RELIGION AND ENVIRONMENTALISM
I AM INTRIGUED WITH THE QUESTION OF HOW RELIGIOUS BELIEFS STARTED. HUMAN BEINGS HAVE CONSTANTLY SEARCHED FOR UNDERSTANDING OF THE MYSTERY OF LIFE. THE COMPLEXITY OF THE STORY OF CREATION AND THE MAGIC OF LIFE IS WELL BEYOND HUMAN COMPREHENSION. I BELIEVE AN EFFORT TO UNDERSTAND HUMAN LIFE, FORMED THE BASIS FOR DEVELOPING THE CONCEPT OF DIVINE PRESENCE TO UNDERSTANDING HOW THE UNIVERSAL COMMUNITY CAME INTO BEING. EARLY IN MANKIND’S DEVELOPMENT, THE MYSTERY OF LIFE GAVE RISE TO THESE SPIRITUAL BELIEFS, AND AMAZINGLY HAVE CONTINUED TO PREVAIL IN MODERN RELIGIOUS IDEALS.
EARLY ON, THE MANKIND BEGAN A SEARCH FOR EXPLANATIONS ABOUT CREATION AND LIFE, WHICH COULD ONLY BE FOUND IN SPIRITUAL IDEALS. THIS RESULTED IN A STRONG CONNECTION BETWEEN RELIGION AND ENVIRONMENTALISM, WHICH HAS LASTED TO MODERN TIMES. RECENTLY, WE HAVE SEEN THEOLOGIANS FROM A VARIETY OF RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS, DISCUSSING RELIGIOUS ATTITUDES TOWARD NATURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT. WE HAVE ALSO SEEN AN EXPLOSION OF RELIGIOUS CONCERNS TOWARD RELATIONSHIPS WITH NON-HUMAN SPECIES AND THE CONCEPT OF ECOSYSTEMS. THE HISTORICAL ACCEPTANCE OF DIVINE INTERVENTION, LED HUMANS TO RELY ON RELIGIOUS CONCEPTS TO UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEX AND MULTIFACETED BELIEFS, RITUALS AND TEACHINGS FOR THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF EVERYTHING ON EARTH.
TWO HUNDRED FIFTY YEARS AGO, THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCES, STARTED A NEW ERA THAT RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN HUMANITY’S SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE. A MASS MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE FROM RURAL LIFE TO URBAN CENTERS WAS INITIATED AS EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES WERE EXPANDING IN THE METROPOLITAN AREAS, WHILE OFFERING INCREASED FINANCIAL REWARDS. TODAY, 82% OF UNITED STATES CITIZENS ARE CLASSIFIED AS URBANITES. IT WAS NOT LONG BEFORE THE CHRISTIAN CHURCHES BECAME COMPLICIT BY SUPPORTING RAPID INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND ADVANCEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY. THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT OUR NATION EXPERIENCED RAPID ECONOMIC GROW AND AFFLUENCE AS A RESULT OF URBANIZATION AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR MODERN SOCIETY HAVE BECOME FOCUSED ON GREED AND INDIVIDUALISM. WE HAVE ALIENATED OURSELVES FROM THE LAND AND NATURE, AND THE CHURCH TENDS TO FOCUS ON REDEMPTION OF THE INDIVIDUAL AT THE EXPENSE OF CREATION.
WORLD RELIGIONS STILL TEND TO BELIEVE WE MUST NEVER FORGET THAT NATURE WAS GOD’S CREATION AND NOT OF HUMAN CONCEPTION. THE FOLLOWING ARE A FEW QUOTES FROM DIFFERENT RELIGIONS ABOUT OUR CONNECTION TO NATURE:
CHRISTIANITY; “WE MUST TREAT NATURE WITH THE SAME AWE AND WONDER THAT WE RESERVE FOR HUMAN BEINGS. WE DO NOT NEED THIS INSIGHT IN ORDER TO BELIEVE IN GOD OR TO PROVE HIS EXISTENCE. WE NEED IT TO BREATH; WE NEED IT FOR US TO SIMPLY BE.”
BUDDHISM; “OUR ANCESTORS VIEWED EARTH AS RICH AND BOUNTIFUL, WHICH IT IS. MANY PEOPLE IN THE PAST ALSO SAW NATURE AS INEXHAUSTIBLY SUSTAINABLE, WHICH WE NOW KNOW IS THE CASE ONLY IF WE CARE FOR IT.”
BAHA’L; “NATURE IS GODS WILL AND IS ITS EXPRESSION IN AND THROUGH THE CONTINGENT WORLD”.
