Green Faith: Religions Celebrate Earth Day 2011

Earth Day 2011 will be observed April 22 in over 175 countries around the world. Individuals and communities will unite in service projects, conservation efforts, and public rallies to raise awareness and coalesce support for protecting our planet's precious resources.

Earth Day reminds us to all take personal responsibility for the preservation and renewal of our environment. With this daunting challenge in mind, it can be both helpful and illuminating to examine the world's religious traditions for wisdom that might guide us in sustaining these efforts.

We hope that you will explore the many valuable perspectives offered by our HuffPost Religion bloggers John Stanley and David Loy (Buddhism), Ibrahim Abdul-Matin (Islam), Pankaj Jain (Hinduism), Rabbi Lawrence Troster (Judaism), Doug Demeo (Christianity), and Bron Taylor (Paganism) below, and that their words will bring greater meaning to you and your conservation efforts on Earth Day and every day.

John Stanley

Director, Ecological Buddhism

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Comments

[Windfish]

11:42 AM on 04/27/2011

I really, really hope that is not my religion in that picture. Epic face_palm

[H P]

09:07 PM on 04/23/2011

I like Richard Feynman's way of thinking about the universe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfjWa6yW2mk

[TomStelene]

12:52 PM on 04/23/2011

"Earth Day reminds us to all take personal responsibility for the preservation and renewal of our environment."

Don't remind me. I don't suffer from a redeemer/savior complex. Way too many people, however, are making the rest of us suffer from theirs.

[presenseOfcolor]

07:56 PM on 04/24/2011

Secular humanism, I.E., social justice is a religion per the US Supreme court 1961, Torcaso v. Watkins (367 U.S. 488) , but then you'd just rather suffer people right back now wouldn't you? Oh, and I know it was a footnote as well as I know that four time it's been challenged, yet it remains.

[Indigo1941]

12:05 PM on 04/23/2011

The interesting thing about the respectable and accepted organized religions is how they spin to make it seem they respect the earth. The fact is that they're scared of paganism because they're not concerend with Nature nor with the Mother, they're patriarchal and preoccupied with the Sky Father. The Hindus not so much. To live on the Earth is to reverence this Earth. The creative dodges of the patriarchal religions are fascinating but also clear indicators of how far away their spirituality wanders from the reality of life on this good Earth.

[bbqmee]

07:53 PM on 04/23/2011

"Nature is at our disposal not as “a heap of scattered refuse”[116], but as a gift of the Creator who has given it an inbuilt order, enabling man to draw from it the principles needed in order “to till it and keep it” (Gen 2:15). But it should also be stressed that it is contrary to authentic development to view nature as something more important than the human person. This position leads to attitudes of neo-paganism or a new pantheism."
Pope Benedict XVI said
There is no mother earth or universal spirit which unites human spirit to somehow earths spirit. Planet earth is held together mysteriously through Jesus(human and divine). God is His great love for humanity gives us a temporary home(earth)with all the beauty of nature,lakes, oceans, desserts, oxygen. Jesus also offers us His GREAT MERCY for the forgiveness of our sins and offers eternal life. As scripture says, heaven a place where there will be no more hunger or thirst. / Heaven will be a greater place than this earth.
---Mary is Mother of the Sorrowful Heart

[Indigo1941]

08:04 PM on 04/23/2011

How strange to be so contemptuous of Mother Earth. But She is patient and will bless you regardless.

[LintLass]

08:59 PM on 04/24/2011

Strange. No matter how important you think a human is, without the Earth, there *are* no human people. I'm baffled as to how he views this as some kind of competition, then accuses others of taking the wrong 'side' in his little construct there.

*As* a Goddess-lovin pantheist 'neo-Pagan, ' though, I see nothing to be ashamed of in valuing the Earth more than some dude's theological opinion of himself.

[Word of God]

10:10 AM on 04/23/2011

God's Dominion Mandate has never been withdrawn and is still in effect. It was originally given to Adam and Eve and then confirmed and modified to Noah after the Great Flood. In spite of all the advances in science and technology that have been made, mankind has still got a long way go to go before we reach our goal of subduing the Earth, but God is still up there.

