I was reading the latest issue of National Geographic magazine, and they stated that 25,000 elephants had been slaughtered illegally this year for their ivory. I was horrified to learn that there are Christians who are fostering demand for this ivory and participating in the black market. I mean, it's just hard to believe that Christians would be willing to see the wholesale slaughter of animals just for the sake of an ivory carving of a cross. It's sickening. After all, while God may have given us dominion over the earth, I do not think He meant for us to kill animals cruelly and for no other good reason than for human greed. We have dominion yes, but with great power comes great responsibility (sorry for the Spiderman reference, but it fits here.)
In Genesis 1:29, God says, "Look! I have given you the seed-bearing plants throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food." In other words, we were originally vegetarians. We were not originally created to eat meat. I'm not against eating meat, mind you, but it is telling that we originally did not eat meat.
In Numbers 22, Balaam is trying to go with the King Balak to curse Israel but is hindered by an angel of the Lord that his donkey sees, but he doesn't. "When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing there, it tried to squeeze by and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall. So Balaam beat the donkey again. Then the angel of the Lord moved farther down the road and stood in a place so narrow that the donkey could not get by at all. This time when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down under Balaam. In a fit of rage Balaam beat it again with his staff. Then the Lord caused the donkey to speak. "What have I done to you that deserves your beating me these three times?" it asked Balaam. "Because you have made me look like a fool!" Balaam shouted. "If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!" "But I am the same donkey you always ride on," the donkey answered. "Have I ever done anything like this before?" "No," he admitted. (Numbers 22: 25-30). In other words, God is concerned when we mistreat His creation, and if this applied to a donkey I certainly think it applies to elephants. We need to stop this wholesale slaughter of the elephants before it's too late. Christians should not be involved with this evil trade---the eyes of the world are upon us, and we need to walk in the light.