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divides. and doubts bridge to space online providing also while lines, fault and fragments reveals media social how to attention special paying communities, Nahdlatul two these between interplay the Iexamine article, In this broadly. more and Ulama Nahdlatul within force auniting as media social mobilize to and Lurus Garis NU of accusations the temper to humor and satire used that ( Brigade Funny NU the –formed humor of alove for –notorious youth NU of group a diverse In response, leadership. NU current by betrayed purportedly roots original its to Ulama Nahdlatul return to national politics,and globalhegemony (Eickelman and Anderson 2003; media are part of the constitution (and contestation) of religious authority, diverse forms ofIslamicmedia,new media, digitaland social Over the last coupleof decades scholarsofIslamhavebeen studying how Indonesia subjectivity, authority, religious satire, media, social , Keywords: ( Brigade Straight NU an of name the in speak to began members 2015, By NU. of Ulama politics Nahdlatul some future the and Islam of meaning the about schisms internal revealed media social of rise the , East and Central in mostly schools Islamic and leaders religious of network a sprawling Ulama, Nahdlatul within Even liberal. or secular deemed those on suspicion cast and divides sectarian of embers the stoked already had preachers media-savvy young of ageneration advocacy, online for need the commissioned and recognized leadership Ulama Nahdlatul time the By scene. media social Islamic the on late Indonesia’s Ulama Nahdlatul largest Muslim organization, Abstract: University Emory Hoesterey Bourk James and IndonesianOnlineDivides ’s “FunnyBrigade”:Piety, Satire, yber

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NU Garis Lurus Garis NU 1, 2021 ), a social media community community ), media asocial (NU), arrived relatively relatively arrived (NU), , pp. 85-118 ) that proclaimed proclaimed ) that

85 Corresponding author: James B. Hoesterey, Emory University, 537 South Kilgo Circle NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. E-mail: [email protected] world’s) largest Muslim organization, thetraditionalist NahdlatulUlama attention tothe onlineefforts by youngactivistsinIndonesia’s (indeed,the public discourses about Islamic authenticity and legitimacy. I devote special the increasing popularity of humor and satire as important elements within transparency andtruth,inthis article,Ipursueaparallelprojectthatviews relates totheimpossibility ofachievingtheliberaldemocraticdream 24). Whereas Strasslerexaminesexposure,scandal, and the ludic asit to generatenewconstellationsoftruthandmodalities ofrevelation”(2020, Indonesia, “ludicimagesdeployremediation,repurposing, andreworking observes inhermasterfulworkon(re)mediation in post-authoritarian opportunities forreligioushumorandpoliticalsatire. As KarenStrassler digital world,thehumorousspaceswhereand socialmediaprovide decidedly lessattentionhasbeendevotedtothe ludic cornersofthe and onlineworlds. With a few exceptions(Kraidy2017;El-Ariss2019), terror groups,hastendedtofocusontheseriousness ofsocialmedia Scholarly focusonIslamicmedia,mostnotablythose studiesononline and thestate. brought importantinsightsaboutpower, religiousauthority, subjectivity, across disciplinesandindiversegeopoliticalcontexts,thesestudieshave Although myintenthereisnottosurveyanimpressivebodyofscholarship civil societymovements,radicalization,andgenderminorityrights. are often deployed to elucidate broader debates about exegetical divides, discursive approach,scholarlydiscussionsof TV showsandpopstars (Slama andJones2017;SlamaBarendregt2018). Within abroader way tounderstandthereligiousandpoliticalfaultlinesofnation rational. SocialmediainIndonesiahavebecomeanespeciallyelucidating publics” canbedisciplinarynotjustdeliberative,andaffective notsimply rational discourseandexchange,demonstratinghowpublics“counter- challenged Habermasianunderstandingsofthepublicsphereasaspacefor nation. InhisworkoncassettesermonsinCairo,CharlesHirschkind(2001) various religiopoliticalorganizations toarticulatevisionsofreligionand literature hasitsfocusonhowsocialmediaaffords thedigitalspacefor 2017; IzharuddinSchulz2012;Smith-Hefner2007). Kraidy 2017;El-Ariss2019;Mandaville2007;Moll2018;2012;Nisa yber C yber O rient, Vol. 15, Iss. 1, 2021 1 Muchofthe

86 James Bourk Hoesterey after its founding, NU continues to find itself in the position of vying with, vying of position the in itself find to continues NU founding, its after now considered nationalheroes(Bush2009; Fealy1998).Nearlya century to partypolitics andnationalissues severalofitsearliest leaders are in 1945.Overthelastseveral decades,NUhastakenvaryingapproaches organizations that helpedIndonesiaeventuallydeclareitsindependence and EastJava,NUwenton tobecomeoneofseveralanti-colonialMuslim Cairo andvariousplacesin theMiddleEast. With muchofits baseinCentral Indonesia thatwasconnectedtoglobalintellectualforces emanatingfrom 1926 aspartofawiderresponsetotherisereformist Islamicthoughtin Nahdlatul Ulama is a modern traditionalist Muslim organization founded in Satire asDiscipline has transformedwithinthewiderworldofIslamonline. background storyof how NU Funny Brigadecame into beingin2015and the describe briefly to me allow moorings, conceptual some to returning and humility–atopicthathasreceivedlittlescholarlyattention.Before online activiststhatplacesgreatvalueontherelationshipbetweenhumor suggest thatsatiricalmemesalsorevealaludicreligiousethosamongNU more functionalistexplanationsrelatedtoreligion,politics,andpower, I jokes areaimedtodisorient,disarm,anddefusetensions.Beyondthese might beunderstoodasmoraldisciplinethatincitestensions,whereasother others’ claimstoreligiousauthority. Occasionallythisinvolveshumorthat NU FunnyBrigadehumorexposesperceivedhypocrisiesandchallenges religious andpoliticalorganizations (seeFealy2018;Nuraniyah2020), Reflecting increasingly acerbic rivalries between Nahdlatul Ulama and other confuses, inspires,andevenangersdiverseviewersinonlineencounters. in theaffective force of satire, particularly how it summons, amuses, across Indonesia’s dividedMuslim communities.Iamespeciallyinterested By lookingtotheludic,Iwantunderstandpoliticsofonlinecontroversy spaces ofthenation. attention to theological difference, and stake claims on the religiopolitical ( (NU). Inparticular, Iexplorehowtherecently-formedNUFunnyBrigade NU GarisLucu)deployshumorasawaytodisruptdigitalspaces,draw yber C yber O rient, Vol. 15, Iss. 1, 2021

87 James Bourk Hoesterey making (kafiryang belumjadi).” Trying tosettlehisown scorewiththe where herefers tothosesubscribing liberalIslamas“infidels inthe Muzadi’s 2012sermon formembersoftheIslamicDefenders Front (FPI) from December4,2019shows aclipofthelateNUChairK.H.Hasyim frequently relishinpublic polemics. A NUStraightBrigade retweet leadership, especiallyfigures likeNUChairK.H.Said Aqil Sirajwho they feltwasthewayward liberaldirectionofthecurrentNUnational digital, andsocialmediatheNUStraightBrigade took issuewithwhat and ), and Luthfi Bashori(Malang,EastJava). Through print, M. IdrusRamli(Jember), Yahya al-Bahjah(Cirebon,borderlands of West NU preacherswithmostlylocal-levelfollowingsintheir respectiveregions, ( NU StraightBrigade’s taglineis“straighteningcrookedthinking preachers tookonthemonikerNUStraightBrigade (NUGarisLurus). NU leaders. This groupofyoung,media-savvy, andmoreconservativeNU took issuewithwhattheyperceivedastheliberalbias ofmanynational understandings of Islam. Some more theologically conservative NU scholars competition ofideaswithinNU,notonlybetweentraditionalistandreformist behind NUFunnyBrigademustbeunderstoodwithinthiscontextof not immune from criticism by local and regional NU leaders. The impulse NU has a decentralized structure where its leaders on the national stage are NU. activism begandealingwithcritiquefromtraditionalistpreacherswithin of one’s faith,notadeviationfromit.Morerecently, however, NU’s online strong casefortheideathatnationaldemocraticcitizenshipisindeedpart Slama 2020). To besure,thesemyriadNUonlineactivitiesweremakinga entanglements ofIslamandnationindemocraticIndonesia(Schmidt2018; adept atacquiringpublicitytodeployaspoliticalcurrencyamidstthemany catch up to those Salafist and reformist figures who had become much more WhatsApp groups, blogs, and websites, young NU digital activists began to authority. Beginning withNUOnline, and laterwithvarious NU apps, of Java,NUwasrelativelylatetojointheonlinecompetitionforreligious an organization whose cultural clout resided mostly in the rural countryside As Indonesia. in influence reformist about complaining and with, arguing meluruskan pemikiranbengkok),”andtheirleadershipincludesdisaffected yber C yber O rient, Vol. 15, Iss. 1, 2021

