Originally, I wanted to write my paper over sacred spaces and their significance in not only a religious aspect, but in social and cultural ones as well. However, upon actually reading the assignment, this paper will now be about sacred spaces and how they influence the understanding of the natural world in Non-western, Non-European derived cultures. So how do sacred spaces, and along with that, religion, influence the understanding of the natural world? There are many Non-European cultures and religions that take their beliefs and apply it to the world around them. For example, you have Judaism and Islam, both of which shape the way people who follow these religions view this world.
In Judaism, it is believed that there is one God, and that that God is the sole creator of this universe. There is no belief in the holy trinity like in Christianity. It is also believed that through this natural world, there can be knowledge gained about the creator, God. This creates sort of an interest or curiosity towards the natural world. According to Hava Tirsosh-Sameulson, “the more one observes that natural world, the more one comes to revere the creator…” If observing and understanding the natural world is important to get to know God more in Judaism, how exactly is it done? It is understood in Judaism that humans are separated from other animals and the heavens are separated from the earth, and that in creation there is order. These boundaries are also used to understand that there are boundaries on earth as well. There is no mixture of seeds in the same field, no mixture of different species of animals, and no mixed wool garment or linen. (Lev. 19:19, Deut. 22:11). In order to cherish and protect the natural world, they cultivate it, which is what they are so commanded to do by God because in the end, it’s his. Going along with this ideology, it is also believed in Judaism that this natural world does not belong to us humans and was not created for our needs and desires, as mentioned before, but instead created by God for God’s sake and for his glory.
However, while there is regard for protecting and cherishing the Earth God has created, there seems to be tension in having a regard for nature in itself. Samuelson also states in the article that authoritative interpreters of the Torah claim that he who travels and stops their studies to admire, appreciate, or in their words “worship” nature has committed what is regarded to them as a “grave sin”. Why is that? It’s believed that the admiration of nature distracts one from God and their devotion to him which is regarded as the “sole occupation of the ideal Jew” (Samuelson, 2001). They believe that the world God has created is in itself good, however it isn’t perfect neither is it holy.