Ezra Strikes Again

Last week I mentioned that my cousin had won the Tory nomination to run in the riding of Halifax once a federal election is finally called. I also mentioned that some news outlets were going out of their way to point out that candidates with Christian ties seem to be popping up in the Conservative party and that this is a very Bad Thing.

Yesterday Ezra Levant struck back with what I consider to be a very poignant argument. He's hardly the first person to make it but he does a great job of highlighting the problem. His basic point- if you replace the word Christian with Jew or Muslim (or gay, black, First Nation or any other minority for that matter) the Globe and Mail column from Friday becomes unfit for print. So what makes it acceptable to demonize Christians?

Comments

[vince]

Ha, geeze Ben I owe you an apology. Of course I remember you. You were a blonde at the time, correct?

I think both extremes of the 'religion in politics' debate have their flaws. I'm sure the answer lies somewhere in between.

[Ben]

Interesting indeed. Thanks Vince. I'm not sure where I stand on religious leaders influencing political policy. It gets ridiculously messy in a pluralistic society and could easily result in animosity and religious intolerance. On the other hand is religion really meaningful if it never intersects with daily life?

By the way, I did work at OLS but after you left. You might have me confused with Ben Wells or Ben Younker. I was the pretzel maker and wored in the box office at Empire the summer Phantom Menace came out.

[vince]

Sorry to beat a dead horse here, but the Globe has published an article that complements the story you originally posted.

Religious zeal sets U.S. apart from allies

Interesting passage:

Almost two-thirds of Canadians say religion is important to them, but most seem to prefer that religion and politics not mix too closely. Seven in 10 Canadians say religious leaders should not try to influence government decisions. A majority of Canadians say they believe in God, though some believers admit to occasional doubts. Four in 10 Canadians describe themselves as Catholic, 14 per cent as Protestant, with others saying they had other religions or no religion.

I wonder if this is a reaction to the story you mentioned in your post. I'm sure they took some heat over it.

[vince]

Heh, I didn't know we worked together at Empire, but I thought we worked together at OLS? I might be mixing up my Ben's.

I guess you have to take the Globe with a grain of salt. They are assuming that people of faith will try to make their beliefs a national policy, which is an unfair assumption.

But a significant increase in religiously-backed candidates is definitely a newsworthy topic. I just wish it was a little more balanced.

[Ben]

Great points Vince (although Vince may not realize it I actually worked with him at Empire Theatres in Charlottetown once upon a time).

My problem with the Globe article is that it was openly stating that Christians simply winning nominations was a bad thing. Everyone has principles and beliefs on which they found their politics. Whether those beliefs and principles come from religion or elsewhere should be irrelevant.

[vince]

I think the Canadian media likes to compare ourselves to our southern neighbors. Most of our television media comes from the States, so when our journalists see an opportunity to draw a comparison they tend to blow it out of proportion (side effect of consumer driven media).

The Globe knows that this will be a popular story because the American conservative party is heavily influenced by the religious right. Implying that this trend could continue in Canada’s leading conservative party will strike a chord with people, whether the facts are justified or not.

The Canadian media is pushing this story because they know people will buy it. This is the major flaw in the ‘media-for-profit’ model. Fair and equal coverage just doesn’t sell. It’s not bias, it’s business.

As a Catholic myself, I’m happy to see a person of faith (any faith) running for public office. I believe religion is a great road-map to life, and teaches you to be partial and forgiving.

But I don’t believe my faith (or other faiths) should be opposed upon anyone else. Although Christianity is the religion of majority in Canada today, will our current immigration policies (among other factors) sustain that majority? Christianity still holds a huge piece of the pie, but it would be arrogant to assume that will be the case in coming generations.

I just wouldn’t want to be put in a situation where a Muslim-based political party is imposing religious-based policies on Christians, or a Jewish-based party imposing policies on Hindu’s. I believe religion is the ultimate choice of freedom, and I wouldn’t want my freedom compromised by someone else’s beliefs.

[Rich]

Thats hardly 'demonization' from the Globe. There's a real difference between the use of the term "Christian" and the use of the term "Jew" in these cases due to the connotation attached to the latter term and its relation to the events of WW2, etc... Try to argue that people who DO fit the description of the individuals who rise above into the "activist" category... like good old Elsie Wayne for instance are doing anything to help anyone besides themselves and those that share their narrow view of the world. Poor persecuted folk... I'll remember that the next time I hear the old chestnut "there are no atheists in foxholes" or that an atheist cannot be a moral person... like I heard just last year and the year prior. Remember there are 30 Million people here in Canada and many views. Christianity and faith are not a problem ...only when they are imposed through politics on those that do not share the view.