HINDUISM; “THERE IS AN INSEPARABLE BOND BETWEEN MAN AND NATURE. FOR MAN, THERE CANNOT BE AN EXISTENCE REMOVED FROM NATURE”.
CONFUCIANISM; “SUSTAINABLE HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE HUMAN SPECIES AND NATURE IS NOT MERELY AN ABSTRACT IDEAL, BUT A CONCRETE GUIDE FOR PRACTICAL LIVING”.
ISLAM; “DEVOTE THYSELF SINGLE-MINDEDLY TO THE FAITH, AND FOLLOW THE NATURE DESIGNED BY ALLAH, THE NATURE ACCORDING TO WHICH HE HAS FASHIONED MANKIND. THERE IS NO ALTERING THE CREATION OF ALLAH”.
JUDAISM; “AND GOD SAID: BEHOLD I HAVE GIVEN YOU EVERY HERB YIELDING SEED, WHICH IS UPON THE FACE OF ALL THE EARTH, AND EVERY TREE, WHICH IS THE FRUIT OF A TREE YIELDING SEED – TO YOU IT SHALL BE FOR FOOD”.
TAOISM; “THIS ORIGINAL NATURE IS THE ETERNAL LAW. TO KNOW THE NATURE’S LAW IS TO BE ENLIGHTENED. HE WHO IS IGNORANT OF THE NATURE’S LAW SHALL ACT RECKLESSLY, AND THUS WILL INVITE MISFORTUNE. TO KNOW THE CONSTANT LAW OF NATURE IS TO BE GENEROUS. BEING GENEROUS, ONE IS IMPARTIAL. BEING IMPARTIAL, ONE IS THE SOVEREIGN. SOVEREIGN IS THE NATURE ITSELF”.
IT IS OBVIOUS THAT WORLD RELIGIONS HAVE SHARED A CLOSE CONNECTION TO ENVIRONMENTALISM THROUGHOUT HISTORY. WESTERN MONOTHEISTIC RELIGIONS BELIEVE WE MUST APPRECIATE THAT NATURE WAS GOD’S CREATION AND GOD’S PROPERTY. WE ARE NOT THE MASTERS OF EARTH, BUT SIMPLY A PART OF CREATION. IT IS ALSO OBVIOUS, THAT THE LAST 250 YEARS OF INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND ADVANCED SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE HAS RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF HUMANITY’S RESPECT FOR THE NATURAL WORLD. THIS HAS RESULTED IN AN ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS WHICH IS PROBABLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE HUMAN BEINGS HAVE EVER FACED.
RECENTLY, THIS WORLDWIDE CRISIS HAS CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF A FEW THEOLOGIANS, WHICH HAS RESULTED IN EFFORTS TO REGENERATE INTEREST IN OUR SPIRITUAL CONNECTION TO NATURE. THEIR EFFORTS HAVE NOT RESULTED IN MUCH SOCAL CHANGE NOR ACCEPTANCE OF THE TRUE CRISIS WE FACE WORLDWIDE. THE MAJOR SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IS THE CONCEPT OF NATURE IS NOW DEFINED AS SOMETHING NEW, THE ENVIRONMENT, WHICH IS A NON-HUMAN WORLD WHOSE LIFE AND DEATH IS CONTROLLED BY HUMAN BEINGS. IT IS BEYOND BELIEF, THAT MANY STILL BELIEVE THAT HUMAN’S ARE NOT THE CAUSE OF THE MULTIFACETED ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS HUMANITY NOW FACES. THE TRUTH IS WHAT WE DO TO EARTH WE DO TO OURSELVES. HUMAN BEINGS AND THE ENVIRONMENT ARE TOTALLY CONNECTED, EACH SIDE AFFECTING, AND BEING AFFECTED, BY THE OTHER.
WHEN WE LOOK AT RELIGION, ECOLOGY AND TODAY'S CRISIS, TWO QUESTIONS ARISE. WHAT HAVE WORLD RELIGIONS BELIEVED ABOUT HUMAN RELATIONS WITH NATURE, AND HOW MUST THESE BELIEFS CHANGE TO ADDRESS TODAY'S ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS? SCIENCE HAS BEEN ALERTING US TO THIS CRISIS FOR THE PAST 50 YEARS, YET OUR CORPORATE AND POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS HAVE FOUND FINANCIAL PROFITS AND COSTS TO BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN FUTURE LIFE ON EARTH. ACADEMIA HAS ALSO CONTINUED THEIR FOCUS ON CONSUMPTION AND UTILIZATION, RATHER THAN ECOLOGICAL CONCERNS FOR THE NATURAL WORLD. INSTEAD OF A RELIGIOUS ORIENTATION TO ECO-JUSTICE, MUCH OF OUR SOCIETY CONCENTRATES ON WHO GETS THE MONEY, MORE THAN THE CONSEQUENCES OF HOW WE PRODUCE THAT WEALTH.
