Herrio Tekdi Nainggolan, Andrianus Nababan, Resmi Hutasoit

Narsisme Agama dan Distorsi Ruang Publik: Analisis Perspektif Jürgen Habermas dalam Konteks Indonesia

Introduction

Narsisme agama dan distorsi ruang publik: analisis perspektif jürgen habermas dalam konteks indonesia. Narsisme agama mendistorsi ruang publik Indonesia. Studi ini menganalisis perspektif Habermas, mengungkap polarisasi, intoleransi, dan tantangan moderasi beragama.

Abstract

This study aims to explore how religious narcissism shapes socio-religious behavioral patterns within society and to provide an overview of the expanding phenomenon through the relevance of Jürgen Habermas’s public sphere theory in the Indonesian religious context. This research employs a qualitative method using a literature study approach supported by netnographic methods. The findings reveal that religious narcissism within the public sphere is manifested through the use of religious symbols, narratives, and performative practices in both social and digital spaces as instruments of image construction, identity legitimization, and contestation among religious groups. This phenomenon is influenced by identity politics, majority logic, and the legacy of religious conflicts, all of which contribute to the distortion of the public sphere as conceptualized by Habermas. Religious narcissism not only reinforces social polarization and religious exclusivism, but also weakens tolerance, intensifies intolerance, and hinders efforts toward religious moderation and social cohesion in Indonesia.

Review

This study, "Narsisme Agama dan Distorsi Ruang Publik: Analisis Perspektif Jürgen Habermas dalam Konteks Indonesia," addresses a highly pertinent and timely issue concerning the interplay between religion and public discourse in contemporary Indonesia. The authors set out to investigate the manifestations and implications of "religious narcissism" within society, specifically leveraging Jürgen Habermas's theory of the public sphere. The abstract effectively outlines the research's qualitative, literature-based, and netnographic methodology, promising a robust exploration of how religious narcissism contributes to socio-religious behavioral patterns and distorts the idealized Habermasian public sphere, making it a valuable addition to the field of religious studies and sociology in Southeast Asia. The findings presented are compelling, indicating that religious narcissism actively shapes the public sphere through the instrumentalization of religious symbols, narratives, and performative practices in both offline and digital realms. This instrumentalization serves to construct group identity, legitimize claims, and facilitate contestation among various religious communities. Crucially, the abstract attributes this phenomenon to deeply embedded factors such as identity politics, the logic of the majority, and the lingering legacy of past religious conflicts. This combination of influences clearly elucidates how the public sphere, meant for rational-critical debate, becomes distorted, leading to increased social polarization, religious exclusivism, and a marked weakening of tolerance. The identified negative consequences—intensified intolerance and hindered efforts toward religious moderation and social cohesion—underscore the critical nature of this problem in a pluralistic society like Indonesia. Overall, this research appears to offer a significant contribution to understanding the complexities of religious dynamics in Indonesia, particularly through the lens of critical social theory. By applying Habermas's framework, the study provides a theoretical grounding for analyzing how religious ego-centrism can undermine democratic deliberation and social harmony. The interdisciplinary approach combining literature study with netnography is particularly promising for capturing both historical context and contemporary digital manifestations of this issue. The findings have significant implications not only for academic discourse on religion and society but also for policymakers and community leaders grappling with issues of social cohesion and religious pluralism. This paper promises to be an insightful and critically important analysis for its chosen context.

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