[H P]

09:00 PM on 04/23/2011

I don't read Hebrew or whatever original langauge Genesis was written in.. BUT mandate to subdue the earth?? how many people are on the Planet NOW? 6 Billion and many of them starving, and drinking polluted water.. seems a more reasonable interpretation fo the 'mandate' is to think of the earth as a garden and till it... and why cutting all the trees down for pasture for cows... since we are talking Bible try these versus Gen 2:15 " 2:15 The Lord God took the man and placed 45 him in the orchard in 46 Eden to care for it and to maintain it. 47 "
and Gen 2:9 "God made all kinds of trees grow from the ground, trees beautiful to look at and good to eat. "

[presenseOfcolor]

08:05 PM on 04/24/2011

@HP
Hebrew is correct. And we are to Steward it, I.E. take good care, keep, use wisely.
But in a man to earth caretaker responsibility, not in a men to earth. in other words we are all individually responsible, not collectively. GOD as a Christian understands him, said it's yours, now take care of it, along with all the animals too. I haven't always done well in this regard, but the older I get the better I get, how about you?
Mans law, in the heart and actions of a christen NEVER supersedes GODs commands, it's anathema. And is always individual in responsibilities though a community of believers should have common actions, but the judgement will always be , what did you do and not together you did what.

[New Yorker]

09:39 PM on 04/22/2011

The chief forester of British Columbia believes what he sees with his eye, and his staff has measured. The climate change is causing species in southern BC to be stressed. If the climate change continues unabated in 50 to 75 years trees that are considered native to the region will no longer grow there, and their growing range will move north and east. A process that can and is being measured already. Only a complete fool would deny the obvious evidence of the change.

It is illegal to commercially cut a tree in British Columbia without the signature of the Chief forester, he is a person of considerable credibility when it comes to forestry.

[LintLass]

08:52 PM on 04/24/2011

Some of that's of course assuming that the rate of change doesn't outstrip the speed forests can move. It's more than about a few species, too.

But you're very right on this one: Denialism is just denial of reality. Again.

[Russ Kirk]

07:05 PM on 04/22/2011

Man's only hope, always has been, always will be, Jesus Christ.

[New Yorker]

09:33 PM on 04/22/2011

Amen !

[Deacon2]

02:38 PM on 04/23/2011

Jesus said, " I am the truth and the light." But too many of his followers believe that to be pseudo-truth, along with pseudo-science and pseudo-history.

[StrawMen]

05:39 PM on 04/22/2011

This shouldn't come as a surprise--as far as Christianity goes, stewardship should be a characteristic that we embrace.

[NHBill]

04:27 PM on 04/22/2011

Hey Baby Boomers.
If you are going to earth Day you might want to rent a car.
Your Escalade will look out of place.

[ArthurTwoShedsJackson]

10:28 PM on 04/23/2011

In point of fact, Jerry "Wormfood" Falwell once bragged he and his missus had his 'n her SUVs.

[MohammedAbbasi]

03:01 PM on 04/22/2011

Happy Ostara Day all! :)

[LintLass]

04:30 PM on 04/22/2011

Well, thanks, but you're a bit late: Ostara's generally celebrated around the Equinox, whereas the Christian holiday is linked to the Jewish Passover (Which came later than usual this year) despite the appropriated customs. :)

[TruthHurtsHuh]

01:35 PM on 04/22/2011

Considering global warming IS a religion I guess this is pretty appropriate.

[AdamWest1313]

04:05 PM on 04/22/2011

Please, do tell me how Global warming is a religion. Since when is a cause people feel strongly for a religion? What do they worship? Because if you claim that they worship the earth, you are incredibly naive. There is a huge difference between protecting, and worship, and if you can't see the difference, the you might want to go brush up on your definition "religion".

[TruthHurtsHuh]

04:11 PM on 04/22/2011

It's a premise that is taken on faith. The supporters ardently believe in it despite no proof whatsoever that it exists. They worship al gore and the millions and millions of dollars he has been able to con out of them.

What would you call it?

[TruthHurtsHuh]

04:12 PM on 04/22/2011

In fact, calling global warming a religion is an insult to religion.

[emmanuel goldstein]

08:47 PM on 04/22/2011

It's 'climate change', not 'global warming', do try to keep up.

[cmon really]

12:42 PM on 04/22/2011

aka Easter weekend

[LintLass]

12:48 PM on 04/22/2011

Well, Easter moves around on the calendar, it happens to fall on Earth Day this year, is all. :)

[emmanuel goldstein]

08:48 PM on 04/22/2011

I'd rather celebrate our mother, Gaia, than a guy that may or may not have existed 2000 years ago, thanks.

[beaker55]

12:34 PM on 04/22/2011

Green??? Bet you haven't read this: http://www.thegardenforums.org/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=23439

[beaker55]

12:34 PM on 04/22/2011

Yay Green people!! Celebrate Earth Day and give thanks for its green founder: Google 'Ira Einhorn'.

[laymancanuck]

12:20 PM on 04/22/2011

This is healthy evolution in a belief system. A few decades ago the belief was man had the right to exploit his environment. Now that's health progress.