Weekly Newsletter from Christian Vegetarian Association CVA - August 15, 2018
From Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA)

  1. Nature 7/11/18: Software beats animal tests at predicting toxicity of chemicals
  2. Original Sin, Part 43: A Foundation for Universal Love
  3. From All-Creatures.Org Ministry

1. Nature 7/11/18: Software beats animal tests at predicting toxicity of chemicals

Computer learning programs can better predict chemical toxicity than expensive animal tests that cause pain and death to millions of animals annually.

2. Original Sin, Part 43: A Foundation for Universal Love

To briefly review, I have proposed that the “Original Sin” from which all other sins derive is scapegoating – the attribution of excess guilt to one or more individuals and then punishing the victims of scapegoating. For individuals, universal human fears of injury and death can be an impetus to participate in scapegoating. In addition, communities find scapegoating efficacious in reducing conflicts that arise over competition for scarce resources, such as wealth or “attractive” mates. While communities are often bound by their hatred of the victims of scapegoating, Jesus sought to build community through love for one another.

How do we love each other, when we find that there are many people we don’t even like and some who we might despise? The answer, I think, resides in regarding everyone as a creation of God. Some might regard this as a great leap of faith, but I think seeing consciousness as a manifestation of divine forces we barely comprehend is a reasonable hypothesis. Further, I think it is reasonable to believe that the source of consciousness cares about the well-being of those conscious individuals.

Of course, if we are to take the notion of “the beloved community” seriously, we must include all conscious beings. Otherwise, the community is just another arbitrarily exclusive tribe, which leads to two problems. First, if the exclusive tribe is powerful, huge numbers of individuals become vulnerable to abuse. Indeed nonhumans are treated horribly on a massive scale because most humans do not regard nonhumans as part of our community. Second, since it is easy to change arbitrary tribal boundaries, countenance of any injustices leaves all vulnerable individuals (human and nonhuman) at risk.

Next week, I will start to explore how to build communities bound by love.

Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D.

3. From All-Creatures.Org Ministry

We just published this week’s edition of our all-creatures Newsletter, which we hope you like and share with others to help end the exploitation and killing of animals.

Vegan Recipe
Collard Greens, Sweet Potato and Lentil Curry

This Week’s Sermon from Rev. Frank and Mary Hoffman
Worldly Attitudes Cause Animal Suffering

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