May 30, 2012 - Christian Vegetarian Association Update Newsletters


	2012 Newsletters

CVA Weekly Newsletter
May 30, 2012

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

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