88 James Bourk Hoesterey directed, implicitly, but obviously, atthe NUStraightBrigade(Figure 1). does notintend tobefunnyatall.Instead, itmakesanominous warning websites. Although wewillget tosatiricalmemesshortly, thememebelow alarm amongthemoreprogressive NUonlinecommunityandNU-related animated disagreement,this self-proclaimedrighteouswingofNUcaused Whereas NUhasalwaysbeen adecentralizedorganization withplentyof concept of“IslamNusantara”asforbidden“pigdisguised asgoatmeat.” popular preacher Buya Yahya inCirebon,reportedlyreferredtothe Indeed, oneofthemorepublicleadersNU Straight Brigade,the members withmostlylocal-levelfollowingsintheir respectiveregions. Mostly anonlinephenomenon,theirleadershipincludes disaffected NU or a harmful innovation with no referent in the Qur’an displeasure at the concept of “Islam ” which, in their view, was self-proclaimed StraightBrigade took to social media to express their upcoming nationalcongressandelections(heldevery fiveyears),NU’s “Islam ofthe Archipelago So, in2015whenSaid Aqil andnationalNUleadersannouncedthat not all)forhishumorousapproachtopietyandpolitics. esteemed religiousleaders,), Wahid wascelebratedbymany(certainly Wahid. Popularlyknownas“Gus”Dur(anhonorificgrantedtosonsof of liberalthoughtandreligiouspluralismsuchasthelate Abdurrahman NU scholars and leaders who take inspiration from prior NU champions histories andregionalvariation,Said Aqil isamongmanycontemporary more stupid the person.” Although such tussles internal to NU have long pithy phrases to provoke conservatives, such as “the longer the goatee, the contemporary Indonesia,heenjoyedsprinklinghisownsermonswith of Salafistthoughtandapublicmimicry Arab customand garb in As part of Said Aqil’s efforts to combat what he felt to be an onslaught 2019) “all oftheliberalspouredin”onceSaid Aqil tookover. (PemimpinGoblok Chair, as tenure his during Islam liberal of influences any against guarded Muzadi proclaimedthatwhereashetruly Said Aqil, Chair NU then-new yber C yber O ( rient, Vol. )”wouldbethethemeforits 15, Iss. 1, 2021 (Iqbal 2020).

89 James Bourk Hoesterey ( a cleveradaptation ofawell-knownsaying oftheProphetMuhammad 2019; Figure2). This tagline,notanactualquotebyGusDur, isnonetheless avatar ofGusDur:“speakthe truth,eventhoughit’s funny”(NU GarisLucu tagline forvarioussocial and digitalmediaaccountsjuxtaposedwithan The NUFunnyBrigademakes thisformofludiccritiqueapparentintheir media satirethattakesaimatsuchconservativeswithin andbeyondNU. the sakeofbrevityinthisarticleIhavechosentofocus mostlyonsocial their theologicalarguments anddetractfrom liberal-leaningNUleaders,for Brigade hasitsowntroveofclevermemesandwitty insultsthatadvance felt differently byleadersoftheNUStraight Brigade. Whereas NUStraight Aqil laughgleefully, whereastheseriousstakesofsatirearemostcertainly less are intent specific important the than the viewer’s feeling of being hacked. Avowed fans of Said even perhaps and author individual The hit. against thepresumptionofmoraldiscipline,straightnailswouldget why, out figure to text, and image the to themselves reorient to beholder While this particular image is not intended to evoke laughter, it forces the of rationaldebatecarriedoutintheHabermasiancoffeehouses ofEurope. approximate “affective hacking”(El-Ariss2019)thantheidealizedforms This imageprovidesagoodexampleofhowmemesmoreclosely Figure 1:caption:“Thebentnailswon’t behit;itisthosewhoarestraightthatwillkeep hadith) thatstates,“speak thetruth,eventhough it’s bitter.” yber being hammered.Understand?”(NUGARISLUCU2019a) C yber O rient, Vol. 15, Iss. 1, 2021

90 James Bourk Hoesterey how the NUFunnyBrigade, inthe traditionof Gus Dur, deployshumor asa bumper stickers amongyoungNUintellectuals. InwhatfollowsI examine from aGusDur parodyonasatiricaltelevision programtoDIY T-shirts and contexts of range a across (re)mediated and transfigured, transposed, been and religiontakentooseriously, tooliterally. This humorous sloganhas statement isintendedasthe fullstoptopublicdebate,arebukeaboutlife Gus Dur-ism, Justthat,what’s thefuss!( and grave visitation. Also prominent in this meme is another famous argued, whetherrelatedtoprohibitionsonbeer ortheologicaldefensesof to defuse, and to minimize the overall significance of what is being so hotly caricature by a younger generation ofNUhumorists–is intended to disarm, against. At thesametime,GusDur’s humor–anditsinvocation as a meme fight even and oppose, resist, like verbs action stronger, much but related, bit slippery. InthecontextofGusDur’s humor, melawancouldalsointimate Lelucon; Wahid 2000). The precisetranslationofmelawan,tocounter, isa Gus Dur’s humorousessays,To Counterthrough Jokes( To furtherillustratethispoint,considerthetitlegiventoacollectionof competing modelsofcitizenship,andageneralethostowardseverydaylife. turn tohumorinorderaddresstheseriousbusinessofreligiousauthority, Funny BrigadeandotherrelatedsocialmediaproducersinNUcircleswho This creativereworkingofreligiousthemeshasbecomethehallmarkNU Figure 2:caption:“Speakthetruth,eventhoughit’s funny”(NUGarisLucu2019). yber C yber O rient, Vol. 15, Iss. Gitu ajakokrepot!rhetorical ). This 1, 2021 Melawan Melalui

91 James Bourk Hoesterey scene-making asaform of“affective hacking”:“Shedding light as opposed are. Drawing from metaphors ofsocialmedia,El-Ariss conceivesofthemoralpolitics of “really” they who for figures public self-righteous various force oftheonlineexposure thatsocialmediacanbringabout,revealing apparatus (El-Ariss 2019, 157). El-Ariss explains the cultural and political to Althusser orFoucault’s insistenceondiscourse,power, andthe state El-Ariss notes that forms of online interpellation do not neatly adhere In animpressiveanalysisofdigitalcultureduringthe Arab uprising, Tarek boost theirsolidarity. memes can actually emboldenfollowersofconservativepreachersand theological critiqueonaccountofsuchcriticism. As weshallsee,satirical and othersbeingcritiquedhavenotexactlybacked down fromtheirown effect onthosebeingcritiquedremainsunclear. The NUStraightBrigade and public rebuke. Beholders might be hailed in this sense, but the actual vice, whereasthosebeingcritiquedareintendedtofeel judgment,mockery, creators of satirical memes seek to cause ascene by exposing scandal and thecitizen– hail to you” subject fromtheperspectiveofstateapparatus(cf. Althusser 1977). The “hey yelling cop traffic Althusserian the from acts” (2013,xxiii). Yet, thesummoningconsideredhereisquitedifferent in turnrequiresofthemanumberactive,interactive,andinterpretive them throughthesymboliclanguageofform,akindinterpellationthat carrier ofmeaningaswellasignthathailsviewersby‘speaking’ to respect tovisualcultureintheMiddleEast,“theimageservesasapowerful public piety. As ChristianeGruberandSuneHaugbollehaveobservedwith conservatism, whatmemecreatorsbelievetobetheinsinceritybehind calling outtheperceivedhypocrisyofvariousstrandsIslamistsandIslamic As aformofvisualcritiqueimagesinterpellatetheirsubjectsbypublicly Critique Islam, Humor, andSubjectivity:TheFunny BrigadeasReligiopolitical pious” whotradeontheirpublicimageforworldlyends. and publicly shames those who are perceived to be form ofreligiopoliticalcritiquethatvariouslypokesfun,mocks,chastises, yber C yber O rient, Vol. 15, Iss. 1, 2021 sok suci, the “oh-so-

