Evangelicals, To The North

Nation: With Bush Ally As Prime Minister, Canada's New Christian Right Rises Up

(The Nation) 
"While the Ottawa press corps has been preoccupied with Harper's ability to keep the most blooper-prone Christians in his caucus buttoned up, he has quietly but determinedly nurtured a coalition of evangelicals, Catholics, and conservative Jews that brought him to power and that will put every effort into ensuring that he stays there," wrote Marci McDonald in the October issue of the Canadian magazine "Walrus."

Harper's Conservative government, for the first time since the January 2006 election that brought him to power, is tied in the polls with the Liberal Party, which is locked in a leadership battle that includes front-runner Michael Ignatieff, a prolific author on ethnic conflict, a former Harvard professor and a vocal supporter of the Iraq War. A poll done for the Toronto Globe and Mail and CTV News has the Conservatives and Liberals tied with 32 percent support, although no date has been set for new elections.

Harper's combination of bellicosity, slash-and-burn attitude toward Canadian social programs and religious fervor makes many Canadians nervous. Unfortunately for Canada, Harper has a lot of American help. James Dobson has set up a Canadian branch of his Focus on the Family three blocks from the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa. The organization, called the Institute of Marriage and Family Canada, provides political expertise to and otherwise supports Harper's allies in the bid to turn Canada into an Americanized Christian state. Dobson, who rails against Canada's defense of gay rights and legalization of same-sex marriage, buys radio time in Canada to attack the nation's tolerance of gays and calls for legislation to roll back these measures. The proliferation of new Christian groups is dizzying, with organizations such as the National House of Prayer, the Institute for Canadian Values and the Canada Family Action Coalition, whose mission is "to see Judeo-Christian moral principles restored in Canada," publishing election guides, working with sympathetic legislators and mobilizing Canadian evangelicals in local and national campaigns. These groups turn frequently to American Christian leaders like Jerry Falwell, who came to Canada two years ago for an "Emergency Pastors Briefing" to rally 400 evangelical ministers against a bill before Parliament that included a provision making it a hate crime to denounce homosexuals. Other stalwarts, like former Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed and televangelist John Hagee, have come north to spread their toxic message to the newly energized Canadian evangelical church. And in the Harper government they have found not only a willing convert but an important ally.

Harper's hold on power, like that of George Bush, is shaky. He too has no clear mandate to transform Canada, but this has not stopped his minority government from steadily undermining social programs and a once-enlightened foreign policy that liberal Americans could only envy. The tools he is using are familiar to many Americans, who stood sleepily by as Pat Robertson and other religious bigots hijacked the Republican Party and moved into the legislative and executive branches of government. As I walk the windy streets of Toronto I wonder if those who push past me will wake up and see in Harper's government our own malaise or watch passively as Canada becomes a demented reflection of George Bush's America.

[bluestardad]

Hey maybe these Religious Neo-cons will take their countries money, wear thousand dollar suits, and play hide the salami with some page boys too!

[chris12karen]

What's the big deal if Harper is a Christian and has a bunch of Christians? There are more than enough anti-religion bigots to vote him out if they want to.

[drcarroll2]

While the religious right mayve had thier spotlight in the sun in the US, they do not hold sway in Canada. And while they be a PART of the Conservative's party in Canada the religious hold that they had in the States is not matched by that up here. Canadians are by nature moderates, and the conservatives up here reflect that. We do not hand out tac cuts just to the rich, in fact twoo weeks ago our finanace Minister closed the biggest coporate tax loophole in Canadian history and thereby retained billions of dollars in coporate taxes.

What Mr Hedges seems to have a problem with is religious people, being agnostic myself i have no issues with people wanting to be Christians. Mr Hedges has thrown his own religious bias into the Canadian politcal mix without examining the facts. Such as tax breaks for all economic levels, not just the rich, increadeds spnding on Helath care, education , defence whileat the same time paying down our national debt.


Mr Hedges simply hasnt a clue what he's talking about

[spammenot995]

(sigh)

First of all, I do not think that Mr. Hedges' opinion piece is against people of faith. I think it is against politicized religious people imposing their beliefs on others via government.

