Armageddon Factor fuels a big debate

Re: ‘Much ado about Armageddon in the news’ (June):

This article was not up to Jim Coggins’ usual standards of thoroughness. It was quite one-sided, with barely a mention of those who find Marci McDonald’s research and ‘dots-connecting’ profound and disturbing.

BCCN owes us another look at the subject.  

A quarter century ago, Jewish journalist Judith Haiven published a book subtitled ‘An Inside Look at the Born-Again Movement in Canada and the United States.’

The title summed up her findings about evangelicals across North America. She concluded we had Faith, Hope, No Charity.

Two years later, evangelical historian/sociologist Douglas Frank published Less Than Conquerors: How Evangelicals Entered the 20th Century.

He argued that the core characteristic of dominant evangelicalism is a spirit of pharisaism – a spirit not likely to disappear easily from those who set the evangelical agenda.

He yearned for “a church that awakens to the Stranger, Jesus Christ, the Jesus Christ of the biblical witness; not the denatured, ideologically and morally useful Jesus Christ of evangelicalism.”

Instead, he concluded: “We display a tenacious commitment to self-deceit. It is true that we are those who like to think we heed Jeremiah’s words, ‘Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.’ Our history, however, gives evidence of Jeremiah’s wisdom in adding these words: ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt’ . . . In our very protests of trust in the Lord, we find occasion for our deepest self-deceits.”

McDonald’sThe Armageddon Factor, like those books, offers us a rare opportunity to be self-critical. Will we rise to the occasion?

If there is a conservative religious agenda driving recent Tory legislation . . . it jettisons the “justice, mercy and faithfulness” expressed in Matthew 23:23

The Armageddon Factor has struck a nerve – not unlike, I suggest, Amos in his time, who cried out: “Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!”

Wayne Northey, Abbotsford

It seems amazing that McDonald now says she was not “demonizing” a segment of the Christian population.

The quote from the book that is on the back cover says: “The vision of Canada they are promoting is both retrograde and exclusionary.” Sounds rather demonizing to me.

Janet, by email

It is incredible to see the same temptation Jesus went through in the desert – and how Christians keep on falling for it over and over.

Satan took Jesus to the top of a mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world. He offered them to Christ, if only Jesus would bow his knees and worship him.

Jesus said: “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”

Satan – the tempter, the deceiver – is throwing a bone, and some Christians are stepping over each other to be the first to get it.

Manuel Meneses, email

I remember seeing the ridiculous power of the religious right slowly emerging in Canada during the early 2000s.

With the Cons in power, we saw changes in foreign policy, such as subservience to Israel; pro-military emphasis; attacks on multiculturalism and plurality; and larger marches against abortion rights. I remember thinking: “When is the media going to catch on?”

Thanks to McDonald, a new and serious debate is going on in this country about these right wing Christian fanatics – and their internationally-linked ‘dominionist’ leanings.

McDonald should also be proud of herself, because she reveals that not all Christians are nutjobs hellbent on world domination, and forcing Bibles down everyone’s throats.

GSRU, by email

The issue isn’t so much that the Christian right is gaining power. The real concern is that low voter turnout is allowing very small fractions of society to wield great power.

The problem is the fringe groups that claim compassion but preach hate, judgment and violence. These are the type of people most conservative Christians do not approve of.

A government based on the views of certain types of Christians can actually end up being very unchristian in nature.

I think this is the concern: that those who could cause harm in their quest to do good are gaining immense power, disproportionate to their few numbers.

Adam, by email

It is actually a tiny minority of ‘hyper-evangelicals’ – the American Tea Party Republican type – that have infiltrated Canadian government ministries with their propaganda, and are trying to dismantle what have been ‘Canadian values’ for over 60 years.

Remember Pearson’s Nobel Peace Prize, Douglas’ pioneering Medicare, and Trudeau’s multiculturalism. Many politicians who’ve made Canada the envy of the world were Catholics; Douglas was a Baptist minister.

The problem today is with the carbon-copying of failed Republican policies that scream ‘less government is better’ – when in fact, the lack of governmental regulation and oversight destroyed economies worldwide.

These policies are lethal, when mixed with an extreme evangelical fanaticism that seeks to impose its views on the rest of us.

Thank you, Marci, for saving us from the current Taliban-on-the-Hill.

Mary, by email

Continue article >>

The Armageddon Factor does indeed connect dots. Another book could be written to connect the dots of any other special interest group and their roles in Ottawa.

The Christian worldview is full of mercy, compassion, social justice and, above all, unconditional love in the face of mistakes made – all mistakes, including those of individuals, families, communities and Canadian society in general.

Sounds excellent, not subversive. This book could serve to bring more Christian Canadians together. More dots – yay!

BA, by email

More youth becoming pro-life

In May, I was honoured to participate in one of the largest gatherings of people of all ages on Parliament hill in Ottawa. Estimates ranged from 12,500 – 15,000 people, who gathered at the centre of Canada’s government to champion the pro-life cause.

It was a powerful sight to witness the sheer number of people marching down the streets, singing and chanting with excitement.

“I think in 10 years of being an MP, I’ve never seen a crowd this size on Parliament hill,” said one of the 21 MPs that gathered to speak before the crowd.

This year’s national March for Life has seen its largest turnout ever, which shows the growing passion people have for these issues – especially young people. The majority of the people I saw were under 20.

A reporter for theOttawa Sun found me, and asked if she could do a quick interview – which, consequently, landed me on page 3 the next day.

The march was followed by a youth conference the next day. The speakers included Lila Rose, teenage founder of liveaction.org; Stephanie Gray, director of the Canadian Centre of Bio-Ethical Reform; and abortion survivor Melissa Ohden (melissaohden.com).    

Although the media tends to overlook the pro-life movement, the next generation is growing in awareness and motivation. There was a clear sense, talking to people at the march, that things are going to change in Canada. A culture of life is beginning to build.

These events revealed to me that the pro-life movement is far from dead; it’s on the verge of an awakening.

Noah Bolinder, grade 12,
Pacific Christian School, Victoria

Creation science not ‘extreme’

In ‘Much ado aboutArmageddon in the news’ (June), I noted with interest John Stackhouse’s description of creation science as an “extreme” form of Canadian evangelicalism – the very first in a troubling list of aberrations that “disturb” and “alarm” him.

 Might I ask Brother John: Is it “extreme” that creationists believe the Bible from beginning to end, as Jesus clearly did? Is it “disturbing” that we understand Genesis as straightforward historical narrative, as the Protestant Reformers did?  

Is it “alarming” that we take a biblically and scientifically informed stand against the evolutionary/atheistic worldview of the majority of leading scientists?  If it is, then we creationists must plead guilty as charged. Go ahead, lock us up and throw away the key!  

But in all seriousness – I really don’t care whether I get labeled “extreme” or “mainstream.” What I do care about is: truth.  

Richard Peachey,
Creation Science Association of B.C.
White Rock

Elvis article: correction

I enjoyed reading  John Cody’s article, ‘Gospel was the music closest to Elvis Presley’ (May). I just want to correct him on one thing.

He mentions J.D. Sumner, who sang with his group (the Stamps) and Elvis in the 1970s. Sumner was not a baritone, but a bass singer.

He was one of the deepest bass singers of his day. His voice was heard on one of Elvis’ last hits, ‘Way down.’

     Roland Derksen, Vancouver

July 2010