- Activist Feedback:
World Fest
- Essay: Are Animals Scapegoat Victims? Part 1
- This Week’s Sermon from Rev. Frank and Mary Hoffman
1.
Activist Feedback: World Fest
Alan writes:
The
Christian Vegetarian Association was represented at The Los Angeles
World Fest on May 20 by volunteers Jordan, Juan, and me. The day
was hot and dry but witnessed a fairly good turnout. Overall the
CVA was received well by the attendees, and many people were enthused
to see that there are Christians who are spreading the word about
vegetarianism. Many Christians even stopped by the boot because
they noticed the CVA listed as exhibitors. What I witnessed last
year, as well as this year, is that the principles of vegetarianism
act as a bond for widely disparate orientations and as a result the
Christian presence was positively received across the board.
Jordan writes:
World Fest 2012 was a great success. Each
volunteer had particular area of emphasis. My reason for veganism is
ethical, while Juan and Alan are motivated by health reasons, making
us a dynamic team. We had wonderful conversations with all types of
people: yuppie foodies, angry anti-GMO activists, animal rights
activists, dread-locked hippies, peaceful Buddhists, and tattooed
hipsters. I expected much more hostility from festival goers because
of Christianity’s poor reputation in regard to food practice, but most
were surprisingly curious about how we reconciled vegetarianism and
Jesus. Many younger festival goers asked how to approach this issue
with their conservative Christian parents and friends. Alan and I were
interviewed by curious vegan journalists and writers about
vegetarianism and Christianity.
Upcoming Activist
Opportunities
6/9 - NE
Norfolk
FREE Christian Cross Festival
6/9 -
NY Syracuse Women of Faith
6/9 - CA Long Beach
Women of Faith
6/12 - IA Bettendorf
Esterlyn Christian Rock Concert
6/14 -
AL Birmingham McDonald's Inspiration
Celebration Gospel Tour 2012
6/14-16 - MI Allegan
Big Ticket Festival Christian Music Fest
6/14-16 - GA
Atlanta
Christian Music Festival
6/16 - GA
Valdosta Sanctus Real
Christian Rock Concert
6/16 - IA
Sheldon
RiseFest
6/16 - AR Little Rock
Women of Faith
6/16-17 - NY Rochester
Rock The Lakes News boys and more!
7/14 -
MN Minneapolis
TABLE Twin Cities Veg Fest
6/20-23 - KY Wilmore
Ichthus Music Festival
6/23 - IL
Hoffman Estates Women of Faith
6/23 -
NC Greensboro Women of Faith
6/23 -
VA Richmond
TABLE Richmond Vegetarian Festival
6/21-24 - C Pittsboro
TABLE Wild Goose Festival
6/27-30 - PA Mt Union
Creation Fest Northeast 2012
6/28-30 - OH Kings Island
Spirit Song 2012 Festival
6/30 - NC
Mount Airy DecembeRadio in Concert
6/30 - IL Carbondale
Remedy Drive Christian Rock Concert
7/3-5 -
IN Independence
Heartbeat Festival 2012
7/7 - IL
St. Charles
DecembeRadio in Concert
7/13 - OH
Cleveland Joel Olsteen Ministries
11/17 - NY Albany
TABLE NY's Capital Region Vegetarian Expo
2. Essay: Are
Animals Scapegoat Victims? Part 1
Many animal advocates regard
animal exploitation and abuse as a manifestation of human selfishness
and greed. To the degree that people acknowledge that harming animals
is wrong but still endorse the practice, animal protectionists have
little hope. We can’t change hearts that are already rock-hard.
However, I think there is good reason to believe that animal abuse
largely derives from deep-seated hopes and fears, and if these hopes
and fears were addressed, humans would have significantly less
inclination to harm animals.
All of us want to believe that we
are good, and for those who believe in God there is a strong desire to
believe that God thinks they are good. Therefore, I doubt many people
say to themselves, “I know animal abuse is wrong and a crime against
God, but I don’t care.” Instead, people tend to seek justifications
for their behavior, and that’s where scapegoating comes in.
Scapegoating involves the attribution of guilt (in this case the guilt
associated with contributing to animal abuse) onto others.
Sometimes those who speak up for animals are the scapegoats. They are
accused of being sentimental, irrational, or of loving animals more
than people. Christians often accuse Christian vegans and vegetarians
of distorting the Bible or even of heresy. In short, those who don’t
like the message often denounce the messenger. Often, they will claim
that the messenger is preachy or holier-than-thou, regardless of how
respectfully the message has been delivered.
More often, in my
opinion, the animals themselves are scapegoats, as well as victims of
abuse. Next week, I will explore how animals are falsely accused of
inferiority and immorality. I think this exploration will help
identify the deep-seated hopes and fears that contribute to humanity’s
callousness and cruelty toward animals.
Stephen R. Kaufman,
M.D.
3. This Week’s Sermon from Rev. Frank and Mary
Hoffman
With the Holy Spirit, We Should Live Compassionately