Written in collaboration with guest writer
Today is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This statutory holiday, which was given royal assent on June 3, was inaugurated to remember those impacted by the 140 residential schools that ran from 1831 to 1998. We are encouraged to wear orange to show support for the survivors and their families who are advocating for justice. Why September 30? Well, Hon. Steven Guilbeault, the minister of Canadian Heritage (Lib), said during the second reading of Bill C-5: "After careful consultations and respectful consideration, September 30 was the date chosen deliberately for its significance. Currently, September 30 is the date of the grassroots movement called Orange Shirt Day, started by the formidable Phyllis Webstad. It was named after the orange shirt that Mrs. Webstad was given by her grandmother on her first day of residential school, only to have it forcibly taken away from her upon her arrival. Her orange shirt is symbolic of the vibrant cultures, languages, traditions, identities and childhoods that were repressed within the residential school system. It is also a symbol of survivors like Phyllis and the monumental efforts by first nations, Inuit and Métis in protecting and revitalizing their cultures and languages for future generations." The indigenous people of Canada have a right to receive justice. What took place during these years was unethical and immoral. However, it's rather ironic that we have a government-sanctioned holiday when the government was responsible for implementing these schools. The government created residential schools in accordance with the Indian Act that was first introduced in 1876. The indigenous people were characterized as savages that needed to be civilized. Through this Act, the RCMP was given authority to take children from their homes and bring them to designated centers where they would be encouraged to abandon their culture and conform to the Euro-Canadian way. The government and police authorities weren’t the only ones involved. Sadly, some churches housed these residential schools. Most were Catholic, but there were protestant ones as well. Because of this involvement, there has been a considerable measure of spiritual abuse inflicted upon the indigenous community. For many, the church and abuse are conflated, leading them to be turned off from Jesus. We as Christians need to consider this hurt as we share our faith with this community. We need to be gentle and pray for spiritual healing. Now, I cannot speak more to what the indigenous children experienced at these locations, as there is a lot of misinformation out there that I still need to weed through and discern. Recently Candace Malcolm from True North has brought light to the fact that there are no mass graves at these residential schools, as mainstream media has been reporting. You can check that out here. Removing children from their families and forcing them to abandon their culture to conform to another is wrong. God has given parents the authority to raise their children. To intrude upon this sphere of authority is a massive overreach by the government. Worse yet, to remove children from their family is kidnapping – even if it's deemed legal and for their own good according to the law of the land. This history should be a reminder to us of what sinful men left unchecked can do. As Christians, we should be a voice of truth calling for justice for not simply the indigenous people but for everyone who is sinned against. Why? Because God is for justice, and so should we! Biblically speaking, justice is defined as rendering to another that which is his due. Not what he thinks is his due, but what he deserves according to God’s standard. According to God's Word, what are the indigenous people due in this regard? Personal confession of wrongdoing from the guilty members and restitution to the families who were personally impacted. With that in mind, this government-sanctioned holiday is not justice. It doesn’t even really address the issue. Sure, it may cause us to remember the past, but it doesn’t resolve anything in the present. This new stat holiday appears to be how the government rewards themselves with a day off while making it appear that they care about those impacted by the residential schools. This is not just at all! What is needed is not a day off but a day in court. Everyone who is still alive and played a role in the residential schools should be brought to court and charged for their crimes. This is what God’s Word prescribes in Exodus 21:16. If you look at the second reading for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, you will notice two things. First, there are a lack of speeches that include who was at fault for taking the children and bringing them to these residential schools. Second, most of the speeches included the idea that there would be reconciliation if we talked enough about what happened. Simply remembering and talking about the past does not lead to reconciliation. Reconciliation involves confession of wronging, repentance, forgiveness, and restoration. The guilty party needs to confess their sin, seek forgiveness from the offended, repent of their actions, and offer restitution. The offended then must forgive, remove the offence, and then carry on in a restored relationship. Some of this process has taken place. There have been apologies made in the past with Stephen Harper and the liberal opposition. More recently, leaders of the Catholic church have apologized for the residential schools. Though there have been steps taken, there is still a long way to go. Without furtherance in this process, there will be no change in the relationship between these two parties. As a Christian, I desire justice as it is defined in the Bible throughout the land of Canada. I understand that we all stand guilty before God. Jesus’ death on the cross has paid the death penalty we all deserve so that we can be reconciled with God. I hope this National Day of Truth and Reconciliation leads you to repent before a holy God so that you will be reconciled to him. If you want to dive more into a Christian response to the residential schools, God Save Our Land has a great episode dedicated to this topic. Check it out here.
