EDMONTON - Canada’s Catholic bishops issued an open letter Monday calling on Canadians to stand up for their faith, even if they suffer for it.
The letter, from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, said they are concerned “radical secularism” is squeezing religion out of public policy debate in countries such as Canada, while internationally Christians are being persecuted in violent attacks.
Edmonton Archbishop Richard Smith said Monday morning that people who act out their faith are praised when they dedicate their efforts to social issues such as caring for the poor or housing the homeless.
“Where things do get a little nasty sometimes is when the freedom of religion and its free expression challenges the status quo,” Smith said.
“For example, if the church speaks out on the right to life, if the church speaks on particular definitions of marriage or family. That’s when you start to hear things like, ‘Just keep this in the private sphere. Keep those beliefs to yourself. That’s OK for the privacy of your home and the privacy of church, but it should have no bearing on the public sphere, on the formulation of public policy.’ ”
Smith, who is president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, discussed the pastoral letter as part of his annual breakfast with local reporters. Smith said he was glad the issue of conscience rights was raised in Alberta during last month’s provincial election, but said he found the level of debate on the subject disappointing.
The 12-page letter on freedom of religion and conscience rights says that bishops’ concerns in Canada often relate to rules that limit the right to conscientious objection by people in the health care and education sectors, as well as the political realm.
“At times, believers are being legally compelled to exercise their profession without reference to their religious or moral convictions, and even in opposition to them,” the letter says.
“For example, some colleges of physicians require that members who refuse to perform abortions refer patients to another physician willing to do so,” it continues. “Elsewhere pharmacists are being threatened by being forced to have to fill prescriptions for contraceptives or the ‘morning after’ pills; and marriage commissioners in British Columbia, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Saskatchewan must now perform same-sex marriages or resign.”
The bishops urge all Canadians, especially Catholics, to actively get involved in every sector of public life and make their views known.
SOURCE is BS.
I am so tired of people bawwwing about the ~loss of rights~ for those who are religious. Ffs, religion SHOULD NOT have any bearing on the public sphere or public policy, and changing things so that policy and government are not swayed by any one faith is the way that it should be!! I was raised Christian and I still think that it's ridiculous to force the view of any religion on the population. You have to allow for those who are agnostic, atheist, of other faiths, spiritual, etc. The world does not revolve around Catholicism or Christianity or any faith.
(My faction of the church - the United Church of Canada - is all right with same sex marriage and abortion... yet somehow I doubt that that sort of influence on public policy is what they're going for.)
i was unaware that Canada had degraded to the level of the United States, where Christians have no voice in government, are persecuted at every turn for their faith, and have no say in how anything is run, and are scared to even voice the fact that they're Christian for fear of ridicule and possible death.
... oh wait.
Ugh. more catholic wambulancing.
Let's not start this shit, my country. Stop caring so fucking much what other people do if it doesn't hurt anyone.
I'm no Athiest, but even I know that NO religion (not just Christianity) has a place outside of home and church, especially in such a culturally-diverse country as ours.
Or probably a more relevant example: Jesus had a lot more to say about divorce then he ever did about abortion or homosexuality. The Catholic Church has strict rules about it. Yet I don't know of anyone trying to get divorce banned. Because it is perfectly possible to disapprove of something, to promise not to do it yourself, to preach to the congregation that it is wrong, without attempting to write that moral judgment into law.
By reasonable, I mean "according to the fan fiction". Not *reasonable* reasonable.
This is one of those times I'm relieved I'm an atheist. Just so much easier and less time-consuming.
ETA: I also asked her whether it would be fair or reasonable to let Jehovah's Witnesses outlaw blood transfusions if they were the majority because it's against their religious beliefs. She didn't get it then either.
Edited at 2012-05-15 09:35 am (UTC)
What is this, a form letter? Didn't they say the same thing here?
Edited at 2012-05-15 09:12 am (UTC)
You mean when you act like bigoted fuckwads people treat you like bigoted fuckwads. You are not a special snowflake. You don't get to attack people, their lives and expect them to lay back and take it as your whipping boy. The fact you do expect it shows how grossly entitled and privileged your church has been for so long that its shit has gone unchallenged. It ends - it needs to end, it needed to end a long time ago. Perhaps if people hadn't spent so many decades - centuries - tip-toeing around you there wouldn't have been so many victims in the absue scandal
You are not special. When you abuse people, attack people or act like bigots you will be treated accordingly. That is not a violaltion of your rights - that's the consequences of your actions. That is you being treated as you deserve to be treated
Honestly, it's global arseholery from the Catholic church. I've started tuning out the minute the word "catholic" is mentioned because nothing good can follow
blerg, my country.
See, this is the thing that makes me angry. Yes, Christians around the world are being violently persecuted. They are being threatened, harassed, tortured, raped and murdered for believing in Jesus.
You? You are being told that you can have your religion, but also not to force your particular reading of the Bible on everyone else. STOP FUCKING CRYING PERSECUTION WHEN YOU'RE NOT ACTUALLY BEING PERSECUTED, jfc.
Edited at 2012-05-15 03:11 pm (UTC)
You? You are being told that you can have your religion, but also not to force your particular reading of the Bible on everyone else.
THIS!