HINDUS HAVE praised Orthodox Christian Church, second largest Christian denomination of the world, for taking a strong stand on environment.

Hindu leader Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, hailed the statement of Archbishop Bartholomew, Patriarch of Orthodox Christian Church, which described climate change as "a moral and spiritual problem".

They also lauded Bartholomew’s dedication of September 1 "as a day of supplication for the preservation of God’s beautiful creation"; for launching ’Religion, Science and the Environment (RSE) Movement’; for organising RSE symposia and reaching out across different faiths and denominations in the symposia, revealing the wisdom of diverse theological traditions; for striving to establish a stable and innovative alliance between religion and science; and for saying, "Especially disturbing is the fact that the poorest and most vulnerable members of the human race are being affected by environmental problems which they did not create".

Faiths coming out in support of the environment were a remarkable signal, Zed 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, he 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 said quoting the scriptures.

Rev Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch is the 270th successor to the Apostle Andrew and spiritual leader of about 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide.

The Universal Society of Hinduism, commended Archbishop Bartholomew, Patriarch of Orthodox Christian Church’s message for the upcomingDay of Protection of the Environment (September 1) posted on website of the Church, which said, "…the irrational use of natural resources and the unchecked consumption of energy contributes to the reality of climate change, with consequences on the life and survival of humanity created in the image of God and is therefore tantamount to sin."