I HAVE SPENT MUCH OF MY RETIREMENT YEARS STUDYING AND ANALYZING HUMAN IMPACTS ON THE NATURAL WORLD, AND HAVE CONCLUDED THAT OUR FUTURE WILL DEPEND UPON TWO MAJOR ELEMENTS; RELIGION AND ECOLOGY. UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE ALSO FOUND THAT WHAT RELIGIOUS FOLLOWERS SAY AND DO ARE FREQUENTLY TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. IT IS ALSO TROUBLING TO KNOW THAT PARTICIPATION IN RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES, IN THE UNITED STATES, IS AT AN ALL TIME LOW. WE MUST FIND WAYS FOR OUR RELIGIOUS LEADERSHIP TO ENCOURAGE THE RECOVERY OF OUR SPIRITUAL CONNECTION TO NATURE, EDUCATE OUR PEOPLE IN ECOLOGICAL CONCEPTS AND BECOME WILLING PARTICIPANTS IN IMPLEMENTING THE REQUIRED CHANGES.
HISTORY, INCLUDING RECENT HISTORY, SELDOM COMES FROM LEADERSHIP INTUITION AND DIRECTION, BUT RATHER AT THE INSISTENCE OF THE PEOPLE. I BELIEVE POLITICS, ECONOMICS, ENERGY POLICY, AGRICULTURE AND TRANSPORTATION ARE RELIGION’S BUSINESS. I ALSO BELIEVE ANY STRONG RELIGIOUS COMMITMENT INCLUDES AN ENVIRONMENTAL ETHIC. THIS CRISIS IS A SPIRITUAL PROBLEM, AFFECTING THE PASSION AND INTIMACY OF RELIGIOUS LIFE.
TOMORROW DEPENDS UPON STRONG LEADERSHIP FROM THE CHURCH TO RECREATE THE SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIP WE REQUIRE WITH NATURE, AND ACADEME’S LEADERSHIP TO PROVIDE AN ECOLOGICAL BASE FOR OUR YOUTH. THERE IS MUCH TO BE DONE AND LITTLE TIME TO DO IT!
I AM INTRIGUED WITH THE QUESTION OF HOW RELIGIOUS BELIEFS STARTED. HUMAN BEINGS HAVE CONSTANTLY SEARCHED FOR UNDERSTANDING OF THE MYSTERY OF LIFE. THE COMPLEXITY OF THE STORY OF CREATION AND THE MAGIC OF LIFE IS WELL BEYOND HUMAN COMPREHENSION. I BELIEVE AN EFFORT TO UNDERSTAND HUMAN LIFE, FORMED THE BASIS FOR DEVELOPING THE CONCEPT OF DIVINE PRESENCE TO UNDERSTANDING HOW THE UNIVERSAL COMMUNITY CAME INTO BEING. EARLY IN MANKIND’S DEVELOPMENT, THE MYSTERY OF LIFE GAVE RISE TO THESE SPIRITUAL BELIEFS, AND AMAZINGLY HAVE CONTINUED TO PREVAIL IN MODERN RELIGIOUS IDEALS.
EARLY ON, THE MANKIND BEGAN A SEARCH FOR EXPLANATIONS ABOUT CREATION AND LIFE, WHICH COULD ONLY BE FOUND IN SPIRITUAL IDEALS. THIS RESULTED IN A STRONG CONNECTION BETWEEN RELIGION AND ENVIRONMENTALISM, WHICH HAS LASTED TO MODERN TIMES. RECENTLY, WE HAVE SEEN THEOLOGIANS FROM A VARIETY OF RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS, DISCUSSING RELIGIOUS ATTITUDES TOWARD NATURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT. WE HAVE ALSO SEEN AN EXPLOSION OF RELIGIOUS CONCERNS TOWARD RELATIONSHIPS WITH NON-HUMAN SPECIES AND THE CONCEPT OF ECOSYSTEMS. THE HISTORICAL ACCEPTANCE OF DIVINE INTERVENTION, LED HUMANS TO RELY ON RELIGIOUS CONCEPTS TO UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEX AND MULTIFACETED BELIEFS, RITUALS AND TEACHINGS FOR THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF EVERYTHING ON EARTH.