92 James Bourk Hoesterey certain NUranks. Yet, satireisnot alwaysmotivatedbyadesire togenerate social media appear toengenderidentity-based digitalcommunitas and evenacross religioustraditions. These ludic spacesofdigitaland – multipleaudienceswithin NU,thewiderIndonesianMuslimcommunity, of theological andpoliticalpositions. NUFunnyBrigadespeaksto–andwith competition the reflects that community and sociality online of sense a more playful translation that imbues the “line” of troops with a greater the “straightline”andGarisLucuas“funnyline,”Ihaveoptedfor refers toagroupofsoldiers. Whereas onecould translateGarisLurusas synonym fortherootwordgarisisbaris,whosegrammaticalform barisan with “straight(lurus)”evokesthesenseofrowssoldiers.Indeed,one As usedbyNUStraightBrigade,thejuxtaposition of“line(garis)” actual effects strayfromtheirintendedmeanings? from ourtheoreticalexplanationsaboutpowerand authority, orwhose subversive digitalrealms,howcanweaccountforthose imagesthatstray politics andpiety? To theextentthatthereexistmultipleandoccasionally political legitimacy. How, then,arewetounderstandparodyandplay, reframing, andreimaginingmoraldebatesaboutreligiousauthority might wantthemtobe,andalwaysevolving,responding,retweeting, are diverse,crosscutting,neverquiteideologicallyascohesivewescholars the specialissueofwhichthisarticleisapartsuggests,onlinecommunities hacking” asmoraldisciplineintheeveryday, onlineworldsinIndonesia. As In linewithEl-Ariss’ understanding,Iwillattendtoformsof“affective memes arealsosubjecttochallengestheirownauthenticityandsincerity. piety (riya’;seealsoHusein2017).Exposurepromisestransparency, yet peddling afalsepiety, claimingtheir“real”intentistoshowoff theirpersonal ( in satiricalmemesIndonesia(andelsewhere)thatchallengethesincerity we might also consider broader Islamic ethical concepts that are also at play public exposureandscene-makingto Arab culturalandliterarytraditions, a scandal” (2019, 2). Whereas El-Ariss attributes the preoccupation with a visualandaffective exposure(fahd)thatshames,makesascene,causes constitutes light, electric the to opposed as flashlight the enlightening, to keikhlasan) of self-styled religious figures who they accuse of shamelessly yber C yber O rient, Vol. 15, Iss. 1, 2021 within

93 James Bourk Hoesterey (Figure 3;NUGARIS LUCU2015a). on socialmedia thatcapturesthisanxiety ofmisplacedreligiousauthority Consider one ofthemorepopular Twitter memesfrequently recirculated and mysticism. with lesseruditioninclassical Islamictheology, jurisprudence,philosophy, of theIndonesianummaifMuslimsbegantofollow theteachingsofthose value onvillagereligiousleaders(kyai),theyworriedwhatmightbecome traditionalists whoseownculturalandreligiousupbringing placedgreat amount ofsuspicionbytraditionalistreligiousscholars. Especiallyfor extensive religiouseducation(Hew2018)–wasobserved withnosmall Siauw whosereligiousauthoritydependedmoreontheir marketabilitythan – like Aa GymaswellmorerecentcelebritypreacherssuchFelix standing withinIndonesiansociety. The riseofpopularMuslimpreachers or Twitter –hadencroached ontheirownreligiousauthorityandpopular TV on whether – authority religious of figures mediated new 2000s early traditionalist MuslimssuchasthoseinNUwerealsoawarethatsincethe spaces endupspreadingconservativeandintolerantIslamicunderstandings, certainly evidenceforthisargument. Relatedtotheiranxietiesthatonline ofNUintermsthecompetitionforreligiousauthority. There is 2003), wecouldunderstandtheactiveuseofsocialmediabytraditionalist Following important early studies in Islamic media (Eickelman and Anderson to takeit. world asitsupposedlyisbyturningonitshead,totweakpowermorethan political authority perse, but to disorient and discombobulate, toshowthe religious leaderssuchasSaid Agil –arenotalwaystogarnerreligiousor NU’s socialmediaproducers–perhaps different fromnational-levelNU provocative abouttheirtheologicalandpoliticalmessages. The aimsof minimizing difference, whilstatothertimesmemesaremoredirectand aback, defusingpotentiallysensitivetheologicaldivides,andoccasionally online satiricalhumorcanalsobeaboutreorientingsubjects,takingthem and shaming. Through a closer lookat NU Funny Brigade, I consider how particular theologicalpositions,oreventodisciplinethroughpublicrebuke organizational-cum-theological solidarity, ortoconvincetheaudienceabout yber C yber O rient, Vol. 15, Iss. 1, 2021

94 James Bourk Hoesterey the course mannerisms of whatsome Indonesians stereotypically associate eyes andbody language,thisonlineIslamic authorityischaracterized with from Islambenget.com” and“Syeikhso-and-so on Twitter.” Based onthe (this hypothetical issue) is Generation Google”)whoangrily shoutsthatIslamiclawclearlystates various a studentquerybynoting themanydifferent opinionsexpressedby the imagescontrasttraditionalist preacher on theleft,who answers Under thetitle“SantriGoogle”(santrireferstoanIslamicschoolstudent), SuperIslam.com, thelawclearlystatesthisisforbidden.Onhis Twitter feed,sheikhso- The lawclearlystatesthisisforbidden. According tothewritingsofUstadso-and-soat opinions. Onpage1500inMuwatha,ImamMaliksays…whereasSyafi’ithe yellow books,indicatingthetraditionalistapproachoflearningopinionsclassical book Al-Umm, page900,says…IfwereturntothebaseofIslamicjurisprudence… Figure 3:caption:Panel1:“ReligiousteachersintheEraofKitabKuning[literally, knows best”(italicsadded).Panel2:“Religiousteachersinthe GoogleGeneration: personally, Iaminclinedtoward…butrespectthosewithdiffering opinions.God and-so isofthesameopinion.So,Iamascertaincan bethatanyother Islamic scholars]:Concerningthiscase,variousreligiousscholarshavediffering yber , with the media-driven religious authority figure (“Ustadz figure authority religious media-driven the with ulama, opinion iswrong.Fullstop!”(NUGARISLUCU2015a) C yber O haram, at leastaccording to “Ustadz so-and-so rient, Vol. 15, Iss. 1, 2021

95 James Bourk Hoesterey of rising Muslimcelebrities and themarketization ofreligious authority. Indonesian civil societywasbeingsomewhat elidedbythephenomenon the notionof NUasanecessary, enduring,and indispensablepillarof Such humor resonates, in part, because of the increasing anxiety that NU GARISLUCU2015b). ethos is readily apparent inthisNUFunnyBrigade tweet below (Figure 4; certain canbe. Any otheropinioniswrong,fullstop.” A similarsatirical arrogance ofthesocialmedia-dependentpreacher:“Iamascertain intellectual humilityofthetraditionalistpreacherwithproudtheological Islam (Hoesterey2013;Menchik2019).Notealsothecontrastbetween ( with Arab culture,indicativeofbroaderanxietiesaboutthe Arabisasi) ofwhatsomefeeltobeanexceptional,andmoderate,Indonesian Because herereligiousleaderswhoareexpertsinexegesisaccused asunbelievers, celebrities arereferredtoasustadz Figure 4:caption: Top tweet:“BeinganIndonesianrequireshumor. Becausehere, whereas thosewhohavejustbegun toknowIslamhavebecomerolemodels.:)” Muslim leaders]areaccusedofbeingapostatesonlyonaccount ofdifference of opinion.” Bottomtweet:“LivinginIndonesiarequiresintelligence–cleverness. yber C yber O (NU GARISLUCU2015b) rient, Vol. [religious teachers]whereaskiai[traditionalist 15, Iss. 1, 2021

