9 February 2011 Issue - Christian Vegetarian Association Update Newsletters


	Update Newsletters

Update Newsletters
9 February 2011 Issue

1. Upcoming Activist Opportunities

2. Reflections on the Lectionary: Matthew 5:17-37 – Anger

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

1. Upcoming Activist Opportunities

2/13 IL Bloomington Thousand Foot Krutch Rock and Worship Roadshow

2/14 KY Louisville Winter Jam 2011 Tour Spectacular

2/17 MI Grand Forks Thousand Foot Krutch Rock and Worship Roadshow

2/17 LA Baton Rouge Newsboys Winter Jam Tour Spectacular

2/18 TX Dallas Newsboys Winter Jam Tour Spectacular

2/18 SD Rapid City Thousand Foot Krutch Rock & Worship Roadshow

2/18-19 CO Denver Revolve Tour Dream On Christian Youth Conference

2/19 KS Dodge City Thousand Foot Krutch Rock & Worship Roadshow

2/19 OK Tulsa Newsboys Winter Jam Tour Spectacular

2/20 MO Springfield Thousand Foot Krutch Rock & Worship Roadshow

2/20 MO Kansas City Newsboys Winter Jam Tour Spectacular

2/24 TX Corpus Christi Thousand Foot Krutch Rock & Worship Roadshow

2/25 TX El Paso Thousand Foot Krutch Rock and Worship Roadshow

2/25 LA Bossier City Newsboys Winter Jam Tour Spectacular

2/25-26 AZ Phoenix Revolve Tour Dream On Christian Youth Conference

2/26 TX Lubbock Thousand Foot Krutch Rock and Worship Roadshow

2/26 OK Oklahoma City Newsboys Winter Jam Tour Spectacular

2/27 KS Wichita Newsboys Winter Jam Tour Spectacular

2/27 CO Co. Springs Thousand Foot Krutch Rock and Worship Roadshow

3/3 ID Boise Thousand Foot Krutch Rock and Worship Roadshow

3/3 GA Columbus Newsboys Winter Jam Tour Spectacular

3/4 TN Knoxville Newsboys Winter Jam Tour Spectacular

3/4 MT Missoula Thousand Foot Krutch Rock and Worship Roadshow

3/4-5 OR Portland Revolve Tour Dream On Christian Youth Conference

3/5 WA Seattle Thousand Foot Krutch Rock and Worship Roadshow

3/6 OR Portland Thousand Foot Krutch Rock and Worship Roadshow

3/10 CA Ontario Thousand Foot Krutch Rock and Worship Roadshow

3/11 AZ Phoenix Thousand Foot Krutch Rock and Worship Roadshow

3/11-12 MD Baltimore Revolve Tour Dream On Christian Youth Conference

3/12 CA Sacramento Thousand Foot Krutch Rock and Worship Roadshow

3/13 CA Fresno Thousand Foot Krutch Rock and Worship Roadshow

3/18-19 FL Lakeland Revolve Tour Dream On Christian Youth Conference

3/25-26 OH Columbus Revolve Tour Dream On Christian Youth Conference

4/1-2 CT Hartford Revolve Tour Dream On Christian Youth Conference

4/8-9 PA Reading Revolve Tour Dream On Christian Youth Conference

4/11 FL Tampa TABLE Talking Animals Festival

4/15-16 CA Ontario Revolve Tour Dream On Christian Youth Conference

4/17 CA San Diego TABLE EarthFair 2011

6/19 VA Richmond TABLE Richmond Vegetarian Festival

7/5-8 OH Cincinnati TABLE Church Turning the World Upside

Contact Paris at [email protected] if you can help. To find out about all upcoming leafleting and tabling opportunities in your area, join the CVA Calendar Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/christian_vegetarian/ .

2. Reflections on the Lectionary: Matthew 5:17-37 – Anger

This passage includes Jesus saying, “You have heard that it was said of the men of old, “You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment. But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment …’”

This is a problematic teaching for many animal advocates, who are understandably angered by the terrible treatment of animals that results from human hardness of heart. Anger typically results from a sense of powerlessness, and we animal protectionists often feel quite powerless against the massive, well-financed forces that profit from animal abuse. Adding to our frustration is the self-righteousness and arrogance so often expressed by animal abusers.

Anger can be a poison in several ways. It can make us feel miserable and prompt some of us to abandon animal advocacy for the sake of mental health. It can undermine our efforts to advocate effectively for animals, because angry people only win the hearts and minds when the audience is already angry. If people are quite satisfied with how humanity treats animals, which is unfortunately largely the case, they will not receive an angry message from us warmly. Finally, anger often clouds our judgments, and it can lead us to say or do hurtful things that make it hard for others to believe that love and compassion have motivated us to help animals.

Denying our anger is not a solution. The anger is still there, and if we attempt to deny our feelings they will tend to manifest themselves in inappropriate ways. I think there are ways to respond to our anger constructively. First, we need to acknowledge the feeling and identify its sources – usually a combination of real mistreatment of animals and our own sense of powerlessness. Then, we can reflect on how the animal abuser sees the world. For many people, deep psychological fears, of which they are often unaware, contribute to animal mistreatment. To the degree that such fears contribute to animal abuse, I think people are forgivable. We should try to protect animals as best we can, of course, but there may be good reasons not to be angry at many if not most animal abusers. What are these deep psychological fears? I’ll explore that question next week. Then, I will offer suggestions on how we can channel our anger into effective activism. As I see it, those who stay angry might end up being worthy of the condemnation of which Jesus spoke. As we will see, Jesus showed us another way.

Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D.

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

What is the Best Way to Worship God?
http://www.all-creatures.org/sermons97/s4feb90.html .

Your question and comments are welcome

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The Mary T. and Frank L. Hoffman Family Foundation.

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