The Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA)
Weekly Newsletter from Christian Vegetarian Association CVA - December 24, 2023
From Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA)
- Become or Remain a Sustaining Member
- Christianity and the Transcendence of Scapegoating, Part 1
- All-Creatures.Org Ministry
1. Become or Remain a Sustaining Member
The CVA is an important ministry. We seek to heal our largely broken relationship with God’s earth. Currently, most people think that God’s animals and God-given natural resources exist only to satisfy human desires, including those that are trivial. This attitude is extremely harmful for the nonhuman world, and it is ultimately destructive for humans. Our ministry involves leafleting, tabling, and providing Christian Education materials to help create a more kind, just, and flourishing world. Please go to www.christianveg.org/materials.htm.
There, you can buy CVA merchandise and, at the bottom of the page, you can donate to the CVA.
2. Christianity and the Transcendence of Scapegoating, Part 1
Why is there scapegoating? One explanation relates to the human tendency
to identify with a tribe. From an evolutionary perspective, tribalism makes
sense. There is safety in numbers when facing dangerous humans and
nonhumans; tribes can more effectively steal resources from neighbors, which
can promote survival of the members of that tribe; and evolutionary theory
tells us that “altruistic” assistance of one’s own tribe helps pass along
our genes. René Girard offered additional insights, noting that scapegoating
has helped maintain communal cohesiveness. Natural disasters and social
crises threaten to drive community members apart, and blaming one or more
people for a given crisis helps preserve the community.
Some might argue that, though scapegoating is unfortunate, it is a
relatively small price to pay for the peace that accompanies a community
bonding over its mutual hatred of the scapegoat(s). However, scapegoating is
unjust, and no community committed to following Christ should endorse
injustice. Also, scapegoating creates an unstable equilibrium in that
everyone is vulnerable to the scapegoating mob because anyone can be accused
of responsibility for the next crisis.
Against the backdrop of scapegoating throughout human history is an
awareness that there are many compassionate people who perform acts of
kindness throughout their lives. In the next essay, I will explore how that
happens.
Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D.x
3. From All-Creatures.Org Ministry
All-Creatures.org Newsletter, December 13, 2023:
There is always so very much to share. We hope you enjoy this week's
newsletter. Check out the many articles ...
LEAP: compassionate alternative to FFA and 4H — 30+ monkey-torture videos
removed from Facebook — How to Love All Animals — Livestock farming to
market gardening — champagne waste turned into luxury grape leather —
Defending Freedom for All Beings — meatwashing at COP28 — Hen History —
Little Animals, Mean World (wonderful books for children) – memorial for
Karen Davis and more…
Do you have things that you would like to see included in future
newsletters? 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
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