Asking the Clergy: Must the faithful care for the environment?

Another Earth Day has gone by, but for some people of faith, conservation is a year-round practice closely linked to their religious teachings. This week’s commenters discuss why environmental conservation is important to their Baha'i, Jain and Hindu beliefs.

Nitin Ajmera of Plainview

Chair, board of trustees, Parliament of the World’s Religions

Jains believe in the concept of aparigraha, which guides us to limit our wants and needs to what is necessary for survival, and to avoid accumulating and then wasting what we don’t use. In this regard, we are encouraged to donate unused clothes from our closets, to limit water use when we are shaving or brushing our teeth, and to resist ordering large quantities of food in restaurants.

At home we turn off the lights in unoccupied rooms to save energy. We do this year-round, because our faith teaches us to limit our impact on the environment so resources can be used where they are needed, or at least conserved for future use.

Jains believe that earth, water, air, fire and vegetation — all the things that make up our environment — have life. Our philosophy teaches us that to coexist with everything else in our environment, we need to live and let live. Because all life-forms support one another, we also practice ahimsa, or nonviolence, which prohibits the ruthless killing of animals and encourages a reduction in the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and air and water pollution.

Encouraging respect and recognizing the dignity of all elements of nature strengthen our path of dharma — correct behavior.

Narinder Kapoor

Member, board of directors, Multi-Faith Forum of Long Island

Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana, one of Hinduism’s foundational Scriptures, teaches us that “Ether, air, fire, water, earth, planets, all creatures, directions, trees and plants, rivers and seas, they all are organs of God’s body. Remembering this, a devotee respects all species.” (2.2.41) 

Thus, Hindus are indeed obligated to care for the environment because we profoundly believe that all living things are sacred and are part of God. We believe that Earth is a mother who must be respected and made more beautiful, not contaminated with pesticides and other toxins.

In Hicksville, where I live, there are several temples where Hindus go on Earth Day to chant special mantras reinforcing the beauty of nature and adoring Mother Earth.

Many Hindus believe that nonviolence means showing respect and dignity for all life — not only human but animal and vegetable life. In a state of mind replete with compassion, empathy and selflessness, one starts seeing oneness all around. There is no separation between the Creator and the created — there is no essential separation between the species. The Hindu worldview recognizes this unity. It also celebrates the diversity of the divine that we see all around us every day.

Marie McNair of East Patchogue

Secretary, Regional Baha'i Council of the Northeastern States

The teachings of Baha’u’llah, our religion’s founder, state that the beauty and diversity of the natural world are reflections of the majesty and bounty of God. For Baha’is, the obligation to care for the planet is spiritual as well as material, and therefore there is an implicit understanding that the environment is to be respected and protected.

Just as worship and service go hand in hand, a pivotal concept in Baha’i teachings is that the refinement of one’s inner character and service to humanity are inseparable. With Baha’u’llah’s vision of worldwide unity, prosperity and justice, Baha’is feel a deep obligation for stewardship of the planet. Our sense of world citizenship and the promotion of the well-being of humanity causes Baha’is to treat all with love and compassion and to sacrifice for the betterment of society.

Therefore, in their individual lives and collective social action endeavors, Baha’is enthusiastically participate in efforts to care for the environment, not because they are obligated by an external source, but because bringing together worship and service, focusing on the spiritual and material aspects of living, and caring for our environment are part of living a coherent, spiritually focused life and building a better world.