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Last week one of my friends ended his critique about the election results with the words “Welcome to Babylon.” I guess we can take this a couple of different ways. First, our country reflects the moral state of Babylon. Babylon was a brutally immoral nation with no sense of justice or value for human life; an idolatrous nation given to worshiping a plurality of false gods; an arrogant nation that prided itself in its power, oppression and advancements.
In many ways, Canada is like Babylon. For decades we have had very little value for the life of children and seniors. Just look at the abortion rates, the increase of assisted suicides, and the increase of abandoning seniors to homes away from the love and support of family. Culturally we embrace sinful desires that go contrary to natural relations. We worship many false gods – the prominent ones being money, sex, entertainment, and self. There is no real sense of justice, as seen in how the government has transgressed their laws recently and how our courts favour the criminal and not the victim. I could go on, but I think we get the picture. We’ve been in Babylon for a while. But perhaps this statement best reflects the idea that the church has been exiled to Babylon, just as God’s people had been captives in 607 BC. Now don’t forget why God sent them there. The nation of Israel was delivered into the hands of the Babylonians as a judgement for their sin. Babylon was a wicked nation, but Israel wasn’t a blameless people. Israel played the spiritual harlot giving themselves over to other nations and their false gods and ideologies. They had a low view of God’s holiness, leading to the rejection of God’s law and subsequent moral freefall. They also had a diminished view of God’s authority as they had no problem making false claims and opposing truth. To purify His people, God sent Israel to Babylon. He still does this today. We need to be clear about the spiritual state of the church in Canada. We are not innocent. We have also played the spiritual harlot for decades as we chased after the unsaved and their false gods and ideologies to “win them over.” We, too, have had a low view of God’s holiness, which can be seen in the way we embrace worldly behaviours to avoid discomfort and treat the church as an entertainment center for the goats. We also have had a low view of God’s authority as we twist his words to accommodate our practices. So yes, welcome to Babylon. This is where we are, and the fault is ours. We have not only been silent on moral issues for decades, but we have embraced certain sins and devalued God. We wanted to make our neighbours like us to the point that we have become like them. We didn’t want to stir the waters, and now we are in a filthy swamp of sin and corruption. God is not simply judging the nation; he’s judging his church! All so that He can purify His people and present them spotless. How should we respond to this? Well, God gave some clear instructions on how Israel was to live in Babylon. And I think we can take something from this. “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 29:4-9) There are a few big things here. First, God is telling them to settle in and prepare for a lengthy stay. Things had dramatically changed for them, but they were to make the best of their lives and families there in Babylon. In total, they would spend 70 years there. That’s some sound advice for us today. We need to carry on in our lives – build homes, plant gardens, have a family, raise them to know God and see them get married. We have no idea how long it will take things to change in Canada. We need to think long-term and prepare ourselves for a lengthy stay in a spiritually bankrupt nation. Second, they are not to listen to the false dreams and words of the prophets who were promising an early release from Babylon. God had made a promise of 70 years in exile, and nothing could change that. We need to be discerning when it comes to who we are listening to. There are many voices in Canada, but we must listen to the voice of truth, which is the voice of God. Third, they were to seek the welfare of Babylon. This instruction is pretty crazy when you think about it. The nation of Babylon wasn’t simply wicked, but it was their enemy who had just conquered them. Yet God tells them to seek their welfare. They were to be good citizens and a blessing to their enemy. This activity doesn’t mean that they adopted their practices or false ideologies. Remember men like Daniel and his three friends who refused to compromise their faith yet were a blessing to Babylon. To further clarify, this doesn't mean that they do what the Babylonians thought was best for their nation. Nebuchadnezzar thought it would be best to have everyone bow down to an image of himself, and yet Daniel's three friends refused to submit. The nations are composed of men, but God is the ruler of them all. This is our Father's world, and he knows what is best for each country. Thankfully he has already made it abundantly clear in His Word. To seek the city’s welfare would be to pray for them, do what was right/good according to God's standard, and share about the one true God. They were to do this not simply because they were commanded to, but because “in its welfare you will find welfare”. By blessing others, they would make an environment where they would reap that blessing. As Christians, we are to seek the welfare of our nation. And the most significant change comes when a nation repents and turns back to God. For that to happen, we need to pray, live a Christlike life that convicts the conscience of sinful man, and proclaim the gospel consistently, graciously and accurately. So welcome to Babylon. As a church, we are in exile in a nation that is morally corrupt and free-falling rapidly. And we have played a part in this by permitting the world to conform us more into their image as we either embraced or chose to be silent about moral issues. We must recognize this truth, repent of our ways, recommit to faithfully obeying God, and prepare for the long haul as we seek the welfare of our nation. But not only that. We need to trust God and put our hope in him. Trust Him that He has a more excellent plan which involves our welfare…just like He did with Israel. “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile." (Jeremiah 29:10-14) This post is written by a guest and edited by churchawake.
