POLEMICS OF RELIGION AND LOVE: DISCRIMINATION OF DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS COUPLES IN INDONESIA

Interfaith couples in Indonesia are classified as marginalized couples. This is due to the polemic of interfaith marriage in Indonesia. In practice, interfaith couples have complex problems in carrying out the marriage process in Indonesia. Disciplining on state regulations as stipulated in the Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 1 of 1974 concerning marriage is a single point of truth. The single truth that marriage is valid if it is carried out according to the law of each religion and belief. This of course curbs freedom and does not take sides with interfaith couples. Interfaith couples become bound by state legal counsel. Interfaith couples experience complexity in terms of maintaining love, religion and state law. This study used conventional ethnographic methodology with qualitative sources. The sources of this research were couples of different religions. The theory applied in this research is Michel Foucault's theory of power relations and knowledge. This theory is used to expose the existence of discipline and power in state regulations against interfaith couples. This research generates a new perspective in Cultural Studies research on the polemic of interfaith couples. The binding legal power of the state forms interfaith pairs as subalterns. Key words: marriage, different religions, power relations

Mormon Lifestyles

Missionaries star in a reality show, polygamous families give viewers access to their everyday lives in a documentary series, religious couples portray their successful lives and their faith in TV spots. Using numerous examples, “Mormon Lifestyles. Communicating Religion and Ethics in Documentary Media” shows how documentary media fundamentally influence the public perception of religion. Religious affiliation is expressed by such media as a specific lifestyle. With a view to the global spread of Mormonism, the study explains how documentary media thematize and rework religion with specific tools and to various ends, including within the ethical and digital spaces.

Religious Couples Re-Storying After Infidelity: Using Narrative Therapy Interventions with a Focus on Attachment

Attachment-focused narrative interventions used with religious couples of the Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) dealing with the effects of infidelity is discussed in this article. With religious couples, the couple attachment bond is commonly harmed after infidelity. The attachment bond with God can also be affected with one or both partners. Partners who once felt close and connected with God can feel angry and distant because of infidelity. Since the Abrahamic faiths are narrative-based religions, and an attachment bond with God is essential, attachment-focused narrative interventions can help couples re-story their relationship with each other and with God. Attachment-based narrative interventions are also illustrated using case-examples to help practitioners collaborate with religious couples to co-author new narratives and journey toward empowered futures.

Jewish Dating or Niche-making?

In this article I am approaching the topic of Jewish dating among the young Russian-speaking Jews who live in Berlin. Using the analytical concept of space and applying grounded theory, I am presenting data I collected in 2010 using the methods of ethnographic interviews and participant observation. The article is organised around three main questions. Firstly, I am interested in the motivation of my interviewees, who are generally children of inter-ethnic and inter-religious couples, to find a solely Jewish partner. Secondly, I am asking for existing strategies applied within a relatively small Jewish community of around thirty to fifty thousand in Berlin in order to find a Jewish partner. Thirdly, I am looking for the concrete spaces and places used or constructed for the purpose of finding a Jewish girlfriend or boyfriend. Beside these empirical results, I am introducing the theoretical idea of Jewish niches, which is discussed against the background of 'Jewish space' as promulgated by Diana Pinto.

Die persepsies en houdings van gelowige jonggetroude egpare oor seksuele intimiteit in die huwelik

Hierdie artikel is gebaseer op empiriese navorsing om die persepsies en houdings van gelowige, jonggetroude egpare oor seksuele intimiteit in die huwelik na te vors. Daar is gefokus op hoe die egpare die verhouding sien waarbinne seksuele intimiteit geniet en beleef mag word; wat na hulle mening die man en vrou se plig is rakende die seksuele; wat hulle persepsies is oor die vryheid wat seksuele intimiteit binne die huwelik bied, en wat eksklusiwiteit ten opsigte van seksuele intimiteit binne die huwelik vir elkeen van hulle beteken. ’n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp is gebruik en sewe gelowige egpare wat minder as twee jaar getroud was (N = 11), het aan die navorsing deelgeneem. Die navorsingsdata is uit ’n kort vraelys verkry en deur semigestruktureerde onderhoude wat met sommige van die deelnemers gevoer is. ’n Ryke oes van data is verkry en ’n hele aantal temas is identifiseer. Hierdie temas sluit goed aan by die basisteoretiese en metateoretiese perspektiewe wat as onderbou vir hierdie navorsing gedien het.The perceptions and attitudes of religious newlywedded couples regarding sexual intimacy in the marriage. This article is based on empirical research done to explore the perceptions and attitudes of religious newlywedded couples regarding sexual intimacy in the marriage. The research focused on how the couples regard a relationship in which sexual intimacy can be enjoyed and experienced; what, in their opinion, the husband and the wife’s responsibilities are towards each other regarding sex; what their perceptions are about the freedom that sexual intimacy offers in marriage, and what marital exclusivity regarding sexual intimacy means to each of the participants. A qualitative research design was used and seven religious couples that were married less than two years (N = 11) participated in this research. The research data was obtained by using a short questionnaire and semi-structured interviews which were conducted with some of the participants. Rich data was obtained and many themes were identified. These themes correspond well with the basic-theoretical and meta-theoretical perspectives that served as underpinning for the research.