Heaven and Earth Religious Values Concerning Nature

By Barrie | September 24th, 2007 | No Comments

The nation should look to values enshrined in age-old spiritual and traditional beliefs to better conserve its local biodiversity, the degradation of which is thought to be depleting at an alarming rate.

“The rational approach to conserving biodiversity should be elevated to (include) spiritual values,” said Herwasono Soedjito, director of the National Commission of Man and the Biosphere, at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI).

He said Tuesday during a public seminar on bioethics all religions in Indonesia had valuable teachings around the conservation of nature.

“The earth religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism, are close to nature, while Islam and Christianity, the heaven religions, have verses heading into that direction,” Herwasono said.

He said some areas considered sacred by locals tended to be more effectively conserved, compared to sites designated by the government as protected.

“From what I observe, many sites regarded as protected natural reserves or national parks have been badly damaged,” he said.

“They lack any great support from people in terms of conservation efforts.”

Many indigenous sacred sites in Indonesia feature fresh water sources, including the Baduy forests in Banten and West Java, and Gerundu in East Java.

“People should be reminded that water, which is a necessity for survival, also has healing powers,” he said.

“If residents realize this, then the Ciliwung river would not be heavily dumped with garbage.”

Herwasono said religious and community leaders could help implement conservation efforts.

And scientists focused on biological research could focus more on traditional healing practices and medicinal plants, he said.

“The benefits are twofold for the scientists.

“Besides scientific justification, research results can be readily implemented.”

In Kalimantan, locals use the skin from langsat (Lansium domesticum) tree trunks to make malaria-fighting antibiotics.

Herwasono said the core of such Indonesian folklore values should be retained.

“Western values around conserving Indonesia’s biodiversity, the world’s second richest after Brazil, are ineffective.

“These values foster the cultivation of specific medicinal plants, rather than a variety of plants,” he said.

Endang Sukara, a researcher from LIPI’s Biological Division, said preserving the country’s biodiversity should also be supported by a law regulating biodiversity in indigenous areas.

“There are many benefits from our biodiversity not yet to be discovered … and many species are on the brink of extinction,” Endang said.

“Even the skins from some frog species can be used as active ingredients for antibiotics.”

Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo