Mike McLoughlin's Blog :: Fear of Faith at Work makes the Front Page - Globe & Mail: Christian Activists capturing Tory Seats

In what workplace is faith most feared? Is it the shop floor? The front office? How about the classroom? No, according to the Globe and Mail it is the Canadian Parliament. The headlines in Canada's national newspaper today reads "Christian activists capturing Tory races." The article lists a number of new candidates for the Conservative party who the Globe associates with the "religious right." (For an explanation of this phrase and why it is so popular in the liberal media read Hugh Hewitt's article " Hating the "Religious Right" and do a search on his blogsite for the phrase. Basically, its used to delegitimize the contribution of people of faith to the public square.") The writer of the Globe article trots out the standard scare phrases to describe these sincere people of faith: "hard-line", "single-issue", "hidden agenda" and "right-wing fanatics".

Columnist Jeffery Simpson is the one raising the alarm. His May 18th opinion piece "What drove Belinda out" on the Stronach's defection to the Liberal party was about how Social Conservatives with ties to "religious groups" are increasing their presence in the Conservative party. This makes "social liberals" like Belinda "uncomfortable." So they want to leave.

How about wanting to leave because you get a plum job as a Cabinet Minister? I think that is a better explanation for Belinda's betrayal. Others think Simpson is out to lunch as well, see Andrew Daifallah's "Jeffrey Simpson = so wrong . Ted Byfield's "Femaniacs portray Stronach as victim"

Today, Simpson's piece is " Why Stephen Harper is going to lose more sleep." He apologizes to one of the Conservative candidates for attaching the label "Christian" to that candidate's law firm. In fact, that candidate had written an article specifically recommending people of faith NOT attach the label "Christian" to their businesses. A position with which I agree.

He goes on to mention how this candidate encourages regular and informal times of prayer at work. " Would everyone feel comfortable working in such surroundings?" he asks. Obviously, faith makes Mr. Simpson uncomfortable. But should it make "everyone" uncomfortable?

According to Mr. Simpson, this "public religiosity" is a an alarming trend for Stephen Harper, Leader of the Conservative Party. "Candidates from, or associated with, Christian faith movements or churches are winning more Conservative nominations than ever…Little could be more politically lethal for the party's chances of forming a national government than the perception that religious conservatives have disproportionate influence."

Why is this politically lethal? Do religious conservatives have disproportionate influence?

I attended the National Convention of the Conservative Party in Montreal in March. I was with 2500 fellow delegates who represented a diverse spectrum of Canadian values. We voted on over 100 resolutions proposed by the Party Executive. The party policy platform is a public document available for anyone to view here. See for yourself if it shows a disproportionate influence of religious conservatism.

What is wrong with people of strong moral conviction offering themselves for public service? Don't we need leaders who are willing to be held accountable? Isn't politics tainted enough with scandal and corruption that a little moral conscience wouldn't do it some good?

No, this is media fear mongering. Fear is the frame that the Globe and Mail uses to inform its readers about people of faith in the public arena. Fear of a hidden agenda. Fear of fanaticism. Fear of disproportionate influence. This is the kind of language used to vilify and foment hatred against minority groups by a powerful media elite.

It is fear with a purpose. The purpose is to control. The liberal media don't want to lose control of the national agenda to people of faith so they tar them with extremist language. In doing so, they isolate, marginalize and alienate sincere people who want what's best for their country. This is wrong and should be strongly condemned.

For a political response to this article visit the following blogs

"Scary, scary, scary at All things Canadian"

"Christians need not apply at Conservative Life"

Uh-oh, it's those damn Christians causing trouble again -- but the left is re…at Angry in the Great White North.

"Unlike the Canadian media, I don't automatically take the implicit position that the religiously conservative ought to be shunned from public life entirely." From If the bunch of us all stick together, and we all go down as one at Ravishing Light

Politics and Religion -- Again from canadianna

The Christians are coming! The Christians are coming! From Daimnation

The Christian Conspiracy from Rite Turn Only

"Others ... say they are extremely concerned" from Let it bleed "

Keywords: Liberal, Conservative, Politics, Work, Media, Faith, Bias

Posted to:

Religious Freedom at Work

Comments

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Re: Fear of Faith at Work makes the Front Page - Globe & Mail: Christian Activists capturing Tory Seats

by Anonymous on Sat 28 May 2005 02:30 PM PDT | Permanent Link

What the media seems to forget is that the CPC, being a so-called "Big Tent" party, is going to have members of varying political/social values under one roof. That said, they also forget that the actual percentage of "exposed" Christians running as Tories is negligible, not too mention the fact they are running in very "unsafe" ridings.

The other point is what is so wrong about politicians being guided by religious principles? I understand the concept of seperation of church & state and agree with it but that doesn't preclude individual MPs from being guided by their own sense of morality. Hell, our very own Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognizes the supremacy of God.

Methinks lefties should spend more time worrying about real issues.

Re: Re: Fear of Faith at Work makes the Front Page - Globe & Mail: Christian Activists capturing Tory Seats

by Rick on Sun 29 May 2005 09:32 AM PDT | Profile | Permanent Link

My efforts are to be permitted all the rights other Canadians have, meaning the right to marry. As a gay man, I face many Christians tell me I am off to hell and I have no right to marriage.

I disagree and that means I will have too work to defeat Christians that will vote to use a notwithstanding clause. It is not that many of us do not llike Christians, it is that we have a serious disagreement about my rights.

Re: Re: Re: Fear of Faith at Work makes the Front Page - Globe & Mail: Christian Activists capturing Tory Seats

by Mike McLoughlin on Tue 31 May 2005 05:14 AM PDT | Profile | Permanent Link

Thanks Rick! I am glad you have commented on Christians participating in politics. They are doing that for the very same reasons you are doing it. They feel a dominant secular (anti God) majority will run roughshod over their rights and freedoms.

It ought not be a civil offense to have a conscience or to be free to express your point of view as long as it does no harm. Yet, there are a number of cases in which a people of faith have lost their jobs or faced heavy fines because they have opposed the gay agenda.

On the rights of gays to marry I think it really is a non issue. Most Canadian provinces have accepted it. The position of the CPC is that they will call it a civil union but for all intents and purposes it is marriage.

No one is going to have their rights taken away. Gays who get a "civil union" will call it a "marriage" and no one is going to stop them from doing that.

At the same time, Churches will be free to perform marriage ceremonies and free to decide they will not perform these ceremonies for gay couples if that is their position of conscience.

The CPC position is a good compromise between the rights of gays and people of faith and it will not require the use of the notwithstanding clause.

The problem, as I see it, is that the gay lobby will not be satisfied with that compromise. They want nothing less than complete acceptance of their position and they are prepared to force people of faith to knuckle under through heavy handed legislation. That is why Christians are running for office. They need to have a voice just as the gay lobby has so that a secular government does not impose its will on a vulnerable minority (which is what Christians have perceived they have become).

Just as once powerful elites in society demonized people of alternative sexual lifestyles so today a powerful media elite (the Globe and Mail) is attempting to demonize sincere people of faith.

How about you read that article again and substitute the word gay for every instance of the word Christian and you will get what I mean.

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