TWO HUNDRED FIFTY YEARS AGO, THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCES, STARTED A NEW ERA THAT RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN HUMANITY’S SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE. A MASS MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE FROM RURAL LIFE TO URBAN CENTERS WAS INITIATED AS EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES WERE EXPANDING IN THE METROPOLITAN AREAS, WHILE OFFERING INCREASED FINANCIAL REWARDS. TODAY, 82% OF UNITED STATES CITIZENS ARE CLASSIFIED AS URBANITES. IT WAS NOT LONG BEFORE THE CHRISTIAN CHURCHES BECAME COMPLICIT BY SUPPORTING RAPID INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND ADVANCEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY. THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT OUR NATION EXPERIENCED RAPID ECONOMIC GROW AND AFFLUENCE AS A RESULT OF URBANIZATION AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR MODERN SOCIETY HAVE BECOME FOCUSED ON GREED AND INDIVIDUALISM. WE HAVE ALIENATED OURSELVES FROM THE LAND AND NATURE, AND THE CHURCH TENDS TO FOCUS ON REDEMPTION OF THE INDIVIDUAL AT THE EXPENSE OF CREATION.
WORLD RELIGIONS STILL TEND TO BELIEVE WE MUST NEVER FORGET THAT NATURE WAS GOD’S CREATION AND NOT OF HUMAN CONCEPTION. THE FOLLOWING ARE A FEW QUOTES FROM DIFFERENT RELIGIONS ABOUT OUR CONNECTION TO NATURE:
CHRISTIANITY; “WE MUST TREAT NATURE WITH THE SAME AWE AND WONDER THAT WE RESERVE FOR HUMAN BEINGS. WE DO NOT NEED THIS INSIGHT IN ORDER TO BELIEVE IN GOD OR TO PROVE HIS EXISTENCE. WE NEED IT TO BREATH; WE NEED IT FOR US TO SIMPLY BE.”
BUDDHISM; “OUR ANCESTORS VIEWED EARTH AS RICH AND BOUNTIFUL, WHICH IT IS. MANY PEOPLE IN THE PAST ALSO SAW NATURE AS INEXHAUSTIBLY SUSTAINABLE, WHICH WE NOW KNOW IS THE CASE ONLY IF WE CARE FOR IT.”
BAHA’L; “NATURE IS GODS WILL AND IS ITS EXPRESSION IN AND THROUGH THE CONTINGENT WORLD”.
HINDUISM; “THERE IS AN INSEPARABLE BOND BETWEEN MAN AND NATURE. FOR MAN, THERE CANNOT BE AN EXISTENCE REMOVED FROM NATURE”.
CONFUCIANISM; “SUSTAINABLE HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE HUMAN SPECIES AND NATURE IS NOT MERELY AN ABSTRACT IDEAL, BUT A CONCRETE GUIDE FOR PRACTICAL LIVING”.
ISLAM; “DEVOTE THYSELF SINGLE-MINDEDLY TO THE FAITH, AND FOLLOW THE NATURE DESIGNED BY ALLAH, THE NATURE ACCORDING TO WHICH HE HAS FASHIONED MANKIND. THERE IS NO ALTERING THE CREATION OF ALLAH”.
JUDAISM; “AND GOD SAID: BEHOLD I HAVE GIVEN YOU EVERY HERB YIELDING SEED, WHICH IS UPON THE FACE OF ALL THE EARTH, AND EVERY TREE, WHICH IS THE FRUIT OF A TREE YIELDING SEED – TO YOU IT SHALL BE FOR FOOD”.
TAOISM; “THIS ORIGINAL NATURE IS THE ETERNAL LAW. TO KNOW THE NATURE’S LAW IS TO BE ENLIGHTENED. HE WHO IS IGNORANT OF THE NATURE’S LAW SHALL ACT RECKLESSLY, AND THUS WILL INVITE MISFORTUNE. TO KNOW THE CONSTANT LAW OF NATURE IS TO BE GENEROUS. BEING GENEROUS, ONE IS IMPARTIAL. BEING IMPARTIAL, ONE IS THE SOVEREIGN. SOVEREIGN IS THE NATURE ITSELF”.
IT IS OBVIOUS THAT WORLD RELIGIONS HAVE SHARED A CLOSE CONNECTION TO ENVIRONMENTALISM THROUGHOUT HISTORY. WESTERN MONOTHEISTIC RELIGIONS BELIEVE WE MUST APPRECIATE THAT NATURE WAS GOD’S CREATION AND GOD’S PROPERTY. WE ARE NOT THE MASTERS OF EARTH, BUT SIMPLY A PART OF CREATION. IT IS ALSO OBVIOUS, THAT THE LAST 250 YEARS OF INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND ADVANCED SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE HAS RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF HUMANITY’S RESPECT FOR THE NATURAL WORLD. THIS HAS RESULTED IN AN ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS WHICH IS PROBABLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE HUMAN BEINGS HAVE EVER FACED.
