Overseas Think Tank for Indonesia

by Jennie S. Bev

On Nov. 12, the Charter for Compassion, a document promoting peace and tolerance, will be officiated and hopefully it will serve as an antidote to religious fundamentalism.

It is the brainchild of religious scholar Karen Armstrong whose breakthrough book A History of God shook the world in 1993 with the assistance of the 2008 TED Prize of US$100,000.

The charter includes ideas and writings from people of all nations, all faiths and all religions, including Abrahamic faiths, and secular-agnostic-atheist non-faiths. Read the rest of this entry »

Judul: Just for You: Mutiara-Mutiara Kehidupan
Penulis: P. Mutiara Andalas, SJ
Penerbit: Kanisius, Yogyakarta, 2009
Ukuran: 150×150
Beli: Klik di sini

Kata Pengantar

Buku di tangan pembaca sejatinya sebuah kado ulang tahun. Saya mempersembahkannya untuk seorang remaja yang baru saja menginjak usia 17 tahun. Kisah hidupnya seringkali membawa ingatan saya kembali pada Aya dalam drama serial Ichi Ritoru no Namida. Di balik drama 1 Liter Air Mata, saya menemukan harapan akan kehidupan yang senantiasa bernyala. Harapan hidup ditemukan saat keduanya bergumul dengan sakit. Nafas tulisan berasal dari perjumpaan dengan pribadi-pribadi istimewa seperti penerima persembahan buku. Saya terngiang penuturan A. Alvarez yang mengaku jatuh cinta pada bahasa lebih dari setengah abad. Read the rest of this entry »

Image source: kaskus.us

by Evan A. Laksmana

Is democracy hurting Indonesia’s defense? One cannot but ponder this unspoken, yet often privately asked, question heard recently in a public discussion organized by noted military watchdog the Pro-Patria Institute.

While the forum was meant to launch the institute’s latest recommendations on national security, discussions during the Q&A session touched on the “excesses” of democracy and how it has complicated, if not undermined, the Indonesian Military’s (TNI) efforts to strengthen national defense. Read the rest of this entry »