Dedicated to Mother Earth

We realise today that environment and ecology are not merely concerns that can be left to physical scientists, bureaucrats, business people and politicians alone. The use, abuse and misuse of the environment affect everyone: the old, the young, even the unborn.

The modern world built on consumerism and greed, with a deep dividebetween the north and the south and whose riches are built on the exploitation of the poor, can no longer sustain its development and style of life without despoiling the world. Does my faith demand a response to these concerns?There is a growing realisation in the West, that they have moved along a linear part of scientific and technological progress, which is built on the philosophy of domination of the earth and not care and concern for it. By contrast the tribals and many native societies live in harmony with nature.

Earlier, I had lived in a limited consciousness of my responsibility to mother earth. I believed that if I lived a good life, with good intentions and love towards my neighbour, I was deeply religious. Now, with signs of the ill-effects of massive pollution and destruction of the earth8217;s resources, to mainly prop up the life styles of the rich, I am convinced that I have to play a larger role. My faith cannot stop with narrow religious activities. I owe it to society and to the planet onwhich I live as well as to future generations to be part of the society which works for a proper stewardship of the earth and its resources.

In the Old Testament, we see that the Garden of Eden is a paradise, with an eco system in which the different species of creation co-exist harmoniously. Hence, as one Christian theologian put it, any ecological degradation is a destruction of God8217;s creation.

Central of this ecological debate is also the question of social justice. It is estimated that the natural resources needed to maintain the lifestyle of one person in the USA is equal to what is required by 200-300 Asians. It is also more and more evident that ecological concerns are a common cause for people of all faiths. To protect our common home, the spiritual resources of all religions need to be mobilised. There is also a growing consciousness that the western model of economic development, which is based on amassing of riches by a few and the rapacious exploitation of the earth8217;s resources ,is no longerviable.

For myself, now I have a heightened awareness of how much I depend on mother earth. For the air I breathe, the water I drink, for the food I eat and for all my needs. I am also interdependent on all human beings.

So, today I have awakened to an eco-spirituality that makes me conscious that every sunrise and sunset I have enjoyed, every tree, fruit and flower whose beauty has touched me, every waterfall, every bird and beast sings to me a song of creation that is very good and of a creation that I should not despoil by my lifestyle.

So the question: what does my faith have to do with ecological and environmental concerns? The answer is simple. I was born and will die on an earth to which I am inextricably inter-related. My faith therefore, cannot be earth neutral.