FOUR ORDAINED MINISTERS PRESENT ON THE THEME, “A CONSIDERATION ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NATURE AND MAN” AT 2010 SPECIAL CONFERENCE
“Learning from the Natural View of Major World Monotheistic Religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam)
Rev. Akinori Tanaka, Ordained Minister (Propagation Planning Department, Planning and Research Office)
Rev. Tanaka introduced the natural view of Judaism, Christianity and Islam and stressed that their view is to respect nature. He made clear that monotheistic religions are not necessarily the cause of environmental destruction and explored the thought that is necessary in order to solve today’s environmental problem.
In summary, although these religions use different wordings, there are similarities in their natural view: (1) the sole, absolute God created everything on earth, including man and nature; (2) there are God’s signs and messages in nature; and (3) as God’s administrator, man, has the responsibility to respect and protect nature, which is God’s creation. They all have essentially the same natural view.
However, when the “protection of nature” is based on anthrocentrism, it is possible that priority is given to man’s values over nature’s. Rev. Tanaka stressed that in order to solve today’s environmental issue, we must rid ourselves of anthrocentrism and the view to harmonize with nature must be reflected in religious teachings.
“Learning from the Natural View of Major World Polytheistic Religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism)
Rev. Etsuko Sagara, Ordained Minister (Assistant Chief, Translation Section, International Department)
Rev. Sagara discussed the natural view of three polytheistic religions: Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism, mixing in her own experiences of the time when she lived in Myanmar and India. There is a myth of creation in Hinduism that says that the Creator, Atman, enters man, His creation, and creates the world and individuals, and there is a state of consistency and equivalence. Buddhism maintains that “mountains, rivers, grass and trees have attained Buddhahood,” in other words, the Buddha nature dwells in not only man but also in animals, plants, mountains and rivers. Confucianism has a view that everything is one, that goes beyond man to animals, plants and even stones and tiles.
Rev. Sagara pointed out that one of the reasons why natural destruction is occurring in polytheistic countries, which honor the oneness of man and nature, is the gap between them and the advanced countries, and poverty. She emphasized that it is necessary that we disseminate in polytheistic countries the Seicho-No-Ie teaching that seeks spiritual richness rather than material satisfaction and honors the oneness with nature and at the same time share the information about the experiences of success and failure of Japan, which was faced with the environmental problems as a result of economic growth after the war, and cooperate with them.
"Learning from the Natural View in Japan (Mythology, Religious Background"
Rev. Jiro Hashimoto, Ordained Minister (Assistant Chief of Chairman’s Secretariat Section, Chairman’s Office)
Based on the myths and festivals held to express gratitude to nature’s blessings, Rev. Hashimoto examined the natural view in Japan: the Japanese people and Ainu’s sensed the existence of God behind nature, such as mountains, seas, and plants.
Rev. Hashimoto said that Japanese farmers, fishermen, woodcutters and hunters did not regard nature as an existence that is in opposition to man but as the source of blessing which is to be awed. Because they honored the life cycle of animals and plants living there, nature including forest has been preserved.
He pointed out that in spite of it, in today’s Japan, which puts weight on convenience, the process from production to consumption is marginalized, so that it is difficult to view animals/plants and man in a symmetrical fashion (having a sense of oneness). He suggested that in order to solve this, it is important that we seek close connection with nature, turn our attention to animals and plants around us and find their wonders and good points in our daily life. That will help nurture the mentality of symmetry. He concluded his presentation by pointing out similarities between Japan’s and the world’s myths, which are closely related to their natural view, and stressed that the essence of religions is the same and one.
"Today’s Natural View (From the Viewpoint of Psychology)"
Rev. Noriyuki Kondo, Ordained Minister (Brotherhood Association Administrative Section, Organizational Propagation Department)
Based on a wide range of psychological findings in recent years, Rev. Kondo showed that man, at his unconscious level, wishes to become one with everything, including nature. He suggested the natural view, which man inherently should have, embraces the coexistence of nature and man.
Specifically, he introduced a finding made by transpersonal psychology, one of the major schools of modern psychology: even after man satisfies his “desire for actualization to express his real self,” the “desire to go beyond himself” arises—the desire to become one with other existences, humanity, all life forms on earth, the entire universe. He explained that this is man’s true nature.
He introduced a scientific finding that the environmental protection activities can be more effective, if faith is placed in man’s true nature and promoted with a positive attitude, “We can definitely solve it.” Based on the result of environmental psychology research that the stronger one’s attachment to the place, the more active one becomes toward nature protection, Rev. Kondo emphasized the need to have “actual experience-based environmental education” in the area of our residence that encourages contact with nature.