The Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA)
Weekly Newsletter from Christian Vegetarian Association CVA - September 21, 2025
From Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA)
1. Can Christians Endorse or Participate in Violence?
Nonviolence can be strategically effective because it exposes the violence and injustice of one's adversary. Jesus encouraged nonviolence, which was practical given that his movement was small and vulnerable. Ethically, one might choose to suffer violence rather than inflict it in self-defense. Yet, an important question remains: is violence justified to protect innocent individuals? If we categorically refuse to resist aggressors with force, do we not condemn innocent individuals to victimhood?
The difficulty with using violence to defend others is that people often convince themselves that their actions are just and righteous when, in reality, they are self-serving. Given our capacity for self-deception, how can we be certain that our motives are pure?
One safeguard is to live as nonviolently as possible. This means practicing kindness and compassion and avoiding actions that cause unnecessary harm. For example, adopting a plant-based diet spares innocent nonhumans from harm. In contrast, eating animal products we do not need endorses violence for the sake of dietary preferences. When we act as though our desires justify harming innocent beings, we risk applying the same logic to humans we label as "evil." In such cases, our violence might be driven by selfish motives, such as greed, resentment, or the desire for revenge, rather than genuine concern for justice.
Another, analogous safeguard is to distrust those who both encourage violence in the name of righteousness and also choose to harm humans or nonhumans unnecessarily.
If we consistently choose nonviolence whenever possible, we can be more confident that, in the rare instances when violence seems necessary, our motivations are principled rather than self-serving. We can then reasonably believe that we truly embrace nonviolence as a moral commitment, while acknowledging that exceptional circumstances might warrant force.
Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D.
2. All-Creatures.Org Newsletter
We hope you enjoy this week's newsletter and also find useful tools in all we share. There is always so very much to share including...
The mindset shift our culture needs - amazing attributes and applications of aquafaba - legal trend defines non-human animals as more than property - Victoria Moran's powerful vegan acronym - city adopts humane solutions to human-goose conflicts - state fairs are a nightmare for animals - Mary the elephant's tragic life and death - vegetarian socialists of the anti-Nazi resistance - and more...
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All-Creatures.org Newsletter, Week of September 17, 2025
https://all-creatures.org/newsletter/news-20250917.html
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In the Love of the Lord,
Frank L. Hoffman
and
Kindness,
Tams Nicholson
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