The Causes of Environmental Degradation According to Religion - Report Example

Religion and Ecology \ Introduction “Religion and Ecology” is an emerging subfield in the academic disciplines of religious studies, religious ethics, sociology of religion, and theology amongst others, which mainly elaborate on the relationship between different types of religions and the environment. It mainly focuses on how these faiths look at or accommodate the environment in their daily beliefs. This study, therefore, seeks to examine the role played by different religious beliefs in conserving the environment through a forestation, reforestation, agroforestry, and other positive environmental conservation measures. In addition, the paper also looks at the steps taken by the religious communities to provide sustainable livelihoods that bring ease to cheap livelihoods that result into environmental conservation. In order to achieve this, the essay will primarily focus on describing how biblical traditions, which include Judaism, Christianity, and Islam perceive the environment and what they teach about it. Environmental degradation is one of the global challenges that are highly attributed to the rapid advancement in science and technology to tackle environmental degradation problems. A number of developing countries experience considerable amounts of environmental challenge such soil and water pollution especially through dumping of polythene bags and clearing of forest lands. This has led to studies by many religious organizations in an attempt to solve such challenges that lead to environmental degradation. These religious organizations have undoubtedly played a big role especially in educating the people on the importance of environmental conservation. The Causes of Environmental Degradation according to Religion Different religious beliefs, which have committed their resources and time on environmental conservation, identify environmental problems to include air and water pollution, soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, global warming, and the rise of ocean levels resulting from global warming (Gottlieb, 2006). Ecologically, different religious beliefs have related all sorts of environmental degradation problems to be as a result of human interactions with their environment. These environmental problems result from human activities such as clearing of forests, dumping of solid wastes along water bodies and release of chemical gasses into the environment. Land degradation has also been classified as one of the major causes of environmental degradation. The global need to conserve the environment is one of the key reasons why religious groups have also shown an enormous interest in educating people on environmental conservation measures and investing environmental conservation programs to protect the ecosystem. Christianity and the Environment Christian organizations associate the destruction of the environment to commercial and domestic human activities. Such activities include the need for timber, fuels and other natural resources. They also say that poverty is both a cause and effect of environmental degradation. Scott argues that the ecological involvement falls under the heading of Christian Mission since Christian Mission embraces everything since Christ sent people to the world to do service, as well as evangelism (Gottlieb, 2006). Therefore, Christians cannot claim to engage in social service if at all they are destroying the environment in which they and their neighbors live. Information related to this study was gathered through personal interviews, participant observation questionnaires and literature received from a Christian organization. The data revealed that human activities as a result of population growth is putting pressure on the environment thus resulting into environmental degradation such as loss of mangrove forests, deforestation, global warming, extensive soil erosion, rising of sea levels and loss of biodiversity. Many arms of Christian fraternity have complementing stands on the relationship between the environment and religion. For instance, the Seventh-day Adventist church is committed to environmental stewardship as well as taking action to avoid the dangers of climate change (Gottlieb, 2006). However, according to one of its most influential official statement, the church campaigns for a simple and wholesome lifestyle where people do not step on the treadmill of unbridled over-consumption, production of waste, and accumulation of goods (Gottlieb, 2006). The church further calls for reformation of lifestyle based on restraint in the use of the worlds resources, respect for nature, reassessment of ones needs, and the confirmation of the dignity of created life. Through its Loma Linda University, one of the churchs largest universities, the church introduced the Loma Linda University Center for Biodiversity and Conservation Studies. The objective of the center is to address the relative lack of environmental concern among Christians by increasing awareness of environmental issues (Gottlieb, 2006). The center also involves in animal displays representing global biodiversity hotspots of special concern and also introduces visitors to original scientific research being conducted in the schools biology, geology, and natural sciences departments. This generally manifests the attitude the Seventh - day Adventist church is trying to foster. On the other hand, the Evangelical church has often employed the phrase “creation care” to primarily indicate the basis of their projects. Evangelical organizations such as A Rocha, the Evangelical Climate Initiative, and the Evangelical Environmental Network have been in the forefront in advocating for a supplementing relationship between the environment and Christianity (Gottlieb, 2006). The evangelicals believe that Christians should make it clear to governments and businesses that they are willing to adapt their lifestyles and support steps towards changes that protect the environment. This has led them to adopt the title “the Green Evangelicals” (Gottlieb, 2006). The Latter Day Saints, on the other hand, takes a different approach towards fostering the relationship with the environment. They involve both politics and economy in matters of environmental conservation. They are guided by a passage from their Doctrines and Covenants that declare that “And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion” (Gottlieb, 2006). The Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church have similar stands on environmental issues and global warming. They believe in co-existence and cooperation between the environment and religion. Islam and the Environment According to one Imam, Shabir Ali, environmental conservation generally