CHICAGO (RNS) — Dealing with the climate crisis will require developing renewable forms of energy such as solar and wind power, decreasing greenhouse gases and creating more sustainable lifestyles.It also requires a change of heart, says Swami Rameshwarananda, a Hindu spiritual leader from Spain.
While many people know that immediate action needs to be taken to address rising global temperatures, said Rameshwarananda, most of us would rather protect the comfortable life we have than make needed changes.
“We have to exchange the concept of ego for the concept of ‘eco,’” he said. “Ego is the problem.”
Swami Rameshwarananda in India in 2018. Photo by Marcos Soria/Fundación Phi/Wikimedia/Creative Commons
Rameshwarananda is one of approximately 50 faith leaders who drafted a set of 10 spiritual principles for addressing the climate crisis. Those principles urge repenting for failing to care for the Earth and pledging to do better in the future. They were unveiled last fall in “climate repentance” ceremonies held both in Egypt and London in time to coincide with the U.N. climate change conference in Egypt.
A similar ceremony was held this week at the Parliament of the World’s Religions, which drew 6,000 leaders from more than 200 spiritual traditions to Chicago.
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, president and founder of Cordoba House, said the faith leaders who drafted the principles — most affiliated with the Elijah Board of World Religious Leaders — had originally hoped to unveil the principles on Mount Sinai in Egypt, where Moses receives the Ten Commandments in the Bible.
“When that became problematic, we relocated to London and walked up Parliament Hill instead,” said Abdul Rauf in an interview with leaders before the climate repentance ceremony Tuesday (Aug. 15) at Chicago’s McCormick Center.
Abdul Rauf and Rameshwarananda joined a group of Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist and Christian leaders from around the world who recited the 10 principles during the repentance ceremony, after an introduction by Rabbi Alon Goshen-Gottstein.
“We know what we need to do, but we lack the will,” Goshen-Gottstein told Parliament attendees gathered in a cavernous main hall. “The will is generated by spirituality. And so, by turning to the common resources of our religions, we awaken the will to do the right thing. …
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While many people know that immediate action needs to be taken to address rising global temperatures, said Rameshwarananda, most of us would rather protect the comfortable life we have than make needed changes.
“We have to exchange the concept of ego for the concept of ‘eco,’” he said. “Ego is the problem.”
Swami Rameshwarananda in India in 2018. Photo by Marcos Soria/Fundación Phi/Wikimedia/Creative Commons
Rameshwarananda is one of approximately 50 faith leaders who drafted a set of 10 spiritual principles for addressing the climate crisis. Those principles urge repenting for failing to care for the Earth and pledging to do better in the future. They were unveiled last fall in “climate repentance” ceremonies held both in Egypt and London in time to coincide with the U.N. climate change conference in Egypt.
A similar ceremony was held this week at the Parliament of the World’s Religions, which drew 6,000 leaders from more than 200 spiritual traditions to Chicago.
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, president and founder of Cordoba House, said the faith leaders who drafted the principles — most affiliated with the Elijah Board of World Religious Leaders — had originally hoped to unveil the principles on Mount Sinai in Egypt, where Moses receives the Ten Commandments in the Bible.
“When that became problematic, we relocated to London and walked up Parliament Hill instead,” said Abdul Rauf in an interview with leaders before the climate repentance ceremony Tuesday (Aug. 15) at Chicago’s McCormick Center.
Abdul Rauf and Rameshwarananda joined a group of Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist and Christian leaders from around the world who recited the 10 principles during the repentance ceremony, after an introduction by Rabbi Alon Goshen-Gottstein.
“We know what we need to do, but we lack the will,” Goshen-Gottstein told Parliament attendees gathered in a cavernous main hall. “The will is generated by spirituality. And so, by turning to the common resources of our religions, we awaken the will to do the right thing. …nnDiscussion:nn” ai_name=”RocketNews AI: ” start_sentence=”Can I tell you more about this article?” text_input_placeholder=”Type ‘Yes'”]