Weekly Newsletter from Christian Vegetarian Association CVA - January 10, 2019
From Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA)

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1. Original Sin part 59: Truth, part 3
2. All-Creatures.Org Ministry
   

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Happy New Year. Our e-mail guru, who sends out the e-newsletter, was out the last few weeks.

1. Original Sin part 59: Truth, part 3

In the previous installment, I discussed how “the myth of whiteness” has resulted in misunderstandings about human nature and the source of evil. The result has been injustice and divisiveness that has plagued America since its inception.

Is there an analogy when it comes to animal issues? I’m convinced that the answer is yes. Those humans who participate in the harmful exploitation expose themselves to a dilemma. They can either acknowledge that their behavior is reprehensible, or they can try to legitimize animal abuse by devising scientifically dubious theories about the nature of humans and nonhumans. Nearly all humans have chosen the second option, which comes at a great price.

The second option requires that people identify features that make humans distinct from nonhumans. This isn’t easy, since evolutionary science has left little doubt that humans are animals whose distinctive traits that have conferred, at least for the time being, survival benefit. Science has shown that humans differ from other animals in degree, but not in kind. Other animals have demonstrated intelligent behavior, communication skills that can best be defined as language (though humans keep changing the definition of “language” when nonhumans pass our linguistic “tests”), altruistic behavior, and the full range of emotions that humans exhibit. Indeed, some humans with disabilities perform worse on human-created intelligence tests than some animals. And, some animals appear to
be superior to humans in certain cognitive skills, as discussed in Frans De
Waals’ book, Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?

Defending human domination has involved misapprehending the mental and emotional attributes of nonhuman animals. It also requires that humans misunderstand their own nature. I will discuss the grave consequences next.

Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D.

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2. All-Creatures.Org Ministry

• All-Creatures.org Newsletters:
  - December 20
  - December 27
  - January 3
  - January 10
  
• Recipes
  - Autumn Chowder with Cabbage, Carrots, Corn, Peas, and Potatoes
  - Autumn Chowder with Collard Greens
  - Vegetable Lo Mein (Chinese Style Pasta) with Brown Rice Spaghetti, Cabbage, Carrots, Celery, Green Beans, and Onions
  
• Sermons
  - Peace on Earth
  - God’s Blessings

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