96 James Bourk Hoesterey deviant unbelievers: “Everything that smells like is said to be deviant unbelievers: “Everything that smells like communism is said to be that pokesfun atthechronicdeclarations ofvariousreligiousminorities as political andreligious legitimacy. Considerthistweetfrom NUFunnyBrigade the absurdhilarityofthosewho condemnothersinordertoestablishtheirown NU onlineactivistshasturned tohumormaketheircaseand to demonstrate the chorusofcallingothers unbeliever in join to or credentials their question angrily to been always not has figures Importantly, the response to the dubious religious authority of celebrity Muslim Islamic organizations suchasNUaremaking upforlosttime. entrée ontothedigitalandsocialmediascene,however, long-standing apparatus (Fealy2008;Hasan2012;Hoesterey2016). Despitetheirdelayed (Prosperous JusticeParty)wereacquiringpoliticalcapital withinthestate while atthesametimepoliticalpartieslikePartaiKeadilanSejahtera an increasingamountofthemarketsharereligiousauthority inIndonesia, To putitinmarketterms,televangelists andIslamicpopiconsweretaking (Figure 5). often displayedthroughNUFunnyBrigadeonlinememes,likes,andreplies more the beyond figures authority established religiousorganizations ledtoarenewedcallforprideinNU, religious of rise the respect, this In Figure 5:caption:“IamhappytobeamemberofNU”(NUGARISLUCU2019b). yber C yber O rient, Vol. ( ). Instead, a generation of young ). Instead,agenerationofyoung 15, Iss. 1, 2021

97 James Bourk Hoesterey a certain,mostpeculiarway(NUGARISLUCU2019c; Figure6). communist revoltisclearlyevident,atleastifonelooks hardenoughandin meme, butoneofmanysimilarexamples,whereevidenceanimminent not evenworthyofrationalengagement.ConsiderthisNUFunnyBrigade laughed atforhowludicrousitsoundstomanyinthe2010s,discardedas public sphereasaspaceforrationaldeliberation)muchitismocked, everywhere isnotargued with(certainlynotinanyHabermasiansenseofthe very method of suspicion. The political ploy of finding supposed communists today), the joke decenters, reorients, and discombobulates by questioning the (the targets of mass purge in the 1960s that still influence religion and politics towards religiousandpoliticalminoritieslikeShi’asuspectedcommunists hurled accusations the on focus simply than Rather language).” refined more on theIndonesianphrasesforhavinga“scent(berbau,orbernafaskanin humorous quipaboutusingoursmellforreligiousmatters. The humorplays former Indonesianpresidentfamousforhishumorandquickwit,whohada Wahid, known as GusDur, the three-term chair of NU(1984–1999)and In thisexample,NUFunnyBrigadesummonsthelegacyof Abdurrahman practice religionwiththenose?NUGarisLucu”(Wijaya 2017). be liberal,everythingthatsmellslikeIranisaccusedofbeingShi’a. Why to said is critical smells PKI [IndonesianCommunistParty],everythingthat Figure 6: The imagemocksconspiracytheorists whoseemtobeablefind communist symbols, suchasthehammer andsickle, everywhere(NU GARISLUCU 2019c). yber C yber O rient, Vol. 15, Iss. 1, 2021

98 James Bourk Hoesterey NU Funny Brigade’s retweet about alcohol andself-righteousness: “to feel injunction to enjoin thegoodandforbid whatisreprehensible.Consider as “sweeping,” partoftheirself-proclaimed efforts tocarry outtheQur’anic such asraidingbarsandbrothels, whattheIslamicDefendersFrontreferto had moreleewayforvigilante activities,oftenasRamadanapproached, With the fallofSuhartoin1998,groupssuchastheIslamic Defenders Front and politicallyduped. netizens whilealsotargeting out-groupothers perceivedastheologically thus hasmultipleaudiences;itcanbolsteranin-group feelingamongNU the replysection,indulgingsatiricalreplieswitheven morehumor. Satire Account administratorsoftenengageinongoingjokes backandforthin have arrivedattheirstop(Figure7). of theword“left”whenonecallstopublictransportdriverthatthey the ideaofcommunistsbeingonpoliticalleft,witheverydayusage comment wassimplyanothermemeevokingarelatedjokethatjuxtaposes responded, “Oh,soSproutNoodlesarepopularinRussia,huh?”One Probably theRussians,”towhichNUFunnyBrigadeadministrator In thecommentssection,someoneobservedsarcastically“SproutNoodles. yber Figure 7:caption:“Left,Sir”(Amalana2019). C yber O rient, Vol.

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99 James Bourk Hoesterey the need forMuslims toembodyan Islamthatis “friendly, notangry (ramah soldiers promulgated. With aclever playonwords, Wahid often spokeabout not needtobe defended,astheIslamic DefendersFrontleaders and foot others andwithGod.For NU leaderslikeGusDurandothers,Goddid comportment. The ethicsofhumilityandriya’relatetoone’s relationwith histories ofIslamicaphorisms, wisdomliteratures,andtheologiesofethical visual. Inthisrespect, tweetmightbestbeunderstoodwithlonger clever remarkstoplaywiththeboundariesofliterary, humorous,and What isinterestingherehowNUFunnyBrigade administratorsuse violation ofIslamicethicsevengreaterthantheact ofdrinkingitself. To feelmorallysuperiortothosewho drankbeer, theyargued, isalsoa comportment wascomplexandthatvicehaditsown formsofhierarchy. The contentionwasdecidedlynotthatalcoholpermissible,butethical itself” (NUGARISLUCU2019d;Figure8). better thansomeonewhodrinksbeerisabiggersindrinking Figure 8: The shortformof Twitter isamenabletoshort,pithyaphorismsthatfunction as theologicalandpoliticaljabsatopponents(NUGARISLUCU 2019d). yber C yber O rient, Vol. 15, Iss. 1, 2021

100 James Bourk Hoesterey frame reveals thewaterfallthatawaits (Figure 10). snidely asks Gus Durwhyheispaddling againstthecurrent. The next NU, in which a boatful of genericSalafists (denoted by their white robes) most popularandwidely-shared memesbyproponentsofGusDurand (Kumparan News2019).Consider theimagebelow, arguably one ofthe of thecommunicationdeadlock thatiscurrentlyhappeninginIndonesia” Kumparan journalist,“wewanttopresentGusDur’s humorinthemidst the durianfruit. As oneNUFunnyBrigadememberphraseditfora – theverynameahumorousplayonwordsevoking bothGusDurand as thatledbyoneofhisdaughters Alyssa Wahid, theGusduriannetwork media platformstomoregrassroots(yetstillhumor-laden) NGOssuch are carriedonbymyriadNU-relatedorganizations fromformalsocial contemporary Indonesia,GusDur’s ethicaland nationalcommitments hagiography (withoutmuchcriticalreflectiononany shortcomings).In of books,lectures,andonlinetributeshavecontributed tothispopular in socialmedia,andespeciallyafterhispassing2009acottageindustry The legacyofGusDurasbothreligiousscholar-cum-humorist loomslarge between worshippingGodversusreligion(Figure9). bukan marah).” Consider this NUOnline tweet about thesubtle difference than you,thatmeansyouarenotworshippingGod,butreligion”(NUOnline2017). Figure 9:caption:“Ifyoumakeenemiesofthosewithadifferent religion yber C yber O rient, Vol. 15, Iss. 1, 2021

101 James Bourk Hoesterey even a cartoon ofGus Durlaughing uproariously. just laughat the enemiesofIslam.”NU FunnyBrigade’s Twitter image is preacher (presumably Gus Dur) replies, “well, rather than fighting, better to “For religiouspreaching, why doyouuselaughter, Gus?”to which the Funny Brigadetweetthatjokes aboutjokes(@NUgarislucu, April 7,2016): at, notreasonedwith. To makethispointmoreclearly, considerthisNU represented herearenotjust thebuttofjoke,butaremeanttobelaughed enter the imaginative space of their adversaries’ imminent demise. Salafists the imageinvitesviewer(atleastthosesympathetic withGusDur)to but nonethelesshave“goneastray”fromIslamicteachings (sesat).Further, conservative ideasmayhavegonemainstreamincontemporary Indonesia direct accusationsofinnovationordeviance,theclear implicationisthat current). What is interesting here is that, while perhaps not resorting to headed inthewrongtheologicaldirection,goingagainst themainstream as caricatureswhoarenotjustimmoralbuttheologically hoodwinked(i.e., cynically portrayed are who reformists Salafi and traditionalists between of GusDurwhilealsodemarcatingthetheologicalandpoliticaldivides When sharedinonlinespaces,thisimageengenderssolidarityamongacolytes yber Figure 10:caption:“Gus,whyareyougoingagainstthecurrent?” C yber O (Novriantoni Kahar2017) rient, Vol. 15, Iss. 1, 2021

