1. CVA Booklet Questionnaire
2. A Christmas Prayer for Animals
3. Vegan Pet Food
4. Leafleting Feedback, Suggestion
A. Feedback
B. Upcoming Events
C. Christmas Church Leafleting
D. CVA Calendar Group
E. Responding to "I Love Cruelty to Animals"
5. Christianity and Violence: Healing and Faith - The Woman with
Perpetual Bleeding
1. CVA Booklet
Questionnaire
Many thanks to the scores of people who completed our short
questionnaire at
www.christianveg.com/survey-hgc.htm. If I don't get your e-mail
address, I am unable to thank you individually. It takes about 3-4
minutes and is a big help in our efforts to provide a concise,
biblically sound booklet.
2. A Christmas Prayer
for Animals by Jenny Moxham
As Christmas approaches
Dear God up above,
Please fill every heart
With compassion and love.
Fill all with the knowledge
That piglets and geese
And turkeys are also
Entitled to peace.
Please let people see
That to harm and to kill
Just doesn't make sense
At a time of goodwill.
This Christmas, dear God,
Please answer my prayer,
May love for all creatures
Abound everywhere.
3. Vegan Pet Food Comments
I work in the veterinary industry so I have a little knowledge on this
subject. It is relatively easy to obtain a vegetarian diet for dogs -
there are a variety out there. Just ensure they have gone through an
AAFCO (Association Of American Feed Control Official) feeding trial to
ensure safety and health. Homemade diets with supplements are also an
option per veterinarian's recommendation.
Cats on the other hand are by nature obligate carnivores. Even vegan
cat foods recommend only feeding them for a short period of time or
supplementing with meat. Speaking with colleagues and researching on VIN
(an on-line veterinary info center), no one has seen a cat who remained
healthy on a vegan diet. Not necessarily sick, but not recovering well
post-illness and not necessarily healthy. Some have done homemade diets
with eggs and dairy and supplements, and the cats did relatively well.
So, take deep consideration before trying a vegan diet on a cat. With my
own cat, although I find it difficult to feed a carnivorous diet, but I
have come to terms with the fact understanding it is the best for her
health.
-Jana
4. Leafleting
Suggestions, Feedback
A. I (Steve Kaufman) leafleted with Jen and my son Evan at
Acquire the Fire in Cleveland. We leafleted a total of 1500 booklets! A
guy with a loudspeaker informed people as they arrived, "No animals were
killed in the making of this program."
B. Upcoming Leafleting Events
12/1 IL Peoria Superchick All Faith Night
12/1-2 AZ Phoenix Living Proof Live with Beth Moore
11/30-12/1-4 NC Charlotte National Youth Workers Convention
12/4 PA Northampton Punk the Halls Christian Concert
12/5-10 TX Dallas Hero- The Rock Opera
12/8 OR Medford Days of the Reckoning Tour
12/9 OH Cleveland INTENSITY Christian Rock Tour
12/9 PA Philadelphia Katina Family Christmas Tour
12/9 FL Orlando Behold the Lamb of God Tour
C. Christmas Church Leafleting
The rate of church attendance is much higher at Christmastime. We
encourage leafleting, but we stress that it is CVA's policy not to
leaflet on church property (because otherwise it looks like we represent
the church) and we don't put booklets under windshield wipers.
D. CVA Calendar Group
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/. Read the home
page, and then join. You will then be able to log in anytime to identify
upcoming events in your region. Contact Paris at
[email protected] if you might be able to help.
E. Responding to "I Love Cruelty to Animals" Eugene, who
leaflets for the group Vegan Outreach, relates the following encounter.
After Eugene offered a booklet saying "booklet against cruelty to
animals"
Him: "I love cruelty to animals. I used to work on a farm, and I
loved to be cruel to animals. It was cool how after you cut a chickens
head off, they would run around without their head."
Me: "Well, apparently the majority of the population agrees with you.
You are just one of the few people honest enough to admit it."
He looked perplexed.
I continued: "The majority of people read the pamphlet, and then they
continue to eat meat. So apparently, the majority of people agree with
you."
He then shook his head in dismay and said, "Why do there have to be
so many stupid people in this world like me? Actually, I was just
messing with you. I actually think it is horrible what they do to
the animals. I think its great that you're out here."
He and his friend then stayed to talk for a quite a while about this
and a variety of other topics, and they requested a vegan starter pack.
5. Christianity and Violence: Healing and Faith - The Woman with
Perpetual Bleeding
[This series reflects my views and not "official" CVA positions. It
is being archived at
http://www.christianveg.com/violence_view.htm.]
The story of the woman with perpetual bleeding provides important
insights into the nature of healing. I will quote the version of Luke:
"And a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years and could not
be healed by any one, came up behind him, and touched the fringe of his
garment; and immediately her flow of blood ceased. And Jesus said, 'Who
was it that touched me?' When all denied it, Peter said, 'Master, the
multitudes surround you and press upon you!' But Jesus said, 'Some one
touched me; for I perceive that power has gone forth from me.' And when
the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling
down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had
touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to
her, 'Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace'" (Luke
8:43-48; see parallel, Mark 5:25-34).
According to Jewish law, menstruating women were unclean and could
not touch anyone or be touched. When Jesus asked who touched him, she
was afraid, because she feared Jesus would be angry about the violation.
However, Jesus did not express disgust or revulsion; rather, he said
only that he sensed power going forth from him. Jesus' healing
significantly drained his energy, because it involved more than
eradicating disease. Healing the physical component of disease usually
requires relatively brief time and attention. However, holistic healing
involves psychological and spiritual assistance, and therefore it
usually demands far more effort. The holistic healer must become attuned
to all aspects of the sick person, not just the dysfunctional tissue or
organ.
The woman was compelled to confess, because she knew that Jesus would
identify her. However, in addition to acknowledging her act, she
declared that she was healed. This, I think is what Jesus recognized as
her faith. Though he had participated in her cure, he did not say that
he had healed her. Instead, he observed that her faith had made her
well. She had been perpetually unclean, but her healing involved more
than cessation of the blood flow. Her faith made her well in a holistic
sense, and this inspired her to publicly declare that Jesus had healed
her.
I think this story illustrates an important point about disease.
"Dis-ease" is a state of mind in which one is discontented with some
aspect of bodily dysfunction. One can have a dysfunctional body and not
be dis-eased, and one's body may be functioning quite adequately yet a
person may experience dis-ease. Everyone has spiritual needs for a sense
of direction and purpose in life, which often involves a sense of
connection to God.
If our spiritual needs are not met, then we are prone to suffer
existential anxiety and guilt and, consequently, to feel dis-eased, even
if our bodies work well. The woman's faith made her well enough to align
herself with Jesus, and she was prepared to "go in peace."
I do not think that Jesus would have withheld healing from those who
lacked faith in him. The faith that helps heal the body, mind, and
spirit is a faith that the divine cares about the cosmos, including all
afflicted individuals.
Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D.