The Oath Turns Out to Be a Serious Matter

Wan Jaya

"An oath is a pure religious act that cannot be done out of desire. It can only be performed with a pure and calm mind, with God as its witness." Mahatma Gandhi. Therefore, "An oath, once taken, cannot be retracted even by four galloping horses," as another expression goes, stating that "A man's promise is as heavy as nine tripods" and "A promise is worth a thousand gold taels." That is how people in the past perceived the significance of an oath or promise. In contrast, nowadays, an oath is viewed merely as words that can be broken or a play of words or a ceremonial gesture before taking on a position. Millennials now refer to those who make false promises as PHP (promise-giver). In other words, a prankster. Let's take an example from the land of Konoha, where a mayor served two terms, had the opportunity to become a governor, resigned from his position, and became the governor. Before even completing his term as governor bound by the oath of office, he suddenly nominated himself for president. When elected president, he forgot his sworn oath in the next position. After serving two terms, when it was time to step down, he seemed unwilling and wanted to extend his term. However, all conspiracies, deceit, and efforts failed to materialize. His last option was to establish a dynasty. It didn't matter if he stepped down, as long as his crown prince could ascend the throne. Interestingly, or perhaps true to the saying 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree,' the crown prince seems to want to emulate his father in forgetting his oath as a regional leader to become the second-in-command in the land of Konoha. People nowadays see this as commonplace. While popularity and electability are high, or as long as his father is in power so that he can be assisted in winning the contest using state resources. Indeed, an oath is just a word, but that word is connected to the soul of a person. Words are a manifestation of the soul's power in the form of resonating voices that carry meaning, connecting with the souls of others. When someone swears or promises, they emit the energy of their soul, drawing in the hopeful energy of those promised to be trusted, chosen as a leader, and a solution to the country and its people's problems. At that moment, they also owe the energy of hope to those who were promised. Especially when uttered in the name of God. Surely, this is not a simple matter. Hence, there is a saying that 'a promise is a debt.' Yet, people now use the excuse that a promise is a debt, so there is no need to fulfill it; it is enough to be paid with promises. And so on. The phenomenon of trivializing the oath of office has become a plague no less significant than the recent pandemic. Everywhere we look, officials from the executive, legislative, and judiciary branches engage in corruption, collusion, and nepotism as a result of trivializing oaths and promises. Yet, at the beginning, Gandhi stated that an oath is a purely religious event witnessed by God. It is a sacred thing, not just a mere play on words. For those who believe and have faith, what in this world is not serious? For those who believe and have faith, every word, whether in thought, heart, or mouth, is always witnessed by God. It can become a prayer or a curse. Good words become a prayer. Bad words become a curse. In the era of our ancestors, what one held onto was their words, promises, and oaths, not their tails. That's why in the former royal sites in Java and Sumatra, many inscriptions containing oaths and curses are found. Why were these inscriptions effective in making people of ancient times adhere to the prevailing rules? Because they still believed in the existence of a higher power that watched over every word and deed. Actually, the embryo named Indonesia also began with the oath of the youth known as the Youth Pledge, commemorated on October 28. Indeed, the pledge was just words of commitment about one homeland, one nation, and one language. But the energy from that oath ignited the consciousness, desire, and spirit of independence of the Indonesian people who had been colonized for three and a half centuries. From this event, we can prove, feel, and even enjoy the pledge of the youth at that time with the birth of Indonesia and its independence. And in that moment of the Youth Pledge, the national anthem of Indonesia, "Indonesia Raya" by W.R Supratman, was born. Although at that time, he only played it with his violin because in the lyrics, the word 'freedom' was taboo and prohibited. But since then, the lyrics of the song spread unstoppably. With the whistle of "Indonesia Raya," people understood and remembered its lyrics. And the inspiration for independence became an unstoppable snowball, exploding on August 17, 1945. And what was actually happening at that time? A solemn oath believed, trusted, and affirmed by more and more Indonesian people who were eager for independence. That's the power of the oath 'desiring freedom.' When independence was proclaimed, the next generation was bound by an oath to be grateful for it, to defend it to the last drop of blood, and to fill it with something meaningful and positive for the sustainability of the nation and the country itself. It can be concluded that the existence, progress, advancement, rise, and fall of this nation depend on the loyalty to each oath, whether as leaders or citizens. Leaders swear to work, serve, and unite the interests of the people, the nation, and the state rather than personal, family, and group interests. Meanwhile, the people, who are pieces of the puzzle of God's voice, swear to faithfully defend their conscience so that it cannot be bought, ensuring they do not make the mistake of choosing a leader. Not easily tempted by a sack of groceries and a piece of paper money that disappears in an instant but the suffering lasts for years. Each of us has our own oath. Keeping it is the key to the continuity of this country. When the boat of this country is being hit by a storm, do not forget to keep each oath. The shore of hope awaits ahead, as storms cannot last forever. Because storms come to test how strong we are in our basic values and character. And storms want to show who the true leaders-citizens are and who are the losers. Stay with Wan Jaya in Mata Phena:  Revealing the Essence of the Event."