102 James Bourk Hoesterey contested, andreappropriated. Thus, memes’ power andprovocationare Strassler notes, originalintentionsofthe originalimagecanbecome lost, political communication.” (2009,95). Once memescirculateonline, as […] havethusbecomean integralfeatureofcontemporaryIndonesian authority, andauthorship. Unrulyprocessesofreceptionandreinvention complex traffic, taking on, at each remediation, distinctive forms of address, argued, “political communicationsthustravelfrommediumto ina the positionalityandallegiancesofbeholder. As KarenStrasslerhas and themselves images the in the circulationofmemesstirsquitedifferent responsesdependingon fixed not are course, of meanings, Such Siegel 1998;Strassler2009;2020). “authentic butfake”(seeBarker, Lindquist, etal.2009;Hoesterey2017; language ofthepopularIndonesianneologismas-pal ( (which alsomeans“fake”). When juxtaposedwiththepurportedly “original In thissociolinguisticsense,plagiatcanalsobeunderstoodtomeanpalsu example ofthebroadersocialandpoliticalclaimstoreligiousauthenticity. with its“original(asli)”otherintheimageabove,whichisyetanother use ofthewordplagiat Islamic DefendersFront’s alignedimagemarkedas“fake(plagiat).”The one withGusDurpaddlingupstreamdenotedasthe“original(asli),” NU netizensrecirculatedanimageofthetwocartoonssidebyside, the spreadofthissecondmemeportrayingShihabasrighteousone, Following unethical. find netizens NU young many that vigilantism moral and sermons fiery for penchant a with hardliner conservative socially a is antagonist oftheoriginalmemeandisactuallyatraditionalist,albeitonewho is thatthisnewmemedepictsShihab,whowasnotintendedasthemoral and aboatfuloftraditionalistsheadingforthewaterfall.Interestinghere Islamic DefendersFrontleader, HabibRizieqShihab,paddlingupstream protagonist, aninvertedmemewascirculatedwithwhatappearstobethe waterfall memecirculatedwithGusDurasthepresumptivemoral hardliner and reformists, vigilantes is not universally appreciated. Not long after the impending Salafists, of expense the at jokes NU-inspired The celebratory, self-congratulatory, andevenself-righteoustoneofsome asli)” meme,thisthirdmemewithside-by-sideimagesconjures themoral yber C yber O refers toplagiarismorpiracywhenjuxtaposed rient, Vol. 15, Iss. 1, 2021 ( asli tapipalsu)or

103 James Bourk Hoesterey 2017; Figure11). Shihab’s personal resilience in the midst of attacks on his character (Yamin followers iscelebratedinthememebelowthatapplauds,evenrevelsin, the government. This sentimentofunwaveringsupportamongShihab’s returned to Indonesia onlyto have his organization formally disbanded by embroiled in a personal scandal, spent several years in self-exile, and power brokershasremainedsteady, evenasShihabbecameincreasingly Indeed, supportforIslamicDefendersFrontamongfollowersandsome viewpoint oftheperceivedopponent,asifpartsomerationaldialogue. and forthofhumorderisionisnotnecessarilyintendedtoswaythe their and back online this part, most the effects For 18). (2013, muted” or intensified amplified and hijacked, cropped, enhanced, digitally remixed, initial provenances even as they are variously inflected, refracted, reframed, from their sites of production, mobile images may still retain traces of their Margaret Steedlyanalyzethenatureof“imagesthatmove”:“Unmoored relation orresponsetotheoriginalimage.Similarly, PatriciaSpyerandMary refracted throughthedigitalreceptionandnewpublic(s)createdin Caption: “Insulted, lovedevenmore;Madescared, evenmorebrave;Slandered, stillnot defeated; Silenced, yetstillnotquiet;Imprisoned, yetnotdeterred; Threatened, yet still Figure 11: ImageofHabibRizieq Shihab,leaderofIslamicDefendersFront(FPI). yber C yber able topounce.” (Yamin 2017) O rient, Vol. 15, Iss. 1, 2021

104 James Bourk Hoesterey among youngergenerations who view themselves ascarrying onprevious There isacertain allureaboutbeinga socialmediaproducer, especially also affectionate anddefusing. spaces, publicplaces,andintimate desires.Itcanbesharpandpiercing,but perhaps –ofIndonesia’s onlinereligiosity. Humorcanclaimtheological genre a – style certain a become has ludic the that suggest I section, final powerfully felt by online producers and their multiple audiences? In this handles andsocialmediapresence. What isitabouttheludicthatso other religiousminoritiesestablishedtheirownFunny Brigade Twitter Brigade. EvenotherreligiousgroupsincludingCatholics,Protestants, and Brigade, of NUFunnyBrigade’s satireandderision–forexample,Wahhabi Funny groups poppedupamongothergroups,eventhosewho havebeenthetargets Islam. NotlongafterNUFunnyBrigade arrived onthescene,similaronline beyond its origin inintra-NU politics andwiderdebates about authentic of NUFunnyBrigade–anditsrepertoiredigitalaestheticshasspilled and affective allegiancestoIslamandthenation.However, thesatiricalspirit NU FunnyBrigadecontinuesalong-standingtraditionofbothethical Kreatif:TheSeriousHumorofOnline Activists ridiculed. gets offended is largely due to whether one identifies with the subject being one not or given.Whether never is memes satirical of efficacy disciplinary the “IslamicBrotherhoodFront( the PersaudaraanIslam).”Thus, Front ( PersatuanIslam),”onlytobechangedagainmorerecently of IslamicDefendersFront,itwasannouncedasthe“Islamic Association instead but FPI, of acronym the with still status, government official and recent disbandment,theorganization hasdecidedtosimplychangeitsname detractors fromNUorelsewhere.InresponsetoIslamicDefendersFront’s less theircharismaticleader–throughthereligiopoliticalprismof one’s ownself-righteousness,amediatedrefusaltoviewtheworld–much the textthismemeconveysaformofgleefulmockery, anethicalrelishingin Not unlike various memes aimed at Shihab or Salafists, when juxtaposed with yber Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia Funny Brigade, C yber O rient, Vol. 15, Iss. 1, 2021 Funny

105 James Bourk Hoesterey prayer (NUGARISLUCU2015d;Figure13). another exampleoftheludicexperiencesreligious worship,inthiscase, boarding schools. The memebelow fromNUFunnyBrigadeoffers yet images conjuretheplayfulmemoriesofanadolescencespentinIslamic the shoulders,andbatikpecihatinlower-left corner, thesesignsand With a generic rural Islamic school background, wrapped around being a“creativeMuslimstudent”(NUGARISLUCU2015c;Figure12). Consider the meme below characterizing the NU Funny Brigade’s sense of NU (andother)legacies,butinthelanguageandmediumoftheirgeneration. Figure 13: The raisedeyebrowsandpecihatflippingback offer ahumorouscontrast to Figure 12:caption:“RegardingcreativeIslamicstudents”(NUGARISLUCU2015c). the other supplicant’s pecifallingoff during prayer (NUGARISLUCU 2015d). yber C yber O rient, Vol. 15, Iss. 1, 2021

