings, they struggle
for the best and God will take the rest. When they are weak, they are
strong in depending on God.
Therefore, when criticizing the mythology or mysticism as
irrational, they absolutely fulfill the ŧvacuumŨ or bear complementary
meanings to the lack of science. When official religions claim that
mythology or mysticism are illogical, they are practically logical in
their own way. Merapi people, in some ways, are more patient and much
stronger than those who go to the church on Sunday but run away from
the disaster or sufferings.
All in all, CDA finally guides us not only to something critical.
But also the fact that, searching for identity and meaning of humansŨ
lives, synergy and harmony with many aspects should be taken into
account. Living on this earth to gain meaningful life, in my view,
each aspect (even Merapi disaster) is absolutely the piece of meaning
(including science and mysticism) to remind us all the time about
where we come and where we will go back someday, yes..to ŧGodŨ, the
Source of Meaning. ---