Awareness of sea turtles through God

New Straits Times 19 Jun 09;

Reaching out to the people through God is such a winning formula in Terengganu that WWF is planning to introduce it in Kelantan.

THE sea of faithful Muslims from Ma'Daerah listened keenly as a small wiry ulama with wispy grey beard preached about saving turtles.
Across the South China Sea, an Anglican pastor in Kota Kinabalu urged followers to be more respectful of nature and its resources.

These two men are just some of the holy leaders who are spreading environmental awareness through God's words.

While celebrities have always fronted environment campaigns, lately, it seems religion has found its role in the green movement worldwide.

For British scientist Dr Bernard d'Abrera, "faith is the evidence for things unseen".
"As custodians of the Earth, we have the moral obligation to take care of it in its original form for as long as possible.

"God didn't create Earth as a trap, but a home for us."

Even English environmentalist Sir David Attenborough declared recently that "there should be a morality about living".

Environmentalism has always relied on science, but d'Abrera stressed that "science must be subjected to morality".

"Spirituality is a force for moral good to rule good behaviour."

Langkawi-based conservationist Irshad Mobarak agreed, saying all religions taught respect for nature.

"All religions have many good things to say about man's relationship with his Creator and His creations ... and our position as stewards of nature.

"We must treat Earth with deference."

Irshad described Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) Malaysia's move to highlight the endangered turtles' plight through sermons in Terengganu as a "good approach" to make people understand that everything was finite.

"You tell them 'hey listen. You're accountable for how you treat the planet. You can escape men's law but not God's punishment'."

Editor of the Herald, a Roman Catholic publication, Father Lawrence Andrew, said that every life needed to be protected.

"The Christian principle of loving thy neighbour also includes animals and plants."

Roman Catholic Churches in Malaysia, he said, include green topics from time to time in the sermons, especially when the occasion calls for it, such as Earth Hour.

"And now with the haze, we encourage people not to conduct open burning," he said.

Reaching out to the people through the new medium is such a winning formula in Terengganu that WWF is planning to introduce it in Kelantan.

"We have tried other ways from education to holding public talks.

"The religion approach is new but it seems to be working," WWF Species Conservation Programme (Peninsular Malaysia) communications officer Sara Sukor said.

The NGO is currently working with the Islamic Understanding Institute of Malaysia to publish a book on spirituality and environmental stewardship.

The compilation of Quranic verses, hadith (collections of sayings and acts of Muhammad and the first Muslims) and sirah (stories of prophets) is expected to be out by December.