106 James Bourk Hoesterey or images, the joke is not always religious or framed as political critique. a religiousethos ofludicliving.Even if theyreferencereligious themes have verylittle todowithreligiousand politicalrivalriesyetshed lighton to seem glance first at that jokes and images, providers, content other such online worlds,Iwouldargue thatitisincumbentontheresearchertoinclude corners ofdigitalmediarealms? Intermsofthemethodologyresearching What, exactly, arewetomakeofthese zanyandoccasionallyirreverent convenience store,Indomaret ( that canalsomean“store”or“market”asinthename ofanIndonesian image playsonthemultiplemeaningsofwordfor March, Maret, aword without anyparticularreligiousmessage. The followingNUFunnyBrigade However, meaningisseldomsingular. forgiveness. Sometimesamemeisjustfunny, ofbegging forms ofritualized insincerity and superficiality on onelevel,thememecouldbeinterpretedasacritique oftheperceived “someone askedmeforforgiveness, butit’s notyetLebaran,bro!”Perhaps LUCU neighbors, andfriendsaspartoftheEid()celebration(NUGARIS Funny Brigadememeplaysonthetraditionofaskingforgiveness offamily, more aptlyput,thereligiouspleasuresofahumorouslife. Another NU however, embraceamoreexpansivesenseofreligioushumor, orperhaps includes directjabsatreligiousandpoliticalopponents.Manyimages, The socialmediapresenceofgroupslikeNUFunnyBrigadeoccasionally profane, perhapssuggestingthattheyarenotdistinctafterall. culture memeswork,inpart,bycreativelyjuxtaposingthesacredand music featuringthesexysinger“DonaSatelit.”Suchfilmscenesandpop girl nextdoor, andsneakingoutatnighttogolistenpopulardangdut with erections,peekingthroughaholeinthewalltogetglimpseof during predawnprayers.Otherhumorousscenesincludeboyswaking more humorous scenes includes this very gag of a student falling asleep Doa, Tiga Cinta;featuringcelebrityactorNicholasSaputra),oneofthe boys inanIslamicschoolruralJavaThree Prayers,Three Loves( experience intheIslamicschool.InIndonesianfilmaboutadolescent There isaparticularnostalgiatothishumorthatevokeschildhood yber 2020). Juxtaposedwiththeimageofapersonsmilingistext, C yber O rient, Vol. NU GARISLUCU2015e;Figure14). 15, Iss. 1, 2021 Tiga

107 James Bourk Hoesterey below (NUGARISLUCU2015f;Figure15). Consider thismorerecentCOVID-19-eramemefromNUFunnyBrigade being religiousthroughhumor. of world, the in religious being of way a reflect memes such Nonetheless, Figure 15:caption: “Onlynowisitthecasethat we can’t goonthe Figure 14:caption:“Don’t shop here.Lastmonth’s stock isstillbeingsold.Shopat to Covid.Usually, wecan’t goonumroh becausewedon’t haveanymoney” yber IndoApril instead”(NUGARISLUCU2015e). C yber O (NU GARIS LUCU2015f rient, Vol. 15, Iss. ). 1, 2021 umroh pilgrimagedue

108 James Bourk Hoesterey perspective isdisguisedinside.” or evenanadmonition:“Don’t belittleeverythingfunny, becauseacritical activists. BeneathSardono’s solemnimageisamessage,perhapsreminder, and socialmediaproducerscanoftendounderstandthemselvesas that meresoldiersandgunscannottake.Inthisrespect,comedians,humorists, sense ofbeingabovetheobviouspowerdifference. Perhapsitisaboutapower a rifles, with soldiers to next standing conviction of strength certain a exudes or demandsofthebeholderisunclear. Inthisimage,Sardonoembodiesand piercing eyesappeartosummontheviewer, thoughpreciselywhathehails amongtheactivists was he fact, who helpedtobringdownSuharto’s authoritarianregimein1998.Sardono’s In ahumorist. just than more was figure GARIS LUCU2018;Figure16). The imageisareminderthatthisfunny anniversary ofthepassingIndonesiancomedian Wahjoe Sardono(NU Consider anotherNUFunnyBrigadetributebelowtocommemoratethe originate withdeeplyfeltpoliticalconsciousnessandreligiouscommitment. focus ontheludicdoesnotdetractfromveryrealwaysthathumorcan to knowthesacredthroughitsprofane.Humor, then,isseriousbusiness.My to be human, to exist and subsist in this world with its socioeconomic divides, not aboutdisrespectorsacrilege.Rather, itisacommentaryonwhatmeans Finding humorinIslam’s mostsacredsiteandoneofitsholyritualsis Figure 16:Sardono’s shirtreads,“JoinUs. We fightfora clean government.” yber C yber O ( NU GARIS LUCU2018) rient, Vol. 15, Iss. 1, 2021

109 James Bourk Hoesterey with thememe: One oftheNUFunnyBrigadeadministratorsincludedamessagealong around whiledrinkingcoffee (Figure17). juxtaposed withacaricatureofGusDurrelaxinginwhite T-shirt, joking the humorouswithreligiousandpolitical.Considerthismessagebelow trickster elementofonlinecomediansandsatiristswhogleefullybridge This hybridnotionofan“intellaughtual”perhapsbestdescribesthe example, you]don’t wanttosmileorlaugh anymore. Knowthatbehindevery laughof Figure 17:caption: “Don’t getallseriousjust becauseyouarelearningSufism, [for yber ,hewasatthefrontline.Alfatihahonhisbehalf. MALARI event. college studentstoprotestthegovernment’s policyconcerningthe perspectives. Today, afew decadesago,Donogatheredwithfellow comedian. Nevertheless, seldom do they know his thoughts and Wahjoe SardonowasknownbytheIndonesianpublicasa AINTELLAUGHTUAL. TRUE a wiseperson liestheessence oftruth.” (Googleimages) C yber 2 In addition,duringthe demonstrations in 1998 to O rient, Vol. 15, Iss. 1, 2021

110 James Bourk Hoesterey delegitimization, andmanipulation: exposure and political transparency are themselves subject to doubt, and offense. As KarenStrasslerincisivelyargues, thepromisesofmoral Indonesia havebecomeacacophonyofcyclical(and oftencynical)insult and religiousauthenticity, theoverlappingmediaspheresincontemporary of post-authoritarianreform (reformasi) promised political transparency the other as the real charlatan, hypocrite, even infidel. Whereas the projects into mediatedreiterationsthatattempttoinvertthecritique, therebyexposing We have seen how satirical memes can be refracted, refigured, and reformed has foundtheperfectmeansofitsexpressionintoday’s socialmedia. often associatedwithpoliticalIslam. The religiousethosofbeinghumorous rather thanthecondemnationandviolenceofhardlinervigilantesmore offers afreshstyleofcritiqueandpublicexposure,pitymockery Through cleverjuxtapositionsofethicsandaffect, NUFunnyBrigade deploy theirownregimesofsurveillance,censorship,andinterpellation. by ayoungergenerationofdigitally-savvysocialmediaproducerswho expansion ofnewmedia,thestate’s nearmonopolyonmediawaseclipsed privatization andproliferationoftelevisionmedia,aswellthesubsequent power. FollowingthefallofSuharto’s authoritarianregimein1998 andthe Islam arenevertoodistantfromideasofcitizenship,alliances,andpolitical new inIslamichistory(Berkey2001).Competingvisionsofthe“real” Clashes betweenpopularpreachersandestablishedscholarsarenothing Conclusion life –asawayofbeing,seeing,feelinginonline–offlineworlds. media producers are indeed staking claimstothehumorouslifeas a religious then insistingonthepowerofhumortoleadoneultimatetruth,thesesocial (hakikat kebenaran) and truth of essence the of concept Sufi the evoking By yber machinery ofexposure andunending searchfor thehidden secret, that, circulating inpublic,itmightthrow awrenchintransparency’s deliver onits promise,thepoliticalpotential ofludiccritiqueis If thescandalofexposure scandalisthattransparencyfailsto C yber O rient, Vol. 15, Iss. 1, 2021

111 James Bourk Hoesterey Fealy, Greg.1998.“UlamaandPoliticsinIndonesia: A HistoryofNahdlatulUlama, 1952–1967.”PhDdiss., University Press. El-Ariss, Tarek.2019. Sphere. Bloomington,IN:IndianaUniversity Press. Eickelman, DaleF., andJon W. Anderson. 2013.NewMediaintheMuslimWorld: TheEmerging Public Singapore: ISEAS. Bush, Robin.2009.NahdlatulUlamaandtheStruggleforPowerwithinIslamPoliticsinIndonesia Seattle: Universityof Washington Press. Berkey, Jonathan.2001.PopularPreaching andReligious Authority intheMedievalIslamicNearEast Barker, Joshua,JohanLindquist,et.al.2009.“FiguresofIndonesianModernity.” Indonesia87:35–72. www.facebook.com/photo. php?fbid=10212316693111366&set=p.10212316693111366&type=3 Amalana, MuhammadMuhtam Althusser, Louis.1972. LeninandPhilosophy, andOtherEssays. New York: MonthlyReviewPress. References repot! Islam. That debatecontinuestorage,andlaugh,online.Gituajakok and thereiscertainlynoconsensusonwhoarethe“real”defendersof“true” is difficult to distinguish theological humility from Gusdurian hagiography, subject to its own forms of critique, suspicion, and surveillance. At times it Indonesia’s dividedonlineworlds, evenassatiricalexposureitselfisalways ethos ofNUsocialmediaproducersseekstoresetthehostilesentimentin that enchantedformsoftheludicareabletodisorientanddisarm. The ludic It ispreciselyinthismoment of stalledreformanddemocraticbacksliding yber political imagination.(2020,130) opening aspaceforalternativeformsofpublicvisualityand Leaks, Hacks,andScandals: Arab Culture intheDigital Age. Princeton:Princeton C yber . 2019.Facebook O rient, Vol. photo,September29. Accessed [January4,2020].https:// 15, Iss. 1, 2021 . . .

