The test of democracy is freedom of criticism. —David Ben Gurion, the first Israeli Prime Minister
CANADA’S national anthem rings out:
…the true north strong and free…
To which I add:
…so long as you agree.
Agree with the state, that is. Agree with the new high priests of this once great nation, the judges and their deacons, the Human Rights Tribunals. This writing is a wake-up call not just for Canadians, but for all Christians in the West to recognize what has arrived at the doorstep of the "first world" nations.
PERSECUTION IS HERE
This past week, two Canadian figures have been tried by these non-elected, quasi-judicial "tribunals" and found "guilty" of discriminating against homosexuals. A marriage commissioner in my province of Saskatchewan was fined $2500 for refusing to marry a gay couple, and a pastor in Alberta was fined $7000 for writing to a newspaper about the dangers of the gay lifestyle. Fr. Alphonse de Valk, who publishes the highly respected and orthodox magazine Catholic Insight, is currently accused of promoting "extreme hatred and contempt" for having publicly defended the Church’s traditional definition of marriage. Remarkably, the accused in all such cases are required to pay their own legal fees while the party issuing the complaint has all their expenses covered by the state—whether there is a basis for the complaint or not. Catholic Insight has spent $20 000 so far out of their own pockets to cover legal expenses, and the case is still in the investigation stage!
In the case of the Alberta pastor, Rev. Stephen Boissoin is being silenced for life. He is to:
…cease publishing in newspapers, by email, on the radio, in public speeches, or on the internet, in future, disparaging remarks about gays and homosexuals. —Decision on Remedy, Alberta Human Rights Commission ruling against Stephen Boissoin
Furthermore, he is required to go against his conscience and apologize to the complainant.
This is like a Third World jail-house confession — where accused criminals are forced to sign false statements of guilt. We don’t even ‘order’ murderers to apologize to their victims’ families. Because we know that a forced apology is meaningless. But not if your point is to degrade Christian pastors. —Ezra Levant, Canadian columnist (himself being investigate by a tribunal); Catholic Exchange, June 10th, 2008
Levant adds:
Does that happen anywhere outside of Communist China?
SILENT CONSENT
Perhaps one of the most poignant and dangerous signs of our times is the relative silence on the part of the Church in Canada regarding this new level of persecution. Canada was once one of the most admired nations on the planet. But as I travel and correspond throughout the world now, a common question I hear is, "What’s happening to Canada??" Indeed, the clergy have fallen so silent in speaking with a moral voice that even the secular media are criticizing them. In a public forum where leaders in Canada’s mainstream media were gathered, a CBC radio producer said that the moral issues here are not being addressed by the clergy as they are in countries such as England:
The difficulty is, in Canada, churches are almost unwilling to do that, are unwilling to engage in those types of issues, in those types of discussions… The Catholic Church in Canada is almost quintessentially Canadian. —Peter Kavanaugh, CBC Radio
Uncontroversial. Nice. Asleep.
And not just the Church, but politicians as well. I wrote to the Premier of Saskatchewan, the province I live in, regarding Orville Nichols, the fined marriage commissioner:
Dear Hon. Premier Brad Wall,
I am writing regarding the astonishing ruling of the Human Rights "Tribunal" which has fined marriage commissioner Orville Nichols for exercising his religious freedom by refusing to marry two gay men.
I am a family man, with seven children and another on the way. We recently moved to Saskatchewan. I wonder today if the future of my children, who will become tomorrow’s voters and taxpayers, will be one in which they are not free to embrace the morals which this country was founded upon? If they will not be free to teach their children millennia of objective truth? If they will have to fear being true to their conscience? The eyes of many of us are upon you, waiting to see if you will lead this province not only in balancing budgets and improving health care, but more importantly, in defending families and freedom of speech.
For therein lies the future of this province, this nation, and the world. "The future of the world passes through the family" (Pope John Paul II).
And here was the response:
In the interest of providing you with a thorough response, I have taken the liberty of referring your email to the Honourable Don Morgan, Q.C., Minister of Justice and Attorney General, for his direct reply.
It is clear that neither the Church nor the political establishment fully grasp what is happening here: Canada is looking very much like a fascist nation. But no one believes it because there aren’t soldiers standing on the street corners or kicking in doors to arrest honest citizens.
Well, I shouldn’t say "no one." Rev. Stephen Boissoin says he will not recant, nor will he remain silent. And some of the media have raised concerns over freedom of speech. We cannot remain silent. For if we do, the enemy will win battles which we need not lose during this time of the Great Storm. Our responsibility to speak the truth becomes even more imperative the darker it becomes.
Proclaim the word; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching. (2 Tim 4:2)
Here is a letter I received from a Pentecostal pastor who received the same non-reply as I did… a voice of reason which needs to be raised, and quickly:
Premier Brad Wall:
Your response to my earlier email is an indication of your limited understanding of the importance of this issue, and the extreme discriminatory nature of the actions of the Human Rights Tribunal, and the passive compliance and complicity of the Saskatchewan Government’s response to it… To require a public servant to violate their fundamental rights of religion
and conscience is to exercise a form of totalitarian control found only in the most controlling and secular states existing in the world today. Canadians have certain rights and freedoms that are inalienable, they can neither be given or taken away; yet the human rights tribunal and the Saskatchewan Government have determined they will do so in regards to Orville Nichols, and whoever else they may deem politically incorrect and publicly expendable. The Saskatchewan government must act immediately to overturn this outlandish judgment, and to limit the uncontrolled exercise of the human rights tribunals power over citizens lives and affairs.Rev. Ray G. Baillie
Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta
THE PULSE OF PERSECUTION
Scripture says,
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. (Hos 4:6)
Lifesitenews.com is among the finest news sources in the world following the battle between the culture of life and the culture of death. Through its numerous world-wide reports, one can measure the pulse of persecution which is quickening. You can subscribe to their email service free here. On these so-called "tribunals" and their proceedings, you can read more on their activities below.
Please pray for me, dear brothers and sisters, that I too will not flee for fear of the wolves.
God will permit great evil against the Church: heretics and tyrants will come suddenly and unexpectedly; they will break into the Church while bishops, prelates and priests are asleep. They will enter Italy and lay Rome waste; they will burn down the churches and destroy everything. —Venerable Bartholome Holzhauser (1613-1658 A.D.), Apocalypsin, 1850; Catholic Prophecy
FURTHER READING:
- From my archives: Love and Truth
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Knights of Columbus Forced to Pay Damages to Lesbians for Refusing to Rent Hall for “Wedding” Reception
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Saskatchewan Marriage Commissioner Fined For Refusing To "Marry" Homosexuals
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Canadian Mainstream Media Reps Blast Bishops for Failing to Speak Out Strongly on Moral Issues
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Cardinal Ouellet Says Bishops Must Follow Pope in Speaking out More on Moral Issues