This month in Istanbul, the Environmental Parliament held the “Interfaith Earth Summit 2011″ with the participation of some of the greatest religious leaders from around the world.
Invited and attended by the Dalai Lama, the Orthodox Patriarch, the Catholic representative and the Archbishop of the Anglican Communion amongst many notable religious leaders from thirty some differing faiths and creeds, this is certainly a step in the right direction. A step in the direction of conservation and stewardship of this earth by the people and leaders whose creed reveals this to be the fruit of creation and our responsibility…
Although this was a very private meeting – the participants arrived at a consensus, parts of which we can publicly share.
We can safely say that there has truly been a perception shift amongst the world’s religions. Because it is safe now to report that a new equilibrium exists and can be shared here as part of an ongoing educational initiative about the earth’s modern religions and their response to climate change.
The Istanbul consensus goes on as follows:
“Earth’s environmental balance and all of it’s ecosystems along with the species inhabiting, are a primary responsibility of all religions to preserve for the next generations.”
Sunday the 15th of August, was the day the religious leaders chose to pray together for the future of this delicate earth and declared their wish to preserve it not just for the life value and enjoyment of human beings but for all species and all other fruits of creation…
this is a sea change from the anthropocentric view of all religions to date…
And this is significant for many reasons. And on many levels it resonates with all Abrahamic faiths as well as being significant in many ways for all of us and for the rest of world religions too.
The world’s religious leaders went on to state:
“What we are doing to the future of our children, and the other species of the planet, is a clear injustice. And this is a moral issue of the greatest magnitude.”
Paraphrasing Albert Einstein who said that ”thought without action is a crime,” the religious leaders went on to say that ”Prayer without action is a crime.”
“Choosing silence, acceptance of Status Quo and safety is no longer an option.”
“The need to conserve the earth’s resources for the children of this world, the necessity to help the less fortunate and the ones least responsible for this global warming and climate change, the ones that are most likely to suffer the brunt of the negative consequences and the recognition of environmental intergenerational justice — all this is a grave moral issue.”
“An issue of comparable magnitude to the freedom of religion.”
“The right to live in harmony and peace with Nature is comparable to the right to pray to one’s God in peace — and we need to employ the same tactics as those used to obtain people’s civil rights in order to ensure their recognition and protection of these inalienable rights.”
The Dalai Lama went on to state: ”Our beautiful blue planet has no national, religious or ideological boundaries. Because we all share this small planet Earth, we have to live in harmony and peace with each other and with nature. That is not just a dream, but a necessity.”
These were some of the strongest, yet carefully worded and diplomatic statements to come out of the Environmental Parliament Earth Interfaith Summit 2011.
Well said and well done.
Such was the intensity of the debate that some participants were moved to follow through with their own inspirational initiatives and calls of duty for their own followers, open to all. We’ll let you know when and where you can network, meet, contribute and participate soonest.
Am quite humbled by you all. Awesome leaders – spiritual guides and simple human beings alike.
Thank you to all of the great participants and wishing God Speed to your good works, for one and all.
Yours,
Pano
PS:
Throughout our entire lives, and throughout the lives of our predecessors as well as descendants, irrespective of your faith, Planet earth, Gaia, Mother Earth, Nature, PachaMama, Mary Mother of Jesus or our benevolent host, this Earth planet — always stood by us and offered us a Goldilocks type of existence. She gives us air to breath, an atmosphere to call home, enough varied & plentiful food, proper shelter, seasonal variation for agriculture, internal warmth and loving kindness. Never mind the beauty, the value of her ecoservices and the magnitude and tolerance of our mistakes…
Isn’t that what a good Mother does?
So let’s treat her with the respect and dignity she deserves.
After all, she is our Mother in more ways and in more creeds than I can count…