I was disappointed by the results of the Canadian election on Monday. I expected that we’d end up with a liberal minority. The reason is that there are still many who agree with how the government is responding to C-v-d. What I wasn’t expecting was that there would be no liberty fighters elected. My heart sank. The next day I began to see responses on Facebook that showed greater discouragement. Many don’t want to vote anymore or vote according to their conscience because they believe it doesn’t do any good. I understand where they are coming from. We live in a world of instant gratification and results. We don’t like to wait for change. And in the climate that we are in, a miracle would have been welcomed. Family and friends are great to have during these times. They can come alongside us and remind us of things we have forgotten to consider. One sister in Christ did exactly that for me. I want to share with you the encouragement I was given. She told me that change doesn’t happen overnight. That I need to think long term. Some advancements had been made during the election. The PPC party more than tripled the percentage of their vote from the 2019 election. They went from 1.6% of the vote to 5.1%. This is something that parties like the Green Party haven’t been able to do in their 30 years as a party. Also, the PPC was able to put a candidate in nearly every riding. These are baby steps, but each one is heading in the right direction. In an age of microwaves, fast food and having so much at our fingertips, we need to remember that we need to wait for things of value. This truth applies to more than just election results. Change takes time. That’s something I needed to be reminded about - how about you? The results of the election may mean that we will be living through hard times. We may be in Babylon for a while. And this is for our good. God purifies the church through suffering, and he judges countries so that we may realize how bad our sin is and repent. God has a more bigger long-term plan that we aren’t able to grasp. It could be that he has appointed a minority liberal party to be an instrument of judgement on Canada that would purify His church and bring our nation to repentance. My friend challenged me with the question, “Do you think that God is finished purifying and strengthening His church?”. This question is one that we should all ponder. Let me say the question differently. Do you think that an immediate change from oppression to freedom would have been good for the church in the long run? Let’s try to think big picture and not small picture – the long-game and not the short-game. Did our vote count? We might not think so – but it did! It gave the PPC the support it needed for the next election, which is speculated to happen in 18 months from now. How should we vote next time? With your conscience. To do otherwise would be lying. To lie is to sin. Christians must honour God by our vote, even if it may appear only to make a ripple in our country. But again, let’s think big picture. Will voting bring about the change that we need in our country! No. Prayer and sharing the gospel are what bring about the most significant change. Though we may suffer, remember God wins. Pray for the salvation of many, including our political leaders in Canada. Then send letters sharing the gospel with them. How will they know unless someone preaches to them (Romans 10:14)? As I sit down to write this, the polls are rolling in. What will be the outcome? Will we have another term of the oppressive Liberal regime? Will the blue liberal-lites form a minority party? Will a wave of purple sweep through the country and surprise everyone? We all wait to see. But no matter what the outcome will be, we must trust God.
