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2:30 AM
In recent news , The Halifax Transit Commission made a decision regarding the allowance of an Atheist organization to post a full bus length advertisement stating "There probably is no God." They rejected the message stating "So, if anytime we feel there's a message that could be controversial and upsetting to people, we don't necessarily sell the ads." These ads have popped up on other Transit systems' buses in cities such as London, England (see picture). Obviously, this decision has caused a fair amount of controversy in the media, with reports on the CBC and CTV networks. Here is a follow up commentary on the issue published in The Toronto Star on this date:
What's God got to do with it?
Feb 09, 2009 04:30 AM
Comments on this story (28) Gretta Vosper
In a pre-emptive strike against the controversial ads of the Free- thought Association of Canada slated to appear this month on TTC buses – "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life" – the United Church of Canada has launched a print and ad campaign that states:
"There probably is a God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."
To prepare clergy and members of Canada's largest mainline Protestant denomination for the campaign, its moderator, the Right Reverend David Giuliano, posted a pastoral letter on the church's website in which he writes, "Clearly, as Christians, we most definitely believe there is a God." I disagree.
The phrase "a God" suggests a separate entity or being. In conversations across the country over the last year, I have met hundreds of Christians for whom the question of the existence of a God is anything but definitively answered. Many are comfortable using the term "God" only to describe things such as love, compassion and the strength we draw on from those we love – in other words, not God as a being at all, but being itself.
Most of the people in the congregation I serve, West Hill United Church, will think Giuliano is probably mistaken. And most of us still call ourselves Christian. We do so because we believe the message that is the essence of the Christian story. Perhaps it's our penchant for pointing to this that allows us to remain productively within our denomination. (A pol on the UCC's website indicated Saturday that 69 per cent believe there is no God, triggering the church's leadership to send out an email with the subject line: "God needs your help," and urging members to vote in the poll and boost God's ratings.)
But it is the second sentence in both ads that concerns me at a much deeper level than does the age-old bickering over the term created by humans, defined by humans, elaborated upon by humans, reinforced, defended and killed for by humans. Both the atheist and the theist ads suggest that once the question of belief has been answered, one is simply to stop worrying and enjoy life.
God or no God, there are many things worth our concern, such as poverty, disease and environmental problems. Is a God going to take care of these things for us, so we need not worry? Or does the absence of a God quell our concerns?
Further, although I know that neither the United Church nor the Freethought Association recommends a trivial lifestyle, there is no suggestion in the motto that, with or without belief and with worry out of the way, one should consider any guidelines or limits to what one's new-found enjoyment might be, nor the effect one's decisions might have on the plight of anyone else or on other living things.
And what about attempting to live ethically or make a positive difference in anyone else's life when to do so would very likely cost some of one's own enjoyment? The richest enjoyment comes from transcending oneself and engaging in life, even at a cost.
The relevant question has been missed. It is no longer about the existence of a God. The relevant question is about how we live together, fragile life forms that we are, as we seek to coexist on an equally fragile planet. Belief in a supernatural God has only ever managed to get in the way of addressing that question as fully and deeply as we need to.
Unfortunately, the Freethought Association's ad campaign will, as so many atheist – and theist – conversations do, divert us from the importance of the conversation that needs to take place. That the United Church has been drawn into the diversion suggests that it finds itself on the defensive and has turned from the risky but liberating progressive front on which it has repeatedly been the vanguard.
Perhaps a less catchy but more helpful motto might be: "God or no God, get engaged in life – or we've all got something to worry about."
Comments on this story (28) Gretta Vosper
In a pre-emptive strike against the controversial ads of the Free- thought Association of Canada slated to appear this month on TTC buses – "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life" – the United Church of Canada has launched a print and ad campaign that states:
"There probably is a God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."
To prepare clergy and members of Canada's largest mainline Protestant denomination for the campaign, its moderator, the Right Reverend David Giuliano, posted a pastoral letter on the church's website in which he writes, "Clearly, as Christians, we most definitely believe there is a God." I disagree.
The phrase "a God" suggests a separate entity or being. In conversations across the country over the last year, I have met hundreds of Christians for whom the question of the existence of a God is anything but definitively answered. Many are comfortable using the term "God" only to describe things such as love, compassion and the strength we draw on from those we love – in other words, not God as a being at all, but being itself.
Most of the people in the congregation I serve, West Hill United Church, will think Giuliano is probably mistaken. And most of us still call ourselves Christian. We do so because we believe the message that is the essence of the Christian story. Perhaps it's our penchant for pointing to this that allows us to remain productively within our denomination. (A pol on the UCC's website indicated Saturday that 69 per cent believe there is no God, triggering the church's leadership to send out an email with the subject line: "God needs your help," and urging members to vote in the poll and boost God's ratings.)
But it is the second sentence in both ads that concerns me at a much deeper level than does the age-old bickering over the term created by humans, defined by humans, elaborated upon by humans, reinforced, defended and killed for by humans. Both the atheist and the theist ads suggest that once the question of belief has been answered, one is simply to stop worrying and enjoy life.
