When Nimai wrote this article, he was in the 10th grade. Nimai lives in Maryland and has been practicing Vaishnavism, a monotheistic tradition within Hinduism, since his childhood.
…my faith envisions
Earth as a person, a mother. This mentality has formed the basis of my view towards the earth. One doesn’t treat a person as an exploitable source of
resources, just as one doesn’t wish death upon one’s mother...
My religion’s view of
Earth as a person has changed my own perception of the planet. I believe that
the environmental issues jeopardizing our planet today indicate a spiritual
lacking, a hole we’re trying to fill with more and more consumption. By
lessening our needs, we can start battling environmental issues.
As Gandhi once said,
“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need but not every man’s greed.”