1. We must trust that He is in control. “And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation” (Acts 17:26) God not only rules over all nations (Psalm 22:28; 66:7), but he actively determines the course of their history. The election this year is part of the history He has already foreseen and determined. 2. We must trust that He appointed the leader “He changes the times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding” (Daniel 2:21) God is the one who determines and puts into power the leader in our nation. And we must not forget that he does so to bless or judge a nation. If Canadians continue to suppress the truth in unrighteousness, God will continue to judge our country by giving to us a leader according to our immoral and debased values (Romans 1:26-28). Such a leader is a curse on the nation leading the people further into wickedness and away from God’s intended blessing. And more personally, such a leader proves to be a threat against God’s church as they lead the charge against God’s moral standard. 3. We must trust that He can turn the heart of the leader “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever he will” (Proverbs 21:1) This is both a reassuring and scary truth. God is the one who wields the leader in his hands like water. In the past, God has used kings as an instrument against His people to judge and purify them (Is. 10:5-7). However, he has also turned the hearts of kings to recognize His authority and bless his people (Ez. 7:21-23; Is. 45:1-4; Dan. 4:34). Whether we have a fair leader or a tyrannical one, God is more than capable of restricting, bending and turning their hearts for His own purpose. 4. We must trust that He will be exalted. “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10) Whatever the result is, God will be exalted. Whether it’s through people turning in faith to Him because of the nation’s condition and the bold witness of the church...or one day God vindicating His name by judging the nation...God will be the one who is seen as supreme over all rulers and authorities. So as the polls roll in, and even after that, reflect on these truths. Trust God and continue to live faithfully to His Word, whatever the outcome is. Today (Sept. 15) would have been the day that phase 5 was put into effect. However, on Tuesday, Houston announced that due to the rise in case count, that date would be postponed until October 4. Things must really be bad for them to go against their statement made earlier this month. So, let’s take a moment to do the math. Currently, our active case count in the province is 159. That comes out to 0.02% of the population is confirmed to have it. Apparently, that’s all the justification they need to validate the postponing. According to the government stats, the majority of Nova Scotians have received at least one jab (79%). Nearly 73% of the population have received both jabs. Remember now, the V is supposed to decrease the illness’s symptoms and effects, causing less hospitalization. And guess what?! That’s what we are seeing. There are only 4 hospitalizations, none of which are in the ICU. With a small case count, most people V’d, and the hospital not at full capacity, what’s the hold up? The answer should be obvious – they are waiting to make sure that the V policy is together before they launch into the final phase. Why are they so determined to do this? My speculation is that they are hesitant of the effectiveness of the V. And if this is the case, then what’s the push for people to be V’d? Some people think we have a choice of whether to get the V or not. And though in theory, this may be true, in practice, the Nova Scotia government is making it quite difficult to function in society without it. I've talked about this in other posts. Many of us who see the heavy-handedness and injustice portrayed in the province-wide V-policy desire change. But what will change the tide? As I was thinking about this, a familiar verse popped into my head. “Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” (Psalm 20:7) When it came to battles, the horse and chariot were often key components to victory. They could plow through a line of infantry and give the army an upper hand. What things do we think will give us the upper hand in our fight for the Canada we love? Our platform? Our protests? Our vote? Our selected party getting into power? All of these things are good. We should use our platform to inform others. We should protest and bring awareness to the injustice that is taking place. We should engage in the democratic system and vote for a more moral party than the one we currently have. But we need to remember, that ultimately apart from God, all of these things cannot turn the tide of battle. “The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds. The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue.” (Psalm 33:10-17) If God’s will for a nation is to be judged, or a governing authority to be removed, or mandates and laws to be reversed, that’s what will happen. What can a frail human attempt to achieve to change the mind of God? Nothing. Our greatest efforts cannot change the course of history without God’s approval. This is what it means for God to be sovereign. I really would love for things to change in Canada. I want to see the v-policy scrapped and for things to get back to normal. Federally, I want to see a corrupt government booted out and replaced with a new one. When I hear of New Brunswick government talking about making churches do polls to figure out how many in their attendance are V’d, I want freedom from government overreach and tyranny. I know I’m not the only one. But there is only one who can change all this – God! If God wills for things to change, He’ll do it. And the humbling thing is that he uses us. He moves us to vote, make a stand, and speak out. He creates in us a desire for justice and righteousness to be seen throughout our land and gives us the courage we need. And the greatest thing he moves us to do is preach the gospel throughout the world, calling others to repent. We are in a battle and we belong to the one who can turn the tide. Will you trust Him? I have been posting articles on this blog since May. That’s not long, and I have already received comments from people who aren’t in favour. That’s okay! I don’t write to please people; I write to inform and persuade people to think biblically. One of the comments I have received on Facebook is that we can’t hold the government accountable to God’s law. So, the question that I have been chewing on for a while is this – “Should we as the church hold our government to the Law of God?” I have attempted to write on this topic a few times, but each time either something came up in current events that I felt needed to be addressed, or I hit a mental block. But last week, as I was reading Psalm 2 during our family worship