112 James Bourk Hoesterey Carla Jones. American Ethnologist Celebrity, Sociality: A Forum onIslamandSocialMediainSoutheast Asia, editedbyMartinSlama and Husein, Fatimah.2017. “TheRevivalofRiya’:Displaying MuslimPietyOnlineinIndonesia.”In org/features/collections/piety-celebrity-sociality/heart-to-heart-on-social-media. and CarlaJones. Piety, Celebrity, Sociality: A Forumon IslamandSocialMediainSoutheast Asia, editedbyMartinSlama Hoesterey, JamesB.2017.“SincerityandScandal:theCulturalPoliticsof‘FakePiety’ inIndonesia.”In University Press. Hoesterey, JamesB.2016.RebrandingIslam:Piety, Prosperity, andaSelf-HelpGuru.Stanford:Stanford Review ofMiddleEastStudies Hoesterey, JamesB.2013.“IsIndonesiaaModelforthe ?Islam,Democracy, andDiplomacy.” Hirschkind, Charles.2001.“Civic Virtue andReligiousReason.” Felix Siauw.” IndonesiaandtheMalayWorld 46(134):61–79. Hew, Wai Weng. 2018.“The Art ofDakwah:SocialMedia, Visual PersuasionandtheIslamistPropagationof Prosperous JusticeParty(PKS)inIndonesia.”JournalofIndonesianIslam6(1):17–47. Hasan, Noorhaidi.2012.“IslamistParty, ElectoralPolitics,andDa’wahMobilization Among Youth: The University Press. The RhetoricofImage Gruber, Christiane,andSuneHaugbolle.2013.“Introduction.”In [April 24,2021].https://indonesiaatmelbourne.unimelb.edu.au/trading-blows-nu-versus-pks/. Fealy, Greg.2018.“Trading Blows:NUversusPKS.”IndonesiaatMelbourne White, 15–39.Singapore:InstituteofSoutheast Asian Studies. Indonesia.” InExpressing Islam:ReligiousLifeandPolitics inIndonesia Fealy, Greg.2008.“ConsumingIslam:CommodifiedReligionand AspirationalPietisminContemporary Monash University. yber American Ethnologist , editedbyChristianeGruberandSuneHaugbolle,ix–xxvii.Indianapolis:Indiana C yber 47(2):157–165. website. Accessed [November8,2017].https://americanethnologist.org/ O website. Accessed [November8,2017].https://americanethnologist. rient, Vol. 15, Iss. Cultural Anthropology 16(1):3–34. Visual Culture intheModernMiddleEast: 1, 2021 , editedbyGregFealyandSally website,July10. Accessed Piety,

113 James Bourk Hoesterey provides a strongexplanation ini memberipenjelasan ygsangatkuat[ Novriantoni Kahar (@novri75). 2017.“ heart-to-heart-on-social-media. Accessed [November8,2017].https://americanethnologist.org/features/collections/piety-celebrity-sociality/ Social MediainSoutheast Asia , editedbyMartinSlamaandCarlaJones. Nisa, Eva.2017.“The Allure of‘OneDayOneJuz.’”InPiety, Celebrity, Sociality: A ForumonIslamand Cultural Anthropology 33(2):233–265. Moll, Yasmin. 2018.“Television isnotRadio: ofMediation intheEgyptianIslamicRevival.” Televangelism Moll, Yasmin. 2012.“Storytelling,Sincerity, andIslamic Televangelism inEgypt.”In Review Menchik, Jeremy. 2019.“ModerateMuslimsandDemocraticBreakdowninIndonesia.” .”the Mandaville, Peter. 2007.“GlobalizationandthePoliticsofReligiousKnowledge:Pluralizing Authority in kumparannews/dakwah-garis-lucu-nu-muhammadiyah-1547175616360531881/full Funny Brigades].”Kumparanwebsite,January11. Accessed [July4,2020].https://kumparan.com/ Kumparan News.2019.“DakwahGarisLucuNU-Muhammadiyah[ThePropagationof MA: HarvardUniversityPress. Kraidy, MarwanM.2017.TheNakedBloggerofCairo: Creative Insurgency inthe Arab World. Cambridge, 2017. Izharuddin, Alicia. Syafiq Hasyim,and AlexanderR. Arifianto,New York:Routledge. the ‘Authentic’ NUOnline.”InRisingIslamicConservatisminIndonesia Iqbal, Asep M.2020.“ChallengingModerateIslaminIndonesia:NUGarisLurusanditsConstructionof features/collections/piety-celebrity-sociality/heart-to-heart-on-social-media. 43(3):415–433. yber , editedbyPradipNinanandPhilipLee,21–44.New York: Saint Martin’s Press. Theory, Culture &Society Gender andIslaminIndonesianCinema.Singapore:PalgraveMacmillan. C ]!“ Twitter yber O Kenapa almarhumGus Durduluseringmelawanarusumat? Kartun Why didthelateGus Duroftengoagainstthecurrent? This cartoon post,November 3,4:40a.m. Accessed [April14, 2018].https:// rient, Vol. 24(2):101–115. 15, Iss. 1, 2021 , editedbyLeonardC.Sebastian, American Ethnologist . Global andLocal Asian Studies website.

114 James Bourk Hoesterey photos/a.1594028390876028/2942245282720992/ Facebook our excuse.Maythis plague(Covid)endimmediatelyand mayweallbeabletogothere. Amen ].“ berlalu dandimampukankitasemuakesana. Amieen [AllpraisetoGod. At leastthis yearwecanchange NU GARISLUCU.2015f.“Alhamdulillah, setidaknyatahuninibisagantialasan.Semogawabahsegera photos/a.1583831908562343/1590457377899796/ Facebook Foundation) forNUmembers…tobeextracarefulthismonthifyoushopatIndomaret INDOMARET. SEKIAN.[Importantannouncement: An appealfrom YLKI (IndonesianConsumers warga NAHDLIYYIN...UNTUKBULANINISUPAYA BERHATI HATI JIKA BELANJA DI NU GARISLUCU.2015e.“PENGUMUMANPENTING:HIMBAUANDARI YLKI untuk com/NUgarisLUCU/photos/a.1577892315822969/1577892322489635/ NU GARISLUCU.2015d. 2020]. https://www.facebook.com/NUgarisLUCU/photos/a.1583831908562343/1592901800988687/ God willingtheyarepartofecreativegrouppeople tergolong orangyangKreatif (slightsmileemoji)[ NU GARISLUCU.2015c.“HayoSiapayangdulupernahpotongrambutmodelbegini?Insyaallohmereka 2207520000../964593370229911. Accessed [January4,2020].https://www.facebook.com/nugarislutju/photos/pb.888118014544114.- NU GARISLUCU.2015b.“HidupLucu[Livehumorously].”Facebook 2207520000../896460420376540. Accessed [February28,2020].https://www.facebook.com/nugarislutju/photos/pb.888118014544114.- NU GARISLUCU.2015a.“SilahkanShare!!![Pleaseshare!!!].” status/1080013441010565121. ferguso].” Twitter mengingatkan, ferguso [Sorry, thatphraseisfromourbio,notaquoteGusDur. Justareminder, NU GarisLucu(@NUgarislucu).2019.“Maaf,tulisanitudaribiokami,bukanquoteGusDur. Sekadar twitter.com/novri75/status/926293012069543936?lang=ca post,December31 post, April 7. Accessed [January4,2020].https://www.facebook.com/NUgarisLUCU/ yber post,January1,9:10a.m. Accessed [February29,2020].https://twitter.com/nugarislucu/ C Facebook . Accessed [December 31,2020 . Accessed yber O photo,March16. Accessed [January 4,2020].https://www.facebook. rient, Vol. . . ].” Facebook OK, whohasevercuttheirhairlikethisbefore? 15, Iss. . ]. https://www.facebook.com/NUgarisLUCU/ Facebook post, April 12. Accessed [January4, 1, 2021 . photo,September11. photo, April 20. ].” .

