- Activist Feedback
- Essay: Solely One Trip for the Soul?
- This Week’s Sermon from
Rev. Frank and Mary Hoffman
1. Activist Feedback
Helen, who leafleted with a friend at a recent Mercy Me concert in
Cincinnati, writes:
We went to the entrance after the convert
and gave all 600 out in about 15 minutes. We both discussed that we
needed at least two more people and at least two thousand leaflets.
Next year I would like to organize a larger showing for the CVA.
The crowd is so polite and nice, it's a pleasure. And it sounds
like they do it every year (Mercy Me). I know other activist here who
would be glad to help.
Upcoming Activist Opportunities
08/29 TN Nashville
Jars of Clay
09/01
NC Boone
High Country Praise Festival 2013
09/08
FL Jacksonville Red
09/06-07 CO Denver
Women of Faith
09/08
CA Los Angeles Michael W Smith
09/13
CA Anaheim
Women of Faith
09/13-14 NY Rochester
Women of Faith
09/20
TX Dallas Women
of Faith
09/20 FL
Orlando
Women of Faith
09/27
MO Kansas City Women of Faith
09/27
WI Milwaukee Women of Faith
09/12 NY New York
Third Day
09/14 AZ
Phoenix
Point of Grace
09/14
AR Fort Smith Rock the River
09/28
DC Washington DC Veg Fest
09/28
VA Charlottesville Cville Vegetarian Festival
09/21
IL Chicago
VeganMania
09/20-21 VA Middleburg
Awakening Festival 2013
09/15
GA Athens The
Only Name Tour
09/20
MO Kansas City The Only Name Tour
09/14
TX Waco
Manic Drive – Small Town America Tour 2013
09/27
NC Charlotte Plumb
09/28
SC Columbia
Plumb
09/29 GA
Macon
Plumb
09/29 PA
Philadelphia Mercy Me
10/04 NY NYC
Hillsong United (Radio City Music Hall) United
10/18
CA Los Angeles Hillsong United
10/29
PA Pittsburgh JCTV Tour
10/19
FL Tampa Bay Tampa Bay Veg Fest
10/10–10 AL Fort Payne The
Courage
10/09 FL
Tampa
Tampa Veg 2013
10/18-19 ON Mississauga
Acquire the Fire
10/11
OH Cincinnati Newboys Tour
10/06
MA Pittsfield Kings and Queens Tour 2013
11/01 Blakely PA
Third Day
11/01-02 OH Cleveland
Acquire the Fire
11/08-09 CA Anaheim
Acquire the Fire
11/08
CA Ontario
Winter Jam Tour
11/09
GA Atlanta
Atlanta Veg Fest
11/09
NV Las Vegas Winter jam Tour
11/10 AZ Glendale
Winter Jam Tour
11/12
CA Ontario
Hillsong United
11/14
NJ Newark
Hillsong United
11/14
ID Boise
Winter Jam Tour
11/15
OR Portland
Winter Jam Tour
11/15
MA Boston
Hillsong United
11/16
PA Pittsburgh Hillsong United
11/16
CA Sacramento Winter Jam Tour
11/17
CA Fresno Winter
Jam Tour
11/18 NC
Greensboro Hillsong United
11/19
SC Greenville Hillsong United
11/21
NM Rio Rancho Winter Jam Tour
11/22
CO Colorado Springs Winter Jam Tour
11/22
FL Tampa
Hillsong United
11/23
FL Miami
Hillsong United
11/24
TX Ft. Worth Winter Jam Tour
11/24 TN Nashville
National Youth Convention
11/26
TX Houston
Hillsong United
12/07
NY NYC
Toby Mac Hits Deep Tour
International Events
9/6-8
Toronto Canada
Vegetarian Food Fair
10/07
Puerto Rico San Juan
Hillsong
2. Essay: Solely One Trip for the Soul?
We all have a personal sense of identity – a consciousness that has
subjective feelings that is often called the soul. Could this “soul”
have more than one trip here on earth? There are people who believe
that they have existed as humans previously, but I am skeptical of
their claims. I have no memories of a prior existence, and neither do
the vast majority of people. It is curious that many who claim to have
such memories describe themselves as important or powerful people,
whereas chance would favor them being among the masses. The mind can
play tricks on us, convincing us that fabricated mental images reflect
reality, and perhaps many of these claims have been honestly expressed
mental illusions. Therefore, I do not believe in the classic notion of
reincarnation, in which there is a single, ongoing story that involves
continuity of the self from one existence to the next. I find no
evidence for the notion of karma that evil deeds in one life will
result in punishment in the next or that good deeds in one life will
be rewarded in the next.
Nonetheless, the mystery of our
existence – why our conscious self exists in a certain body at a
certain point in time – encourages speculation that this conscious
self might exist in other bodies at other points in time. If that were
the case, then our conscious self might have existed in the past or
might exist in the future. And why not in the body of a nonhuman
being? All evidence points to nonhumans having unique conscious lives
with subjective experiences that resemble our own.
Therefore,
we might be wise to work for a world in which humanity does not treat
nonhuman beings with the extreme viciousness that currently
characterizes how humans interact with well over 99% of the nonhuman
world. Anyone who takes their Christian faith seriously should treat
all God’s living beings with respect, and I suggest that self-interest
is another good reason to work toward the Peaceable Kingdom (Isaiah
11:6-9), in which no individual harms another.
Stephen R.
Kaufman, M.D.
3. This Week’s Sermon from Rev. Frank and Mary Hoffman
Learning from History