Weekly Newsletter from Christian Vegetarian Association CVA - August 30, 2017
From Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA)

1. Activist Feedback
2. Original Sin, part 6
3. This Week’s Sermon from Rev. Frank and Mary Hoffman

1. Activist Feedback

Not previously shared was this report from earlier this year from star leafleter Rick Hershey:

Tyler, Chip, and I handed out 4450 CVA booklets in the rain and mostly to kids for Winter Jam at BOK Center in Tulsa. It was especially pleasant that everyone was polite and friendly.

09/02/2017 GA, Marietta Mercy Me – Celebrate Freedom / Jim R. Miller Park
09/08/2017 FL, Orlando Chris Tomlin, Rock the Universe
09/09/2017 TX, Houston Sisters, Celebrating the Art of Friendship (Women of Faith)
09/16/2017 TN, Memphis Needtobreathe
09/15/2017 CA, Fresno Sisters, Celebrating the Art of friendship (Women of Faith)
09/17/2017 CO, Fort Collins Sisters, Celebrating the Art of friendship (Women of Faith)
09/21/2017 MO, St. Louis Love Life Women’s Conference
10/03/2017 VA, Richmond Needtobreathe
10/05/2017 DC, Washington Needtobreathe
10/06/2017 OH, Columbus Needtobreathe
10/07/2017 PA, Reading Mercy Me, Life Tour
10/07/2017 TX, San Antonio Disciple
10/08/2017 OH, Cleveland Mercy Me, Life Tour
10/09/2017 NC, Raleigh Needtobreathe
10/10/2017 AL, Birmingham Needtobreathe
10/13/2017 IN, Indianapolis Joyce Meyer Ministries Conference Tour
10/14/2017 IL, Peoria Mercy Me, Life Tour
10/15/2017 GA, Atlanta Needtobreathe
10/16/2017 TN, Nashville Needtobreathe
10/19/2017 PA, Reading Chris Tomlin, Good Good Father Tour
10/20/2017 MO, Kansas City Needtobreathe
10/21/2017 MO, Saint Louis Needtobreathe
10/26/2017 FL, Jacksonville Mercy Me, Life Tour
10/27/2017 GA, Columbus Casting Crowns
10/27/2017 WA, Spokane Needtobreathe
10/28/2017 WA, Seattle Needtobreathe
10/30/2017 OR, Portland Needtobreathe
11/01/2017 CA, San Francisco Needtobreathe
11/02/2017 MS, Biloxi Casting Crowns
11/02/2017 CA, Los Angeles Needtobreathe
11/2-4/2017 CA, Los Angeles Hillsong Conference
11/03/2017 CA, Anaheim Needtobreathe
11/03/2017 AR, Little Rock Casting Crowns
11/04/2017 FL, Tampa Chris Tomlin, Good Good Father Tour
11/08/2017 IN, Indianapolis Needtobreathe
11/09/2017 IL, Chicago Needtobreathe
11/09/2017 CA, Ontario Winter Jam
11/10/2017 AZ, Glendale Winter Jam
11/10/2017 NC, Charlotte Joyce Meyer Ministries Conference Tour
11/11/2017 MI, Grand Rapids Needtobreathe
11/11/2017 NV, Las Vegas Winter Jam
11/16/2017 ID, Boise Winter Jam
11/17/2017 OR, Portland Winter Jam
11/18/2017 WA, Tacoma Winter Jam
11/19/2017 WA, Spokane Winter Jam
11/25/2017 AR, Little Rock Christmas Tour
11/26/2017 KS, Wichita Christmas Tour
11/28/2017 TX, San Antonio Christmas Tour
11/29/2017 LA, Baton Rouge Christmas Tour
11/30/2017 TX, Austin Casting Crowns
12/02/2017 DC, Washington Needtobreathe
12/02/2017 TX, Houston Casting Crowns
12/03/2017 TX, Dallas Casting Crowns
12/03/2017 CO, Denver Christmas Tour
12/03/2017 MA, Boston Needtobreathe
12/05/2017 TN, Nashville Casting Crowns
12/05/2017 NY, NYC Needtobreathe
12/08/2017 IL, Chicago Christmas Tour
12/08/2017 MO, St. Louis Casting Crowns
12/09/2017 IL, Chicago Needtobreathe
12/09/2017 MN, Minneapolis Casting Crowns
12/10/2017 IN, Indianapolis Christmas Tour
12/14/2017 NC, Greensboro Casting Crowns
12/15/2017 PA, Pittsburgh Casting Crowns
12/16/2017 PA, Philadelphia Christmas Tour
12/16/2017 KY, Louisville Casting Crowns
12/17/2017 GA, Atlanta Casting Crowns
12/17/2017 NY, New York Christmas Tour

Tabling

09/02/2017 DC, Washington DC Vegfest
09/23/2017 IL, Chicago Chicago Vegan Mania
10/01/2017 CA, San Francisco World Veg Festival Weekend
10/14/2017 OR, Portland Portland VegFest
10/28/2017 FL, Orlando Central Florida VegFest
11/04/2017 FL, Tampa Bay Tampa Bay Vegfest
11/11/2017 GA, Atlanta Atlanta Veg Fest

Many people find leafleting rewarding and fun. And, when you volunteer for the CVA, the CVA donates $20/hr. to the veg. or animal protection group of your choice. Contact Lorena at lorenavalenziveg@gmail.com if you can help.

2. Original Sin, part 6

Cultural anthropologist René Girard offered profound insights into why humans participate in scapegoating. He noted that humans are mimetic creatures in that we observe other people and copy what they do. We learn to speak and socialize through mimesis, and our feelings and desires are also mimetic. When we see someone laugh or cry, we tend to have similar feelings, and when we see people seem to want certain things, we tend to want the same things.

A problem is that objects of desire invariably become scarce, because many people mimetically want them. Competition for scarce things leads to conflicts, and conflicts can damage relationships. This is a problem for all communities, and it can be disastrous, particularly in primal communities, in which people need each other for defense against predators (as well as hostile neighboring tribes) and for hunting prey. A “solution” to this problem is to identify a scapegoat who is accused of causing conflicts by “casting spells” or other means. The community gains a renewed sense of camaraderie in their collective, mimetic anger against the scapegoat, as well as the general satisfaction that accompanies punishing the “guilty” scapegoat (often by banishment or murder).

Scapegoats are also blamed for plagues, droughts, and other disasters. Given that these disasters are often self-limited, the community believes its accusation against the scapegoat(s) was correct. Of course, people have often falsely accused scapegoats in order to avoid being held accountable for wrongdoing or for being a scapegoating victim themselves. For example, a king must blame one or more people for a military defect or an epidemic, lest the people blame the king.

Since scapegoating derives from human nature, it is a universal phenomenon. I will explore this further next week.

Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D.

3. This Week’s Sermon from Rev. Frank and Mary Hoffman

Discerning Heavenly Will

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