RECENTLY, THIS WORLDWIDE CRISIS HAS CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF A FEW THEOLOGIANS, WHICH HAS RESULTED IN EFFORTS TO REGENERATE INTEREST IN OUR SPIRITUAL CONNECTION TO NATURE. THEIR EFFORTS HAVE NOT RESULTED IN MUCH SOCAL CHANGE NOR ACCEPTANCE OF THE TRUE CRISIS WE FACE WORLDWIDE. THE MAJOR SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IS THE CONCEPT OF NATURE IS NOW DEFINED AS SOMETHING NEW, THE ENVIRONMENT, WHICH IS A NON-HUMAN WORLD WHOSE LIFE AND DEATH IS CONTROLLED BY HUMAN BEINGS. IT IS BEYOND BELIEF, THAT MANY STILL BELIEVE THAT HUMAN’S ARE NOT THE CAUSE OF THE MULTIFACETED ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS HUMANITY NOW FACES. THE TRUTH IS WHAT WE DO TO EARTH WE DO TO OURSELVES. HUMAN BEINGS AND THE ENVIRONMENT ARE TOTALLY CONNECTED, EACH SIDE AFFECTING, AND BEING AFFECTED, BY THE OTHER.
WHEN WE LOOK AT RELIGION, ECOLOGY AND TODAY'S CRISIS, TWO QUESTIONS ARISE. WHAT HAVE WORLD RELIGIONS BELIEVED ABOUT HUMAN RELATIONS WITH NATURE, AND HOW MUST THESE BELIEFS CHANGE TO ADDRESS TODAY'S ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS? SCIENCE HAS BEEN ALERTING US TO THIS CRISIS FOR THE PAST 50 YEARS, YET OUR CORPORATE AND POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS HAVE FOUND FINANCIAL PROFITS AND COSTS TO BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN FUTURE LIFE ON EARTH. ACADEMIA HAS ALSO CONTINUED THEIR FOCUS ON CONSUMPTION AND UTILIZATION, RATHER THAN ECOLOGICAL CONCERNS FOR THE NATURAL WORLD. INSTEAD OF A RELIGIOUS ORIENTATION TO ECO-JUSTICE, MUCH OF OUR SOCIETY CONCENTRATES ON WHO GETS THE MONEY, MORE THAN THE CONSEQUENCES OF HOW WE PRODUCE THAT WEALTH.
I HAVE SPENT MUCH OF MY RETIREMENT YEARS STUDYING AND ANALYZING HUMAN IMPACTS ON THE NATURAL WORLD, AND HAVE CONCLUDED THAT OUR FUTURE WILL DEPEND UPON TWO MAJOR ELEMENTS; RELIGION AND ECOLOGY. UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE ALSO FOUND THAT WHAT RELIGIOUS FOLLOWERS SAY AND DO ARE FREQUENTLY TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. IT IS ALSO TROUBLING TO KNOW THAT PARTICIPATION IN RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES, IN THE UNITED STATES, IS AT AN ALL TIME LOW. WE MUST FIND WAYS FOR OUR RELIGIOUS LEADERSHIP TO ENCOURAGE THE RECOVERY OF OUR SPIRITUAL CONNECTION TO NATURE, EDUCATE OUR PEOPLE IN ECOLOGICAL CONCEPTS AND BECOME WILLING PARTICIPANTS IN IMPLEMENTING THE REQUIRED CHANGES.
HISTORY, INCLUDING RECENT HISTORY, SELDOM COMES FROM LEADERSHIP INTUITION AND DIRECTION, BUT RATHER AT THE INSISTENCE OF THE PEOPLE. I BELIEVE POLITICS, ECONOMICS, ENERGY POLICY, AGRICULTURE AND TRANSPORTATION ARE RELIGION’S BUSINESS. I ALSO BELIEVE ANY STRONG RELIGIOUS COMMITMENT INCLUDES AN ENVIRONMENTAL ETHIC. THIS CRISIS IS A SPIRITUAL PROBLEM, AFFECTING THE PASSION AND INTIMACY OF RELIGIOUS LIFE.
TOMORROW DEPENDS UPON STRONG LEADERSHIP FROM THE CHURCH TO RECREATE THE SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIP WE REQUIRE WITH NATURE, AND ACADEME’S LEADERSHIP TO PROVIDE AN ECOLOGICAL BASE FOR OUR YOUTH. THERE IS MUCH TO BE DONE AND LITTLE TIME TO DO IT!
