Just a few days ago, April 22, a part of the world’s population celebrated another day for our one and only home in the universe: Earth Day. This post is a little off-schedule because I was trapped in the web of school assignments and exams; however, I’m back – and I’m on my holiday. I decided that I can still do my Earth Day post now, since every day is always an Earth day. I would like to highlight the importance of religion and religious figures in the joint effort to keep this Earth comfortably habitable.
The trend of religious resurgence, in all kinds of religions, has been quite drastic these years, especially in Indonesia. More people are turning to religious figures for a splash of wisdom and a breeze of serenity compared to, let’s say 5 years ago. Thus, even more religious figures enjoy the level of fame –and fortune- usually reserved for models, singers, and sinetron actors/actresses. They pop virtually everywhere: talk shows, gossips, traditional religious service programs, and the frequent REG<spasi> advertisements (even though I don’t really agree with what they’re selling there; “heavenly” ringtones, anyone?) They now wield an awesome influence over the country’s believers community.
That’s why I strongly believe in the virtue of promoting environmental values through religions and their people. I myself had a personal experience on that matter when I was in high school. I went to a private Islamic high school, but not a madrasa where students only study scriptures and strict separation between sexes exists. It was a normal high school with an added value, for a lack of better term.
Anyway, each month a student gets the burden opportunity of delivering the sermon before Friday prayers, chosen arbitrarily by the Islamic studies teacher. Being the nice and well-mannered student that I always am, she decided that I should get the chance to take the podium and preach. How could I say no?
Well, I could; but I wanted to rise up to the challenge and gave her a confident yes. Obviously, I also desired to serve something different, so I defied expectations and wrote a sermon about protecting the environment. At that time, I felt that the school need some shakes on the shoulder to remind them about environmental issues; it’s the new in stuff. I built my green case with real data and scientific explanations; I quoted the Qur’an, Muhammad, Gandhi, and many others. And I stood up there to tell the story.
The sermon caught the full attention of the congregation, despite the mediocre delivery that I regret so badly. It was nowhere near bad or abstruse, but there were some things I would’ve done differently. From where I was standing, at least I felt that everybody was awake and people actually paid close attention to my sermon. I got many positive feedback from my peers and teachers, some highlighted my breaking the unwritten, unspoken rules of tedious Friday sermons, and my bringing up a fresh topic of the world we’re living in.
It was a couple or so years ago; Earth Day 2009 seems to be a great day to reflect on that experience. I have realized that can learn about many precious things from that specific moment in my life. First, we don’t need to introduce environmental issue into religion per se because it has been there all along. Since I am a Muslim, I browsed several verses of the Qur’an and easily found verses touching the ecology and mankind’s responsibility toward the God-given Earth, both textually and contextually. I think other religions have such materials too – what kind of religion wants its followers to end up in a doomed planet? (No offense to any doomsday cult)
Second, people can accept religion making environmental cases and stances, and they are happy about it. This is certainly a good news because it means that religious figures make up another group of potential green crusaders. Imagine Qur’an recitals or Sunday masses encouraging its congregation to abstain from plastic bags or to print on both sides of the paper. Third, the environment is a topic on which all religions could work together in harmony. Of course, everyone is entitled to his/her own opinions; but when green issues forces people from various beliefs to cooperate, that’s another step towards tolerance and mutual understanding. Just what the world needs right now, amid the hatred that has permeated the air. We have to realize that no one religion is the “king” of the Earth and that we share a huge responsibility of taking care of this Earth, regardless of what deity/supreme being/concept we believe in.
Are we ready to harness the full potential of our beliefs for the sake of our Earth? There is no line that separates religious matters from environmental issues; in fact, respect for the environment is an important part of any belief. Someone should stand up and speak it really loud. Starting from YOU. Yeah, you!
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