The catastrophe in Nepal should not be viewed as an isolated tragedy. It is a stark warning of how vulnerable humanity has become to extreme weather and environmental destruction. We cannot continue increasing our dependence on fossil fuels while ignoring the consequences.
But there is another lesson. Excessive greed for wealth, land and power is an enemy of humanity. What does a person gain by accumulating enormous wealth and power if, in the end, they lose their soul?
The scriptures of many faiths warn us against greed. The Bible asks: “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Mark 8:36). Sikhism teaches that lobh (greed) is one of the forces that enslave us. The Guru Granth Sahib teaches us to live with humility, compassion and remembrance of God.
The same moral warning appears across faiths: wealth and power are temporary, but our responsibility to humanity is eternal.
At the end of life, we leave our wealth and possessions behind. We cannot take land, money or power with us. Our ultimate accountability is not before presidents, billionaires or kings, but before God, the chief judge of humanity.
Wars over land and power are often fueled by greed. Humanity must choose a different path: less greed, less fossil-fuel dependence, less war—and far more compassion, justice and stewardship of our planet.
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