Weekly Newsletter from Christian Vegetarian Association CVA - April 27, 2026
From Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA)

  1. The Faith of Christ versus Scapegoating
  2. Educated Choices Program
  3. All-Creatures.Org April 15 Newsletter
  4. Paws and Plants Summit

1. The Faith of Christ versus Scapegoating

Last time, I argued that the "faith of Christ" involves the belief that God (however understood) desires peace and well-being for all. While this faith is central to Christianity, people of any or no religious conviction can still find inspiration and guidance in it. When discussing the faith of Christ, most churches emphasize universal love and concern for fellow humans, yet they often neglect nonhuman beings. Excluding nonhumans from the circle of compassion is often tragic for them. Does it also undermine the goal of universal peace?

To address this question, in the next essays I will explore the short story The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula Le Guin. Omelas is a town where peace and prosperity prevail for everyone except a single child, who is malnourished and confined alone in a dark, terrifying dungeon. The citizens believe that their good fortune depends on the child's suffering.

This arrangement closely resembles the scapegoating process, in which a community believes its well-being requires eradicating evil in its midst. This belief prompts people to expel, or even kill, those held responsible for illness, natural disasters, or social conflict. While scapegoating may temporarily reduce anxiety, most people sense that the resulting calm is fragile.

First, people cannot be certain that all evil has been eliminated. Over time, new crises inevitably arise, revealing that their efforts were not fully effective. Second, thoughtful and courageous individuals often question the validity of the scapegoating process. These are the "ones who walk away," whom I will discuss later. When respected members of the community can no longer accept scapegoating, they undermine confidence in its power. Third, at some level, most people recognize that the belief that scapegoating ensures communal well-being may be unfounded. It is a form of magical thinking—comforting, perhaps, but ultimately unconvincing.

I will continue to explore this theme, drawing analogies between the fictional child in the dungeon and the nonhuman victims of our society.

2. Educated Choices Program

I'm honored to serve as Board Chair of the Educated Choices Program. ECP partners with teachers, utilizing balanced, fact-based videos to encourage students to consider plant-based eating for animal welfare, environmental, food sustainability, human health, and other reasons. Below is our latest Q1 impact report. What I think is remarkable is the scale and the impact: tens of thousands of students reached in just one quarter, and strong evidence of real behavior change.

If ECP's mission resonates with you, I encourage you to take a look, share it with others, or consider supporting their efforts to expand this kind of education.

https://tinyurl.com/yw3spbdk

Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D.

3. All-Creatures.Org April 15 Newsletter

Contents include:

Victoria Moran's tips for leading a charmed life; an animal-free protein facility might save lives, but will it also assist factory farming? invaluable resource for affordable spay/neuter services; "My Call," a vegan and animal rights music video; effectively implementing sustainable food practices in your community; A National Shame [new poem from J.H. Dickinson]; Free the Animals! [new poem from Sam Gold]; Captain Paul Watson Foundation blocked from Falklands port – why rage in activism hurts the cause; and more...

Check out All-Creatures.org April 15 Newsletter

4. Paws and Plants Summit

Animal-based foods for dogs, cats, and other household companion animals are major contributors to animal agribusiness. Paws and Plants will host an online summit featuring four veterinary researchers sharing science-based research on companion animal health using plant-based diets. Attendants will be able to ask questions. To learn more, go to www.pawsandplants.org.

[Comment: Dogs can thrive on a plant-based diet. This is more difficult for cats, who require taurine, which is not found in plants. Plants do contain precursors that cats can convert into taurine, but it is difficult for cats to get sufficient taurine without animal-based foods. It will be interesting to see what the Paws and Plants panel says about this.]

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