Rampant consumerism and religious extremism pose a dual threat to Indonesia's national character; Fr Franz Magnis-Suseno (IDO) of Jakarta's Driyarkara School of Philosophy warned speaking to about 80 participants at a June 2 symposium in Jakarta organized by the Democratic National, an organization dedicated to creating integral freedom in Indonesia.

"Narrow-minded religious extremism has also emerged today. This also threatens society," he said underlying that the national character needs basic values which are already contained in the Pancasila (five principles) enshrined in the 1945 Constitution, and that calls for a belief in one God, a just and civilized society, national unity, consensus-led democracy and justice for all. Indonesian people need openness and tolerance, Fr Suseno said. "These exist in Indonesia. But they are being threatened by fanaticism and religious and ethnic narrow-mindedness. We must uphold our basic values since they unite us." And he urged Indonesians to resist the threats and to learn to accept ethnic and religious differences.

Source: SJ Electronic News Service SJVol. XIV, N. 13, 21 June 2010