Having said that: Lord God, save us from your right-wing followers. And also save us from those left-wingers who bash people of faith.

People - Can't we get along? Live and let live? Do married gay/lesbian couples threaten the marriages of the heterosexual majority? Heck, no. Is a person of faith who speaks openly about his/her beliefs a threat to the freedom of others? Again, no.

To folks of more liberal and/or secular persuasion who may read this: Conservative people deserve the same "live and let live" that you want for yourselves. I have seen people of faith (especially straight white males) marginalized by "political correctness" many, many times. That is every bit as oppressive as the religious right's bashing of people they don't like.

To Christians: Salvation is solely by grace, not good works or certain political or "moral" opinions. If you are basing your salvation on anything that **you** did (including "accepting Christ"), you are most definitely on a shaky foundation. Remember that only God is righteous. We are all sinners who deserve nothing from the Lord. God loves us unconditionally. Our very faith in God is a gift of God. We cannot create saving faith by our own power or reason.

(Disclosure: I am a gay white Christian male who is politically moderate.)

[annabanana-1]

Quick, my dear friends to the North.. Get a net. Catch the cuckoo before he can do too much damage. Don't let him make you as nutso as we are.

[ademeyer]

When religion and politics mix, religion loses. Right wing evangelicals have harmed Christianity in a way that Satan never could. Christ specifically warned against judging others, but now Christianity is associated with the most judgmental, hypocritical attitudes as embodied by right wing politicians. The message of Christ: peace, love, and a personal relationship to God, has been misrepresented by the politicians and their evangelical sheep these last six years, to the point that Christianity is unrecognizable. Now the culture sees Christianity as a wing-nutty political movement, instead of a deep and beautiful spiritual path.

[random_radar]

Does Mr. Hedges merely hate Christians, or is he proposing to actually feed them to the lions? And when he talks about Harper's power base being a coalition of "coalition of evangelicals, Catholics, and conservative Jews," is he saying that conservative Jews are bad Jews? Is this selective anti-semitism or just politically correct anti-semitism? Talk about toxic journalism! Does the ADL defend all Jews, or just the Jews that do what the ADL likes?

[tejasdemo]

Looks like Canada is off the list for vacation time now. The wackos have moved north.

Maybe we should build a fence around Canada ?

[prelgovisk]

"He has quietly but determinedly nurtured a coalition of evangelicals, Catholics, and conservative Jews %u2026%u201C Marci McDonald

So? Are they not citizens of Canada and allowed to vote? Should the vote only be granted to non-Christians and Anti-Semites?

It is time that Marci McDonald accepts the will of the people. They know better than she does what government works best for them.

If he is an elected official, then the people have spoken. Let them pick their leaders at the ballot box.

I guess the liberal media feels that it represents an enlightened aristocracy that knows what is best for us. They are horrified that we should be allowed to pick someone other than those who parrot their ideology. They are a few hundred years behind the times. It is not the House of Lords but the common citizen that chooses our leaders now-a-days. Marci McDonald does not represent a progressive point of view, but a throw back to the anti-democratic views of that predate our independence.

Time to get over the past Marci. More Canadians like Prime Minister Stephen Harper than like you and your kind.

[thunderclap4]

All parties become corrupt after they%u2019ve been in power too long and must be thrown out. Just be careful who you replace them with.
The evangelical right has a strong tendency to conflate religion and politics. They have a standard message which makes Christians comfortable. They have wedge issues which make their adherents feel victimized and pushes them towards the Republican Party. In the US, they are aggrieved about separation of religion and state as well as abortion and gay marriage.
Finally, they have a corporate/political message, usually tax cuts, support for Bush%u2019s War and opposition to global warming mediation. Check out WallBuilders for their selective Bible quotes for tax cuts. Pat Robertson has a gem on global warming.
Catholics have an excellent %u201Cjust war%u201D doctrine (google at %u201Cjust war catholic%u201D) that exposes the corruption of Bush%u2019s War. Pope John Paul II condemned it on that basis. It is part of their comprehensive %u201Cpro-life%u201D theology. Yet the last US election featured death penalty, abortion, stem cell research, and euthanasia with nary a mention of the hundreds of thousands of dead civilians in Iraq. It appears that they (specifically Relevant Radio and the Catholic Defamation League) have dropped a doctrine for political expedience.
The evangelical / conservative Catholic vote has become a political arm of the Republicans, with theology taking a subservient role when in conflict with party needs.

