I'm a longtime subscriber to National Geographic magazine, as well as NG Adventure. Recently, the stories in these magazines have focused increasingly on the way in which we humans are destroying the Earth and its creatures around us. Shortly after reading the latest copy of NGM, I picked up a treasured book off my bookshelf, one I hadn't read in a while, and opened it at random to "Matthew 5", or chapter 5, Jesus' sermon on the mount. To tell you the truth, I had never read that sermon before, as an adult. So as I read it with great interest, I kept wondering, what would Jesus say to the world today.

Here are my thoughts on what he might say.

"You might have heard in the teachings of old, thou shalt not kill.
And you might have heard of my sermon where I expounded on this point and told you that you should not even offend your fellow brother (what to speak of kill him.) But I say to you today, seeing the miserable state of the world, consider all living creatures, including humans, animals and trees, to be your brothers and sisters, for it is our self same Father who created them, gave them form, gave them life, gave them facility to breathe and exist for His pleasure. Know that any thing on this Earth, including mountains, oceans, resources such as air, water, fire, air, sunlight, and energy in all of its forms, is our Father's property. Who among you is such a fool that he would knowingly mistreat and abuse his father's property?"

"When the Lord our Father said that He giveth you dominion over all the creatures of this earth, did He intend for you to abuse these? Slaughter them wantonly? Destroy every man, beast, or tree left standing on this earth for your own, fleeting enjoyment? Or did He intend for you to look after them, take care of them, much like the government gives a ranger dominion over a national park? Consider these points carefully. Consider the reward that awaits those who wantonly destroy our Father's property for the chump change of money (mammon) they get from selling the carcasses."

"Verily what reward awaits those who, after every last creature has been slain, every last tree felled, every reserve of oil depleted, every reservoir of water polluted, every mountaintop removed (the precious ores and minerals and coal mined from its innards), look upon this barren earth and proclaim, "Father, look what we have done!"

Food for thought, as I continue to wonder what Jesus would say in his sermon on the mount if he repeated it today.

Let me know if you have had similar thoughts.