Weekly Newsletter from Christian Vegetarian Association CVA - March 13, 2023
From Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA)

  1. Activist Feedback
  2. Narratives That Can Guide Us
  3. All-Creatures.Org Ministry

1. Activist Feedback

Rick Hershey writes:

I handed out 1600 CVA booklets at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC today for Winter Jam. Some of the attendees told me that they got the booklet yesterday at WJ Greensboro.

2. Narratives That Can Guide Us

Humans have always had stories that have included the scapegoating process. The scapegoating process has served several functions: unifying people into communities by separating community members from “outsiders,” generating peace during times of crisis by blaming one or more individuals for the crises, and providing self-esteem by regarding members of the “in-group” as superior to outsiders.

Historically, the scapegoating process has been objectionable because it has resulted in injustice to the victims of scapegoating. The risks imposed by the violence inherent in the scapegoating process are much higher in a world replete with weapons of mass destruction, a world in which humans have the power to fundamentally change the climate, and a world in which surveillance and information control threaten human autonomy and democratic governance throughout the world.

We need to resist the scapegoating process, but its attractions are remarkably strong. Further, it is difficult to recognize when we are participating in scapegoating. All too often, we are blinded by misinformation from manipulative leaders, by our own emotions, and by our psychological need to feel that our anger and violence is righteous.

So, in trying to generate stories that transcend the scapegoating process, I will begin by talking about God. Though many people assert that they understand the nature of God, what God loves and hates, and what God thinks about us as individuals, I am very skeptical of such claims. I suggest that, if we find or generate stories that have broad appeal, we should acknowledge our limited understanding of the nature of God.

We do not need to refute images of God that we might not share. For example, we do not need to disabuse those who see God as male, having human features, or living in the sky. Rather, we should seek common ground. What might serve as a common ground, and are there ways to even include atheists among those who might find stories about God resonant? I will explore this next.

Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D. 

3. From All-Creatures.Org Ministry

Please plan to join us for our live next live stream with Richard Schwartz, author of Vegan Revolution: Saving Our World, Revitalizing Judaism, at 1 p.m. EST on Thursday, March 16th.

Our weekly newsletters contains up-to-the-minute good news for animals, action alerts, vegan/animal rights stories, poetry, and prose, thought provoking articles, vegan religion and spirituality, recipes, events, and much more!

All-Creatures.org Newsletter, March 8, 2023

All-Creatures.org Newsletter, March 15, 2023

Do you have things that you would like to see included? Then send it to us at veda@all-creatures.org. 

In the Love of the Lord,
Frank L Hoffman
All-Creatures.org

and

Kindness,
Tams Nicholson
Executive Directress
All-Creatures.org 

2023 Newsletters Archive