Religious Freedom
Is there truly still freedom of religion in Canada? In practise it seems to be slipping away on the local level and federally. Does Christianity make a positive contribution to our society? Think back to when Canada was a lot more Christian based and people went to church to honor God.
10/2/20243 min read
In Canada we have the charter of Rights and Freedoms and it states that we have as one of our foundations the freedom of religion. Believing that religion makes a positive contribution to society, since it promotes virtuous living and love of neighbour, let us promote these freedoms not discourage them. Most religions promote ethical living and these virtues benefit the culture by the citizens that make a positive contribution to our society. Of course, some religions promote terror and some groups promote hate. Better to promote the ideal than selfishness and immorality and lack of integrity.
However, in Canada why are religious groups like Christians largely discriminated against? Some community events do not allow any religious groups to be represented. Is this religious freedom or persecution? The sad excuse these people use is that if they allow Christians, we have to allow other religious groups as well. What is wrong with that? We do believe in freedom of religion as the charter of rights and freedom states.
It is not religion that causes wars, discrimination and persecution in our culture and in the world it is usually politics and mankind’s sinful pride and selfishness. Jesus taught love and justice together in perfect balance and called us to the highest of virtue. Better to hold up the ideal rather than just promote selfishness. Selfishness destroys community, the culture and the world.
Some religious groups in Canada are promoted, but not Christianity. Canada used to be Godly and it made a huge difference in our society. Less crime, more respect and a lot more responsibility and integrity. Why would our culture be against what makes our culture so much better?
Also, in Canada you are not allowed to have a Christian radio station. For a Christian radio station to exist all the other religions have to be represented by this station as well. This is just ridiculous and they know it. It is hard enough to organize one organization with various views and then have to organize a whole other group of religions is not feasible. Let the Christians have a radio station and if the other religions what a radio station let them also have a radio station of their own. Canada’s approach is not freedom of religion it is suppression of religion.
The religion in Canada that is especially promoted is secular humanism and which the promotion and worship of human beings, rather than God. The result has been a very narcissistic culture. Mankind has an inordinate love for itself and often that means using other people rather than adding to their lives. It is a culture of selfishness. The result is that in our society money is far more important than caring for people.
My desire is that Canada be Godly again. This will solve a lot of social issues and heal our land. Let us especially not discriminate against Christianity because of false excuses saying if we allow Christianity we have to allow other religions as well to be represented. Let them also be allowed. We live in a pluralist society. Christians have no problem holding the truth in love and those Christians who don’t can learn to love. We also don’t have any problem holding the truth in love in relation to other philosophies and religions.
It is primarily about truth and love. They go together and if they are separated according to man’s limited perspective than they are very distorted and disordered. Let us go back to the center, not to the outer limits of the lack of common sense in which our society is headed towards more and more. Christianity promotes virtue which is desperately lacking in our culture. Our country is having a crisis of integrity and virtue.
Remember the days when you didn’t have to lock your doors and people bent over backwards to act with integrity and by in large honesty? Why did these virtues largely vanish? These disappeared when Christianity was neglected and then persecuted. It went when Christian virtues were replaced by selfishness and narcissism.
Jesus taught the highest of ideals in perfect balance. He also taught that He is God in the flesh. (John 1:1,14 this scripture and throughout New Testament). Unlike others who claim to be prophets Jesus rose from the dead and is here now in the Holy Spirit to give life to those who receive Him.
Let us not work against ourselves by being against Jesus Christ and Christianity, but let religion truly be free to positively influence our culture, our nation and the world. To not honor religion is to shoot ourselves in the foot. There are no higher ethical standards and love expressed then what Jesus did on the cross and there is no other way to abundant and eternal life.
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