115 James Bourk Hoesterey Nuraniyah, Nava.2020.“Divided Muslims:militant pluralism,polarization anddemocratic backsliding.” Accessed [June4,2020]. https://twitter.com/nu_online/status/872639568855433216 religion thanyou,thatmeansyouarenot worshippingGod,butreligion].“ yang kamupertuhankanbukan Allah, tapiagama. #GusDur[Ifyoumakeenemiesofthosewithadifferent NU Online(@nu_online).2017.“Jika kamu memusuhiorangyangberbedaagamadengankamu,berarti photos/a.1583831908562343/2681373155474874/. post, March10. Accessed [January4,2021].https://www.facebook.com/NUgarisLUCU/ tempat diruangpublic[Words thatbelittlewomenhavenoplaceinthepublicsphere].”Facebook NU GARISLUCU.2020.“Ungkapanyangmerendahkanperempuan,takselayaknya mendapat photos/a.1583831908562343/2585292181749639/ Facebook dst #jumatmubarak [ NU GARISLUCU.2019d.“ facebook.com/NUgarisLUCU/photos/a.1594028390876028/2528797054065819/ menu beforeOctober1 neehhh (threes NU GARISLUCU.2019c.“ facebook.com/nugarislutju/photos/pb.888118014544114.-2207520000../2367251743297393. youth toacknowledgeyouareNU].” NU (threeheart-eyesemojis)[Don’t behesitant,don’t beembarrassed,especiallyforthoseadolescentsand NU GARISLUCU.2019b.“ com/nugarislutju/photos/pb.888118014544114.-2207520000../2371058676250033/?type=3&theater. NU GARISLUCU.2019a. photos/a.1583831908562343/2071853366426859/. …].“ Facebook Indonesian publicasacomedian.Nevertheless,seldomdotheyknowhisthoughtsandperspectives jarang yangmengetahuiperihalsikapdanpemikirannya[… NU GARISLUCU.2018.“Wahjoe SardonodikenalpublikIndonesiasebagaikomedian.Namun, photo,November29. Accessed [January4,2020].https://www.facebook.com/NUgarisLUCU/ yber miling-face-with-smiling-eyes emojis post,January15. Accessed [June22,2021].https://www.facebook.com/NUgarisLUCU/ ‘Beer drinker’ ‘gossiper’ canbereplacedwith‘sinner’, etc.#HappyJumat ].“ Facebook C Facebook Kuyyy Gaes,silahkandimakanbihunnya.Menuwajibsebelum1Oktober ‘Peminum Bir’ bisadigantidengan‘pezina’,‘pengghibah’... Jangan ragujanganmalu,terutamabagiremajadanpemudauntukmengaku yber photo,September29. Accessed [January4,2020].https://www. O Facebook photo,July2. Accessed [December17,2021].https://www.facebook. rient, Vol. photo,June30. Accessed [October19,2020].https://www. . ) [OKguys,goaheadandeatthenoodles.Obligatory 15, Iss. Wahjoe Sardonowasknownbythe 1, 2021 Twitter . post,June7,4:21a.m. . ].“

116 James Bourk Hoesterey Power.” Archiv Orientalni Slama, Martin.2020.“ImaginingIndonesianIslamasaCentre:NewMediations andOldConceptsof org/features/collections/piety-celebrity-sociality Southeast Asia.” Slama, Martin,andCarlaJones.2017.“Piety, Celebrity, Sociality: A ForumonIslamandSocialMediain Politics andPopularPiousPractices.” Slama, Martin,andBartBarendregt.2018.“OnlinePublicsinMuslimSoutheast Asia: InBetween Religious University Press. Siegel, James T. 1998.A NewCriminalType inJakarta:Counter-Revolution Today. Durham,NC:Duke Indiana UniversityPress. Schulz, Dorothea.2012. Indonesian SocialMedia.” Schmidt, Leonie.2018.“CyberwarriorsandCounterstars:ContestingReligiousRadicalism Violence on 2021] https://twitter.com/Zulkiflilubis71/status/1202272308338888705. Images that Move,editedby PatriciaSpyerand MaryMargaret Steedly, 257–293. SantaFe:Schoolfor Steedly, MaryM.2013.“Transparency and Apparition: MediaGhostsofPost-NewOrder Indonesia.”In Spyer andMaryMargaret Steedly, 3–40.SantaFe:Schoolfor Advanced ResearchPress. Spyer, Patricia,andMary Margaret Steedly. 2013.“Introduction.” In Journal ofLinguistic Anthropology 17(2):184–203. Smith-Hefner, NancyJ.2007.“Youth Language, apparently beenproventrue. What doyouthink]?” ternyata benarterbuktiBagaimanamenurutanda[SermonbythelateK.H.HazimMuzadiin2012has Pemimpin Goblok.(@Zulkiflilubis71).2019.“CeramahalmarhumKH.HazimMuzadipadatahun2012, 81–100. Singapore:ISEAS. In DemocracyinIndonesia:From StagnationtoRegression?, editedby Thomas PowerandEve Warburton, yber American Ethnologist Muslims andNewMediainWest Africa: PathwaystoGod Supplementa Asiascape: Digital Asia Asiascape: C yber O Asiascape: Digital Asia 5(1–2):3–31. Asiascape: website. Accessed [November 8,2017].https://americanethnologist. rient, Vol. XII: 273–300. . Gaul Sociability, andtheNewIndonesianMiddle Class.” Twitter 5 (1–2):32–67. 15, Iss. post,December4,11:03 a.m. Accessed [May14, Images thatMove,editedbyPatricia 1, 2021 . Bloomington,IN:

117 James Bourk Hoesterey beyond Suharto’s government. buildings, thedeaths ofelevenprotestors,theimprisonment ofothers,andacrackdownondissent insideand which referencesa student-led protestin1974againstrampant corruptionthatledtotheburning of carsand of Sciences 2 1 Notes portal-islam.id/2017/02/tips-menjerat-habib-rizieq-membubarkan.html Disbanding ofFPI].”PortalIslamwebsite,February1,2017. Accessed [February28,2018].https://www. Yamin, Kafil.2017.“MenjeratHabiebRizieqdanpembubaranFPI[TheentrapmentofHabibRiziqandthe dakwah-garis-lucu. Detik News Wijaya, Pungkit.2017. “Merawat ‘Dakwah’ GarisLucu[Taking CareoftheFunnyBrigadePropagation].” Wahid,2000. Abdurrahman. Durham, NC:DukeUniversityPress. Strassler, Karen.2020. Demanding Images:Democracy, Mediation,andtheImage-EventinIndonesia Cultural Anthropology 24(1):68–103. Strassler, Karen.2009.“The FaceofMoney:Currency, Crisis,andRemediation inPost-SuhartoIndonesia.” Advanced ResearchPress. perspectives andgrantingpermissionto usetheseimages.Ofcourse,allshortcomingsaremyown. online worldsinIndonesia.Finally, IamgratefultotheadministratorsatNUGarisLucuforsharingtheir think throughtheideaofhumorasreligiousethosandtobetterappreciate shiftinglandscapesofIslamic and well-deservedcriticismofanearlydraft.ConversationswithSavic Ali andHamzahSahalhelpedmeto understandings, especiallythe indebted tocolleaguesandaudiencesatseveralinstitutionswhereIbeganwork outmyinterpretationsand I amalsogratefultoMartinSlamawhooffered insightfulcommentsonmultipledrafts.Iamespecially MALARIisanIndonesianacronymfor The CatastropheofJanuary15( Iwouldliketothanktwoanonymousreviewersfortheirincisivecomments, critiques, andsuggestions. yber , andthe website, July21. Accessed [July28,2017].https://news.detik.com/kolom/d-3568538/merawat- , GadjahMadaUniversity, UniversityofFlorida Australian NationalUniversity C Melawan MelaluiLelucon yber State IslamicUniversity-SyarifHidayatullah O rient, Vol. . GregFealyprovidedmuch-appreciatedencouragement [To CounterthroughJokes].: Tempo. 15, Iss. , LeidenUniversity . 1, 2021 Malapetaka LimabelasJanuari , theStateIslamicUniversity- , theIndonesianInstitute

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118 James Bourk Hoesterey