[drcarroll2]

I dont know who Mr Hedges is, i dont really care. that being said he should before giving his uninformed and biased opnions about Stephen Harper,Canada and Candians, actually live in the country he's writing about. As well as do more research on Mr Harpers accomplishments while in office other then watching the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, or reading the Canadian NDP parties latest manifesto on how Canadian soldiers are 'like terrorists'.

He talks about a billion dollars in 'slashed' when he has cut taxes inclusing the hated GST tax, begun direct payments of cash to parents of children. Established tax breaks for people who use mass transit, increased funding to the National Health Care Program (Medicare). Even with all that Canadas finances will be in the black by 5 billion dollars - that may not sound like much, but its money that can be used to fund essential programs and to pay our national debt.


What this 'opnionist' doesnt mention to his audience is that the past governing Liberal Party was thrown out of office for corruption and greed.
So i suggest to Mr Hedges, that before he begins his contemptable scribblings about Canada, that he actually knows what he's talking about. Im sure people around here might find that a pleasant change

[hermit22]

Ok now, if all the Christians began praying for good old Chris Hedges what would happen?

[drcarroll2]

Being from Canada and having voted for both the Liberal and Conservatice parties, this article is completely slanted. Stephan Harper had made it clear that although he believes in god, that puts the welfare of Canada first aboce all else

[ibcrazybones]

standinggap

Your post is really wacky & strange. You either need a big hug or a psychologist. Maybe both.

[ibcrazybones]

I have spent a fair amount of time in Canada,and have been in all the provinces at one time or another. So I have been able to meet a pretty good cross-section of Canadian folks.

This guy sounds nothing like the typical Canadian. It will be interesting to see how long he survives....

[webdepot]

Run, don't walk to a vote of no confidence...
Given the chance, ideologues will destroy the world.. which is why religion should never be mixed with government..

[jhindson1]

The only reason Harper was elected was because the other party - the Liberals were involved in a corruption scandal involving kick backs from Corporations that wound up as political contributions.
80 percent of Canadians do not like or trust Bush and most view Harper as a Bush wannabee.
The Canadian Supreme Court upheld same *** marriage as a protected under our Charter of Rights.Harper makes noise about trying to change it but it will go nowhere.

Harper will be around until the Liberals (Democrats) regroup, get rid of corrupt members, and get re-elected.

Meanwhile, if you have a skill and want a safe place to raise your kids, with full health care and a high standard of living - come to Canada. Canada is in dire need of skilled workers

[cantshutup]

bush is a vampire

[standingap-2009]

While you are whining because real men are making a real stand for our future...why don't you take a look at what it looks like in a nation WITHOUT followers of the Living God....

http://www.obsessionthemovie.
com/12min.htm

At least you live in a Nation that allows you to HAVE an opinion and to choose whatever lifestyle you want. The 12 minute clip above shows what it looks like to be manipulated and brainwashed with hate and lies. This is what our Brave Soldiers are fighting against---they are there for purpose. US and Canada Leaders---the majority of us support you and thank you for being brave and providing us with protection so that we can all remain free! Thank you!

[themartyred]

Great, another over the top judgmental religious type in charge - just what the world needs! He's beefing up the Canadian Military, denounces *** in his church, and basically is trying to follow the right wing mantra of telling the sheeple what they want to hear so he can manipulate gov't for a few years before Canada wakes up and boots his a ss out of power.
Some people can't understand that there are OPINION articles, it's just that right-wingers are used to FOX FAUX News just being one CONTINUOUS opinion piece, so they freak when they see a progressive viewpoint!
And on a different subject ---
S E X (I just put that there for so called morals voters who's husbands are out banging the boy down the street or hiring a prostitute) HAGGARD/FOLEY/BUSH one big orgy of repression and self hatred. "your Scott is cuter than my Scott" - Bush to the Canadian Prime Minister about his aide and Bush's Scott McClellan.