Hindus have applauded Pope Benedict for connecting environmental protection with peace promotion in his message for the celebration of World Day of Peace, which falls on January one.

Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, commended His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for his powerful stand on environmental issues and for his statement: “The environment must be seen as God’s gift to all people, and the use we make of it entails a shared responsibility for all humanity, especially the poor and future generations”.

In this message posted on The Holy See website today, Pope said: “Can we remain indifferent before the problems associated with such realities as climate change, desertification, the deterioration and loss of productivity in vast agricultural areas, the pollution of rivers and aquifers, the loss of biodiversity, the increase of natural catastrophes and the deforestation of equatorial and tropical regions?”

Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, said that to effectively curb environmental degradation and save the planet, religions of the world had to come together to form a joint global strategy. He urged Pope (his being the religious leader with largest following) to organize a world level environmental summit involving all world religions.

Rajan Zed pointed out that religion was the most powerful and far-reaching force in our society and could prove very influential in handling concerns like ecological responsibility. Faiths coming out together in support of the environment would be a remarkable signal; he said and urged all world religious leaders, religions and denominations to openly bless the environmental causes. Ancient Hindu scriptures, especially Atharva-Veda, were highly respectful of mother nature, Zed added.

We may believe in different religions, yet we share the same home—our Earth. We must learn to happily progress or miserably perish together. For man can live individually but can only survive collectively, Zed says quoting scriptures.

Pope Benedict heads the Roman Catholic Church, which is the largest of the Christian denominations. Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksha (liberation) is its ultimate goal.

-Sampurn Media