Thu, Aug 28, 2014 page8

• EDITORIAL: Religion adapting to green concern

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  The Xingtian Temple in Taipei on Tuesday introduced a new policy banning the burning of incense and food offerings. The decision has drawn mixed reactions, with some temple visitors disagreeing with it, saying they do not know what they will do now, while others support the move in light of environmental concerns.

  Burning incense is a longstanding traditional ritual in Taiwan and many other countries. Lighting candles and burning incense are said to have a calming effect on worshipers. As the smoke rises, some believe that their prayers rise with it to the heavens. At some temples, devotees race to light the first stick of incense at auspicious events in the hope that the gods will notice and bestow particularly good luck on them.

  Some other temples have said they are not following Xingtian Temple’s move, as they wish to respect tradition, the freedom of worshipers and the small businesses in the communities surrounding the temples.

  However, Xingtian Temple’s move has also found favor, especially among those who support a green lifestyle and environmental protection. Burning incense and ghost money creates huge volumes of smoke and releases a lot of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, which are said to advance global warming as well as a variety of other substances, including carcinogens such as benzene. The practice also puts respirable particles into the atmosphere and cause pollution, which is bad for worshipers, temple staff and people living in neighboring areas. Popular temples with large numbers of worshipers have been affected by carbon emissions, blackening columns, walls, ceilings and even statues and figurines of deities, making restoration work difficult.

  Modern residential habits have changed, and temples and residential areas are now mixed together, making it difficult to maintain buffer zones between temples and houses. Burning incense and ghost money spews black smoke, destroying air quality in neighboring areas, while ashes and embers spread, posing a fire hazard and potentially bringing losses to temples and surrounding areas.

  When religious ceremonies are held at temples, the volume of incense and ghost money burned by the large numbers of devotees far exceeds the capacity of the burners, so temple staff arrange for the items to be burned offsite. However, this approach negates the original intention of the offering, which is for the devotees to express their wishes directly to the temple deities. Xingtian Temple is in central Taipei, and the feeling is certain to be very different from what it would be if the items were removed to a temple in a rural or mountainous area.

  Religious ceremonies are one link in the chain for freedom of religion. It is not easy to change thousands of years of tradition, and Xingtian Temple worshipers have different views about the change. It is only to be expected that some find it hard to accept the temple’s decision. However, such changes are not made overnight, and building acceptance requires a long period of communication and adaptation.

  In the past, incense and offering tables were needed to communicate prayers to gods, and sacrificial offerings were made and ghost money burned to link heaven and earth. Without incense and ghost money to burn, devotees will go in search of other mediums to connect with gods.

  While temples should respect tradition and the desires of devotees, they should also pay attention to the interaction between religion and the environment, and adapt as lifestyles change.
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