Responders to my letter missed my point
I was surprised by the reactions of Piper Cote and Art Seeger to my July 4 letter “Religion not responsible for all the world’s ills.” I did not miss the point of their letters. They missed mine.
First, I never stated that the improper use of religion wasn’t a problem. I don’t, as Ms. Cote stated, “seem to think so…” I never “pretended that there was nothing to call into question…” I didn’t address clerical or religious abuse since that wasn’t the topic of my letter, so how could I have pretended anything?
By the way, I never mentioned the Christian faith. I referred to damaging masterpieces to highlight the extremity of post modern religious feeling. I never suggested that Ms. Cote or anyone else, would approve of it. I was pointing out the dangerous nature of anti-religious feeling, now quite clearly on the rise.
In her reply Ms. Cote rapidly switches from the atrocities of Naziism and Communism, glossing over my point, directed at Mr. Seeger, that religion isn’t the only source of violence and “waging war,” to a discussion of European colonization and the Crusades, then intimates that I “pretend” there is nothing to call into question.
I never did. All mass war and genocide is a tragedy (Mongols, Holocaust et al…) Also, I have a strong knowledge of colonization, the Crusades and religious history. “What about the Crusades?” is a common anti-European, anti-Christian rejoinder used by many, but it is usually devoid of any contextual knowledge of a violent time, and clearly meant to hammer both historic and contemporary Christianity. Read Rodney Stark’s God’s Battalions for a different viewpoint.
The “attestation” requires that people tick a box stating that they affirm the constitutional right to protect and support practices they cannot possibly agree with. It is an impossible position. They have no animus against the person, but cannot agree with the concept. It is like the early Christians who were told, “You can believe in one God, but you must worship the emperor and acknowledge that there are many gods. Oh, and if you don’t, we will punish you. Now tick the box.” Intolerance often disguises itself as “following the law.”
An impossible dilemma is being forced on faith-based Canadians. How is this not tyranny? Are the multiple lawsuits, massive organizational protests and high religious figures’ objections just obstinacy? Hardly. The Liberal government’s high handedness created this. We have an excellent legal system. The attestation is unnecessary.
Let’s hope future discussions look more closely at the facts. That is the spirit in which all these discussions should take place.
Perry Foster
Duncan