Why do people who leave religion still seek a "replacement for God"? Gus Ulil Abshar Abdalla discusses the crisis of meaning in modern society, from young people's healthy lifestyles, urban Sufism, to Cak Nur's term "counterfeit religion."

In Lesehan by The Authority, Gus Ulil and Gus Romzi discuss why young people run, do Pilates, and seek community, yet still feel unsettled. According to Gus Ulil, we live in a post-foundational society: the old foundations (religion, tradition, the authority of the kiai) are cracking, and people are seeking replacements in many ways.

📌 WHAT WE DISCUSSED
Distracting our own students: stand-up comedy at Al-Hikam religious studies
The balance between external and internal knowledge (sharia, tarekat, and hakikat)
Young people, CFD, and healthy living trends
Longevity, transhumanism, and work-life balance
Urban Sufism and the New Age: the spiritual thirst of modern people
Post-foundational society and the rift in religious authority
From fatalism to acceptance, and why Stoicism is popular
Why sports and entertainment alone aren't enough
Pseudo-religion: when religion is abandoned, people seek "counterfeit religions"
Atomization, "bowling alone," and the importance of the third space

⏱️ CHAPTER
00:00 Opening: Gus Ulil is no longer a member of PBNU
00:36 Distracting our own students
01:23 Sufism studies: the dignity of seven and Al-Hikam
02:57 The balance between external and internal knowledge inner self
05:58 Young people and a healthy lifestyle
07:49 CFD and urban public spaces
11:40 Longevity and transhumanism
13:45 Work-life balance and lessons from Japan
14:14 New Age and urban Sufism
16:44 Post-foundational society
20:01 Fractured religious authority, cancel culture, and the confusion of the faithful
23:46 Searching for safe spaces and community
24:49 Fatalism vs. acceptance, Stoicism
30:44 Trend or paradigm shift?
31:45 The declining middle class and the issue of wellness
34:36 Why sports and entertainment aren't enough
38:17 Human spiritual needs
40:13 Plastic surgery and temporary solutions
43:34 The body is also important in Islam
45:09 Spirituality in a hypermodern state
46:32 "Plastic" religion? Pseudo-religion according to Cak Nur
47:39 Holism and new awareness
50:12 Atomization and "bowling alone"
55:19 The importance of the third space

🎙️ SOURCE
Gus Ulil Abshar Abdalla, Muslim intellectual, caretaker of Ghazalia College

📺 LESEHAN by THE AUTHORITY
A casual conversation about religion, culture, and modern life with Muslim intellectuals.

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