I feel that religion is something many of us turn to in order to strengthen one's faith and hope. One can be born into religious sect, but ultimately you choose what to believe in. A principal common to most denominations is to live through good actions and to strive to be the best person you can be. Conserving and protecting our natural world with good intentions and full will is a way religion could tie into the environment.
Some religions coincide with nature and to be in harmony with Mother Nature is an aspiration of disciples. I myself, am Hindu, and this concept is certainly emphasized. To find one's true inner self, one must seek past the surface and can do so through mediation in a natural, peaceful environment. We also are respectful towards Mother Nature and the nutrients she provides; since there are 33 core gods in the Hindu religion, we see god in all entities of the world. For instance, cows are considered a holy animal as they provide milk and nourishment, thus traditional Hindus do not eat red meat as they believe that god resides in these creatures.
Eva,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your correlation between our topic and your own religion. When you said that in Hindu beliefs to find one's self requires meditation in a natural and peaceful environment makes it very clear that nature is a vital part of your beliefs. No one person or religion should have to sacrifice a part of their beliefs that are sacred to them because of environmental degradation.