God or no God, there are many things worth our concern, such as poverty, disease and environmental problems. Is a God going to take care of these things for us, so we need not worry? Or does the absence of a God quell our concerns?
Further, although I know that neither the United Church nor the Freethought Association recommends a trivial lifestyle, there is no suggestion in the motto that, with or without belief and with worry out of the way, one should consider any guidelines or limits to what one's new-found enjoyment might be, nor the effect one's decisions might have on the plight of anyone else or on other living things.
And what about attempting to live ethically or make a positive difference in anyone else's life when to do so would very likely cost some of one's own enjoyment? The richest enjoyment comes from transcending oneself and engaging in life, even at a cost.
The relevant question has been missed. It is no longer about the existence of a God. The relevant question is about how we live together, fragile life forms that we are, as we seek to coexist on an equally fragile planet. Belief in a supernatural God has only ever managed to get in the way of addressing that question as fully and deeply as we need to.
Unfortunately, the Freethought Association's ad campaign will, as so many atheist – and theist – conversations do, divert us from the importance of the conversation that needs to take place. That the United Church has been drawn into the diversion suggests that it finds itself on the defensive and has turned from the risky but liberating progressive front on which it has repeatedly been the vanguard.
Perhaps a less catchy but more helpful motto might be: "God or no God, get engaged in life – or we've all got something to worry about."
Gretta Vosper is chair of the Canadian Centre for Progressive Christianity and author of With or Without God: Why the Way We Live is More Important than What We Believe.
Interesting to note here is not so much the decision of the commission , but rather what it is the balance of Canadians actually believe. Clearly this reporter agrees with most Canadians' view when she states most believe that God is not an actual being , but rather the embodiment of the qualities she considers noble such as love , mercy etc. Experience and statistics will back her up of course..most Canadians lean toward this view of God or a god being simply the fullness and manifestations of these qualities and not a personal real God. She goes on to show that most Canadians with this belief will continue to label themselves christian..even though the belief itself is completely contradictory to the biblical explanation of what a true christian is. In short, this article has much to say about Canadian society and humanity in general. Firstly it shows that most are willing to adopt a labelled belief system as long as it is watered down enough to meld with the humanistic belief that humans are generally good in nature. Secondly , that we (Canadians) don't really know or could know what is true , so why worry about it and go about your daily business ...those who worry about such things are generally intolerant and not to be trifled with or even listened to. Sadly , the article does mirror Canadian society. More often than not you will find most Canadians do subscribe to this line of thinking. Do Canadians want to know the truth? Or do they simply do as Pontius Pilate did and wash their hands of it all ? For the most part , the latter seems to be true...as christians in Canada , we have much work to do.
2:12 AM
Canadian produced Christian television programming is limited at best in Canada. The quality of the programming is very good however. There are some top notch productions but they are displayed mainly on one network usually airing on non prime time slots. This holds the same for radio programs , most of which are American produced. In Canada, it is illegal to have a radio or tv network or station devoted entirely to one faith , so all stations must either include other faith based programs , or run under the guise of Family television , such as CTS does , and have available re-runs of family shows like Family Ties or Happy Days.
Crossroads Communications Inc. is a fine example of a devoted Christian program producer, providing Canadians with such programs as 100 Huntley Street , Nite Lite ( an overnight interactive christian program with callers asking various questions pertaining to christianity) as well as a number of other short christianity based programs. They can be found on the net at http://www.crossroads.ca/index.html. This nation wide organization has done much to lobby the Canadian government regarding a number of issues including abortion, bill C-150 ( a parliamentary literature bill that did not pass due to the efforts of crossroads comm.in combination with other Canadian media sources) as well as a number of other moral concerns.
This organization has been around for decades and was founded in the late 60's by David Mainse. While it found it's original home in Toronto , has now resurfaced in the more palpable city of Burlington , ON and has thrived since.
Of the few Christian talk show hosts we have to offer, none compare ( in my opinion ) to the always outspoken and highly informed Michael Coren. He hosts "Michael Coren Live" on CTS each weekday at 8pm. This shows' format is that of a panel discussion , with a group of 4 or less, consisting of writers, theologians or ex politicians ( or all of the above) who generally have completely contrary points of view on any given issue.. Coren moderates the in-depth discussions that take on the issue du jour. A winner is never declared of course , simply , all views are given consideration , debated and rebutted. This is a one hour show that airs each weekday. Coren also writes a weekly column for The Toronto Sun...an unusual move for a secular media source in Toronto , however, a very good fit in the most conservatively viewed newspaper in the city. He can be found on the 'net at www.michaelcoren.com.
