Terrorism, comic, and children

It is admitted or not that terrorism almost exists in all of religions. It does not mean that religion teaches terrorism, but its adherents who are wrong in understanding their religion. We have to believe that all of religions teach goodness. No religion in this world which urge their adherents to steal, hate, hit, even kill. The faith could be different, but the main point of religion teaching is to engage doing goodness.  

Unfortunately, terrorism in the name of religion has been going on in Indonesia such as terror which is done by ISIS in Falatehan Mosque Jakarta. A mosque where located on police headquarters. Two police officers were stabbed by the terrorist. Months ago, we were surprising with ISIS terrors in Kampung Melayu and Sarinah area.  

The ISIS terrorism claims that what they are doing is appropriate with Islamic teaching can not be justified. Islam does not teach violence and killing, even bombing. Bombing is admitted as ISIS movement. It is threat so that we are afraid and obey them. As Muslim, we have to say loudly that we are not afraid and what ISIS does is not Islamic teaching. Precisely, we have to give world the understanding that Islam teaches love through all of religious people, even those who embrace same religion.    

So, what is the relationship among terrorism, comic, and children as mention in the title above?

We have to realize as soon as possible. Terrorism is not only adult business, but also it strays children. In Syria, Iraq, ISIS intensively doctrines children by giving them wrong understanding about Islam. Children are taught to do terror. Indeed, there is a father in NTB who teaches his child to do violence in the name of religion which recently become viral in the social media. It is madness because the profession of the father is teacher. It is not impossible that the same case happen in another area in Indonesia. What a pity it is. 

How to prevent terrorism? The understanding of ISIS’s danger has to be taught in school and be promoted through comic. Besides that, children should be taught the important of being tolerance. 

The writer was the student of elementary school in the last of 90’s. In that time, comic became popular. 90’s children surely still remember horror comic Petualangan Petruk and Gareng which was written by Tatang S. For the writer, Tatang S is a comic legendary and his comic could be bought by lower middle economic children because its price is affordable. Petruk comic became popular in children world. This comic not only tells about horror and funny thing, but also it teaches the religious character of Indonesia. Besides showing ghosts such as kuntilanak, sundel bolong, pocong, and tuyul, it also displays how the important role of religious leaders in the village. Religious leaders sometime preaches Petruk and Gareng to do salat so that they are not disturbed kuntilanak. It can be important of children character forming.

We would find horror comic with theme of torture hell. This kind of comic could make the writer and his friends creeps because it illustrated every torture hell. So that, the writer and his friends immediately repented and studied Islam diligently. The comic was read by the whole students in the class.       

Thereby, according to the writer, this kind of comic has to be promoted again. The children will like it. It should be successor of Tatang S in this country. But, the theme of comic should be changed with the danger of ISIS, we are not afraid of ISIS, and others. Where religious leader or kiai who encourages to the right religion teaching, full of love, full of tolerance, and peace shown in that comic. 

We are luck. To protect children from ISIS, NU has seasoned comic artist. His name is Aji Prasetyo. As Abdullah Alawi wrote in NU Online, Aji have created such comic with the title Apa Sih Maunya NU?. It can be such counter radicalism. Comic makes its reader calm and peace. 

We have to be grateful with the existence of those comics which spread or campaign peace. The writer believes the message of that comic will imprint in children and adult heart. Wallahu a'lam bis shawab.