ABSTRACT
This research was based on Charteris-Black’s (2004) notable argument about how metaphors in religious texts are basically utilized as tools for persuasion with affective value of a religious moral code. This research used the Critical Metaphor Analysis (CMA) approach to find out what persuasion strategy is used in the metaphorical speech act of a particular popular religious text regarding premarital romantic relationship. By using a descriptive qualitative research method and the combination of cognitive linguistic theories, this research finds that there is a polarization in metaphorical meaning between tenors in the data. The tenors also imply gender bias; men are portrayed as the source of problems, whereas women are viewed as the sole victim of premarital romantic relationship. Finally, the analysis on the speech act strategy reveals that it is delivered by using assertive and directive way of speech. The result here is in line with Charteris-Black’s findings of didactic nature in sacred texts. This research might shed a light for further research in various disciplines on the study of religious texts in Indonesia.
