@riotuasikal

*Dimuat di situs Serikat Jurnalis untuk Keberagaman (Sejuk)

Video liputan ini di linimasa Facebook, hingga Sabtu (11/6/2016) malam, sudah ditonton 2,3 juta kali dan panen kecaman. Dalam video itu nampak petugas Satpol PP Serang, Banten, merazia sebuah warung nasi yang buka di siang hari. Terlihat ibu pemilik warung memohon kepada petugas untuk tidak menyita makanannya – meski pada akhirnya petugas mengabaikannya dan ibu itu meninggalkan warung sambil menangis.

Video 1 menit 42 detik itu mungkin hanya selintas, namun ia menunjukkan gambaran besar mengenai perspektif keliru yang digunakan jurnalis tersebut. Saya mencatat beberapa kalimat dalam naskah yang mencerminkan cara pandangnya.

“Warung ini diketahui nekat melayani konsumen pada siang hari saat bulan suci Ramadhan."

“Demi terwujudnya toleransi dan saling menghormati antar umat beragama, semua warung makan dilarang beroperasi saat siang hari.”

Teks di CG bawah layar: “Imbauan bersama demi toleransi saat Ramadhan”

Kalimat…

I remember when I am having dinner together with friends - one of them is Jewish - in Bandung few years back. We were at Madtari - where an instant noodle "Indomie" served with toppings like corned beef, cheese, and egg combined.

We were about to order our food when my Jewish friend explain about kosher, the law of eating equal to halal concept for Muslims.

"I can't order Indomie with such toppings, unfortunately. It is considered not kosher," he explained.

"Why?"

"Corned beef and cheese made from cow milk are just like parent and children, we cannot boil them at once," he said carefully. In Jewish law, it is called בשר בחלב‎‎ (basar bechalav) or literally meat in milk. Book of Exodus forbids "boiling a (kid) goat in its mother's milk".

So he avoided all of Indomie-related menus and just moved to toast instead.

As respect to my Jewish friend, I wanted to cancel my Indomie as I did not want to pique him. But he responded fast …

My 1st day of Ramadan was awkward.

I was putting on my shoes on Monday morning when my ibu kos greeted me at the door, and bashfully asked.

"Rio, do you fasting?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Do you celebrate Eid?"

"Yes. Why, bu?"

"I thought you celebrate Christmas."

Oh come on!

Honestly I am familiar with those annual typical questions - and I usually respond the way I did. To make it crystal clear, I did not feeling offended or attacked with that. Wasn't indignant at all. The point is not why asking my religion, but why asking my religion that way?

Back to my days as students, I was frequently asked by curious shy friends. Apparently because most people find me as religion ambiguous - well I am muslim. I remember the other way people used to know my identity.

"Do you go to the mosque or the church?"

What if I don't do both?

I know that for some people religion is an issue. Even considered as taboo. So when they talk about it, they w…