calls for personal change and limit in the way people associate with their surroundings. He further argues that, the reality of climate change calls for a change in people’s actions and forwarding their energies towards decreasing or possibly reversing of the looming environmental crisis (Gottlieb, 2006). He challenges religious leaders to depend mostly on traditions for any inspiration that could guide them towards preventing this global disaster. Therefore, the mission of a Muslim believer is not to try and figure out what these traditions mean, but try and use these old texts to solve new problems associated with the environmental crisis. This is because Islam believes in the conservation of the environment. It states that major efforts must be made on a daily basis to ensure resources are used according and completely. Islam considers wastefulness as a major contributing factor to our present woes hence the sudden awareness of the benefits of reducing, reusing and recycling waste. This is also supported by the Holy book of Quran that says, “But waste not by excess: for Allah loveth not the wasters” (Quran 6:141, Yusuf Ali translation). Additionally, Islam reiterates on the sanctity of planting trees. According to its teachings, tree planting is regarded in the classical Islamic tradition as an act of continuous charity, which is the most desirable sort of good deeds. The Prophet Muhammad said, “If one plants a tree then whatever is eventually eaten from it whether by humans or animals counts for the planter as a an act of charity” (Gottlieb, 2006). More importantly, Islam teaches about the equilibrium of all creation. Muslims believe that all creations of Allah, including animals and trees glorify God in their own way and serve a bigger purpose (Quran). Therefore, there is a need for Muslims to protect their environment. Clearly, the Islamic Religion regards the environment so much that it does everything in its power to mentor and groom Muslims to develop and live in a responsible way that guarantees the general ecology is well protected. Judaism and the Environment The Jewish Faith has developed a number of Jewish teachings that indicate the importance of the environment. These are in the form of the Ten Jewish teachings on the environment. These teachings include; I. God created the universe. This is the most fundamental concept of Judaism. Its repercussions are that only God has absolute ownership over Creation. This teaching carries the environmental implications that humans must realize that they do not have unrestricted freedom to misuse Creation. II. God’s Creation is good. This teaching means that everything created by God is good and serves a specific purpose. Nothing must be seen to be of no value, and extreme precaution must be taken. III. Human beings are created in the image of God. The meaning of this teaching is that, human beings have an extra special role to take care of their fellow creations. They must recognize their position in the ecosystem and use it to organize and safeguard it. IV. Humanity should view their place in Creation with love and awe. Appreciation for the environment will lead us to take care and be responsible for it.This further plants a thankful spirit on the Jews and urges them to show gratitude by taking care of the environment. V. The Sabbath and prayer help us to achieve this state of mind. The Jews regard the Sabbath and prayer as the most important pillars of their faith. This teaching, therefore, ensures that they gain inspiration and knowledge on what the environment really stands for from their prayers. VI. The Torah prohibits the wasteful consumption of anything. Wasting resources is a violation of the Jewish teachings. Therefore, people should live responsibly and within the acceptable limits of consumption. VII. The Torah gives an obligation to save human life. The environment is the major source of human life sustainability. Therefore, preserving and maintaining it directly influences human life by ensuring that the favorable conditions for the existence are available. VIII. The Torah prohibits the extinction of species and causing undo pain to non-human creatures. Religious organizations especially the Jewish belief should ensure that the order of creation is maintained, and none of God’s creation stops to exist. IX. Environmental Justice is a Jewish value. We understand that it is within the Jewish way of living that environmental conservation and protection should be accommodated. X. Tikkun Olam: The perfection or fixing of the world is in our hands. This stand further amplifies the role that people are served within ensuring that the environment is protected and maintained. They are supposed to rectify the damages made by their activities. From the above teachings, it can be deducted that the Jewish faith takes a strong stand in protecting the environment. It appreciates the importance of the environment and makes efforts to ensure that all aspects of environmental degradation is avoided. Conclusion The relationship between Religion and the Environment can be summed up to be a working one. Many religious organizations are deeply involved in the general aspect of ecological fortification. To achieve this, they must firstly understand that it is of great importance to strike a balance between conservation of natural resources and harvesting of the same resources by initiating sustainable social economic development projects that will provide alternative means of survival and ease pressure on the environmental resources. Secondly, the religious stakeholders involved in conservation and preservation of the environment place more prominence on full community participation both in environmental conservation and sustainable development projects with a lot of accents to the youth. This will alienate the feeling of alienation and lack of accountability by every individual especially those who may not consider themselves as responsible to both conservation and development of the entire natural unit. Thirdly, it has been seen that environmental degradation and poverty are intertwined whereby poverty becomes a cause and effect of environmental degradation. This is because all organisms draw from the environment things they need for survival. Therefore, for total rehabilitation of the environment, religion should find ways to reduce alarming population growth and skyrocketing demands for the natural resources. Additionally, there is a need for more emphasis to be laid on reforestation, a forestation, Agroforestry campaigns and all general efforts to stop environmental degradation. References Gottlieb, R. S. (2006). The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Ecology. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Read More