Harmony in Diversity: Exploring Religiosity Cohesion Among Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist Communities in North Lombok, Indonesia
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This research explores social cohesion among Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu communities in Pemenang Timur Village in Lombok, East Indonesia. This village stands out because its people peacefully coexist in close proximity among three religious groups. This is in contrast to discrimination and violence that often occur in interfaith relations in other regions in Indonesia. This research employs a qualitative method with an ethnographic approach to analyze social practices and to reveal meaningful insights. It involves in-depth interviews with religious leaders (Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist), traditional leaders, Pemangku, and local community members. The findings show that social cohesion manifests in three forms: hereditary values characterized by blood relation through interfaith marriage, local wisdom in The Ngejot tradition held by sharing food during religious ceremonies, and religious cohesion represented by concepts such as Tasamuh concept in the Islam, Tri Hita Karana in Hinduism and the Vihara Brahma in Buddhism. Through these religious cohesion values, the social heritage and local traditions are preserved to maintain harmony between religious communities and foster mutual respect as part of civic culture, and to improve social solidarity between religious communities. They play a vital role in cultivating unity and integrity among different religions and ethnicities. The findings of this research emphasize the importance of social cohesion in building harmony between religious communities in other regions of Indonesia, contributing to more peaceful, and harmonious nations with respect for diverse religious beliefs, ethnicities, cultures, tribes, and languages.
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