Weekly Newsletter from Christian Vegetarian Association CVA - January 2, 2026
From Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA)

  1. Codes of Conduct, Continued - Human Nature
  2. All-Creatures.org - Newsletter Dec 24, 2025
  3. 2026 Winter Jam Events

1. Codes of Conduct, Continued - Human Nature

I have been advocating for the Golden Rule: do to others as you would like others to do to you. Many people, I think, are mindful of this principle when trying to determine what is best for society at large. While the Golden Rule can guide our interactions with family, friends, and others in our community, it is more difficult to apply to public policy. How people apply it depends largely on their view of human nature.

Liberals tend to view humans as basically good. They generally believe that people want to live peacefully with one another and to help each other. From this perspective, humans do harm primarily when they fail to recognize that their actions violate their own core values. Racism, sexism, speciesism, and other forms of harm are therefore often attributed to ignorance or lack of education. To be sure, ignorance can facilitate mistreatment, and many people who learn about factory farming become strongly opposed to it. However, the atrocities committed by Nazis—across all walks of life in what was then one of the most educated countries in the world—undermine the belief that education alone can eradicate human evil.

Conservatives tend to take a much dimmer view of human nature. They see humans as fundamentally selfish and callous. Even acts of kindness toward one's neighbor may be understood as strategies for personal gain. From this perspective, we cannot expect those who run institutions, such as government programs, to act with good will; consequently, conservatives often favor limiting government involvement in daily life. In their view, society is held together primarily by traditional values and by institutions that channel self-interest rather than relying on altruism. As a result, many conservatives endorse stricter gender roles in the household and in society, they are suspicious of marriages they regard as "unnatural," and they tend to favor free-market capitalism, which has historically increased societal wealth by encouraging individuals to pursue their own economic self-interest.

Next, I will consider liberal and conservative interpretations of the Golden Rule, and whether these views can be reconciled.

Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D.

2. All-Creatures.org - Newsletter Dec 24, 2025

Merry Christmas from All-Creatures.org! - how to help monarch butterflies (without putting stickers on their wings) - avoiding animal exploitation during the holiday season - advice and encouragement for vegan resolutions - Fur Free Friday protesters call out cruel brands - how the Galápagos' pet population success can guide the rest of the world - surviving and thriving as a vegan during the holidays - and more…

3. 2026 Winter Jam Events

For more details, contact Lorena at lorenavalenziveg@gmail.com. The CVA will donate $20 per hour to the animal protection charity of volunteers' choice.

1/09 SC Columbia
1/10 FL Tampa
1/11 FL Jacksonville
1/16 AR Little Rock
1/17 MO St. Louis
1/18 GA Atlanta
1/23 WV Charleston
1/24 OH Columbus
1/25 NC Charlotte
1/30 KS Wichita
1/31 MO Kansas City
2/01 TX Dallas
2/05 IN Evansville
2/06 IN Indianapolis
2/07 TN Knoxville
2/12 IL Peoria
2/13 TN Nashville
2/14 NC Greensboro
2/15 AL Birmingham
2/20 SC Greenville
2/21 OH Cincinnati
2/22 OK Tulsa
2/26 PA Reading
2/27 NC Raleigh
2/28 PA Pittsburgh
3/01 VA Norfolk
3/06 MS Tupelo
3/07 KY Louisville
3/08 MI Grand Rapids
3/12 LA Baton Rouge
3/13 MS Southaven
3/14 OK Oklahoma City
3/15 IA Des Moines
3/20 MO Springfield
3/21 LA Bossier City
3/22 AL Mobile
3/26 IN Fort Wayne
3/27 OH Cleveland
3/28 PA State College
3/28 MI Ypsilanti

Please support the CVA! At www.christianveg.org/materials.htm, you can find literature, T-shirts, bumper stickers and more, and donations are always welcomed!

2026 Newsletters Archive