The CTS network , as mentioned earlier , offers a number of christian programming choices , many of which are produced right in their own studios in Burlington, Ontario. A list of these programs include :
- The Michael Coren Show
- On The Line ( a call in show)
- Behind The Story ( christian news show with host and panel)
- Most Requested ( christian video top 10 show)
2:31 PM
To begin talking about Canada and Christianity , I think we must first begin by looking at relevant national statistics involving the belief systems of most Canadians. While we are at it , let's also give a basic definition of what religion means to most Canadians. Since I love stats and really enjoy polls and such , we'll utilize these mediums. The internet has various tools to choose from , so I will be drawing on a few of those as well ..tools such as Wikipedia and various other websites which derive either polling or source drawn information.
So for a little understanding , let's get a Wikipedia definition of Canadian Christianity on the page as well as some detailed statistics backing that definition up to use as a starting point.
Top religious denominations in Canada in 2001. Religion in Canada encompasses a wide range of groups, and Canada has no official religion. The preamble to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms mentions "God" but no specific beliefs are specified, and support for religious pluralism is an important part of Canada's political culture. However, most people report they are Christians
Canada is a Commonwealth realm in which the head of state is shared with 15 other countries, including the United Kingdom. The UK's succession laws forbid Roman Catholics and their spouses from occupying the throne, and the reigning monarch is also ex officio Supreme Governor of the Church of England, but Canada is not bound by these laws. Within Canada, the Queen's title include the phrases "By the Grace of God" and "Defender of the Faith."
Clearly the Canadian Government officially recognizes God and a large number of the populous follows suit. As can be seen , a number of the official holidays we have are a result of that recognition. But how does this translate into the other areas of Government ... does faith influence other decision making processes, and how does the general public feel about these decisions ..is the will of the people that the government use faith? Or that religious beliefs are left out of the political decision making process. I think one will find Canada is quite the diverse country, and views are completely varied across the board. One thing is for sure however , the born again population would very much prefer their leaders to involve God with every decision made. Future entries will continue to delve into the massive issue of faith in Canada, showing what influence it has had on political policy shaping , how faith groups have influenced such things , and what the Canadian people think of these decisions. Does Canada influence the world..I think it does..in a very subtle yet effective way. Does Christianity play a large role if any in all this...as a christian I certainly hope so. Are christians effectively communicating their concerns and are they heard in Canada...we shall see. God Bless Canada
So for a little understanding , let's get a Wikipedia definition of Canadian Christianity on the page as well as some detailed statistics backing that definition up to use as a starting point.
Religion in Canada
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Religious mix
[edit] Census results
In the Canada 2001 Census [2] [3] [4] [1], 72% of the Canadian population list Roman Catholicism or Protestantism as a religion. The Roman Catholic Church in Canada is by far the country's largest single denomination. Those who listed no religion account for 16% of total respondents. In British Columbia, however, 35% of respondents reported no religion - more than any single denomination and more than all Protestants combined. [5]. For further information on historically significant religions in Canada, please see Canadian census results on religion.
Let's also find out the Canadian Governments' position on religion in this country.
Canada today has no official church, and the government is officially committed to religious pluralism. In some fields Christian influence remains.
Christmas and Easter are nationwide holidays, and while Jews, Muslims, and other groups are allowed to take their holy days off work they do not share the same official recognition[citation needed]. The French version of "O Canada", the official national anthem, contains a Catholic reference to "carrying the cross". In some parts of the country Sunday shopping is still banned, but this is steadily becoming less common.Canada is a Commonwealth realm in which the head of state is shared with 15 other countries, including the United Kingdom. The UK's succession laws forbid Roman Catholics and their spouses from occupying the throne, and the reigning monarch is also ex officio Supreme Governor of the Church of England, but Canada is not bound by these laws. Within Canada, the Queen's title include the phrases "By the Grace of God" and "Defender of the Faith."
While the Canadian government's official ties to Christianity are few, it more overtly recognizes the existence of God and even the supremacy of God [6]. Both the preamble to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the national anthem in both languages refer to God.
In 1957, Parliament declared Thanksgiving (Canada), "a day of general thanksgiving to almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed.", stating that God is almighty and that Canada is blessed. [7]
Alright then.Clearly the Canadian Government officially recognizes God and a large number of the populous follows suit. As can be seen , a number of the official holidays we have are a result of that recognition. But how does this translate into the other areas of Government ... does faith influence other decision making processes, and how does the general public feel about these decisions ..is the will of the people that the government use faith? Or that religious beliefs are left out of the political decision making process. I think one will find Canada is quite the diverse country, and views are completely varied across the board. One thing is for sure however , the born again population would very much prefer their leaders to involve God with every decision made. Future entries will continue to delve into the massive issue of faith in Canada, showing what influence it has had on political policy shaping , how faith groups have influenced such things , and what the Canadian people think of these decisions. Does Canada influence the world..I think it does..in a very subtle yet effective way. Does Christianity play a large role if any in all this...as a christian I certainly hope so. Are christians effectively communicating their concerns and are they heard in Canada...we shall see. God Bless Canada
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