time, it finally clicked. I’ve been asking the wrong question. The question isn’t, “Should the church hold the government to the Law of God?” but rather, “Does God hold the government accountable to His Law.” Hopefully, for many, the answer is obvious. God has placed all nations under His law and holds them accountable to it. His law is written on each person’s heart (Romans 2:15), and therefore every person in this world has an inborn knowledge of God and His law. They know what is right, and yet they suppress the truth in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18). But it is not simply a suppression of the truth but a combined effort to remove any accountability they have to it. Psalm 2 depicts it this way: “Why do the nations rage And the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, Against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, ‘Let us burst their bonds apart And cast away their cords from us.’” (Psalm 2:1-3) The plural case of nation and king implies that these words apply to all nations and governing authorities. This is a universal rebellion against God. To think that government is morally neutral is to misread the bible. The government is composed of people - and a person is either in submission to God or in rebellion to Him. There is no morally neutral ground. As you canvas what is happening throughout Canada, it is obvious to see that our government has been in rebellion against God for quite a while. Notice that bonds and cords have been placed on the nations and their kings. These refer to God’s law which restricts certain behaviour. The written Law of God informs us in how we are to live (Exodus 20:3-17). The law that is written on our heart corresponds to this, and our conscience convicts us when we go contrary to it. The problem is, instead of taking heed to their conscience, many ignore it to the point that it becomes seared. God is not taken by surprise by humanity’s rebellion. Poetically he laughs at their attempts and holds them in derision (v. 4). He rebukes them in his anger and asserts his authority as the sovereign ruler who establishes kings (vv. 5-6). The psalm lays out that God has given to His Son complete authority over the nations. This activity has already taken place (Matthew 28:18). At this moment, Jesus is the supreme ruler of every country – including Canada. Don’t forget that our Prime Minister is simply a delegated authority (Romans 13:1) who must submit to the lordship of Jesus (Colossians 2:10). All who defy King Jesus will be subjected and destroyed (Psalm 2:9). So, does God hold the nations accountable to His law? Yes. Think about it. What does God judge a nation according to? His law – the standard of perfect righteousness. Every person is held to it, and one day they will be judged by it. This is Theology 101. This psalm also informs us as Christians how we should deal with nations and governing authorities seeking to rebel against God. “Now therefore, O kings, be wise; Be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, And rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, Lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, For his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him”. (Psalm 2:10-12) Notice the activity that the psalmist is engaged in – instructing and warning. This activity is what we are to be involved in today. We are to teach those who are defying God what they ought to be doing - especially those in authority. We are to instruct them:
This is the role that God has called us to fulfill. We are to be a voice warning and instructing others- especially those in authority. To remain inactive is to act cowardly, ignore scripture, and be unfaithful to God and His purpose for the church. Now I can hear the complaints coming, “Ya, but you can’t expect an unbeliever to act like a believer.” Put that to rest! This attitude has gotten us where we are today. To not say something is to give room for this behaviour to fester and grow. If we want people to repent and turn to Jesus, we need to prayerfully confront their sin, warn them of the consequences, and point them to Jesus. That’s what the early church did and what we must do today. Today Tim Houston announced that on September 15, we will be moving to stage 5. According to the Nova Scotia plan, this is the last stage - one where we learn to live with the virus. Living with the virus will mean a few things.
Let's be honest with ourselves; stage five sure doesn't look much different from stage four. In fact, it's worse for those who haven't had the V or those who choose not to disclose their medical status. Remember, this is stage 5…as in the last stage…there are no more stages after this. Meaning, this is it, folks! This is what it means to live with the virus. It means continued segregation and loss of freedom. While some applaud what Houston has done, others are appalled. The sea of blue that swept through the province last month for some was a sign of hope that Rankin's unwise promise to implement the scotiapass was halted. But nothing changed. I was hoping for the best, but I wasn't holding my breath. The trajectory of the government for the past eighteen months has been predictable. I told my brother that all you need to do is think pessimistically, and that is most likely what will happen. All that to say, it was only a matter of time that someone would make this announcement. I have written about the implications of a V-documentation. You can read it here and here. I don't want to rehash what I've already written. But I want to add a few more problems it presents. 1. It Dishonours our History. Many immigrants came to Canada in search of not only economic opportunity but also freedom. Many also fought in world wars to resist tyranny and preserve freedom. When the government unjustly removes freedoms from certain people, they dishonour the efforts of those who came before us. When we submit to tyranny, we also disgrace those who fought for freedom. As Christians, we are called to "honour our father and mother" (Exodus 20:12). These words refer to more than just our mom and dad. It includes the family that has come before us. 2. It ignores History I thought that the debate regarding v-documentation was new, until today when I was listening to a presentation by Jacob Reaume, the pastor of Trinity Bible Chapel. One hundred years ago there was a smallpox epidemic. Something much more severe than what we are dealing with today. During that time, a Dutch pastor and prime minister named Abraham Kuyper addressed the issue. This is what he had to say: "For this reason alone, compulsory cowpox [Vxtion] should be out of the question. Our physicians may be mistaken, and government may never stamp a medical opinion as orthodox and therefore binding. Moreover, compulsion can never be justified until the illness manifest itself and may therefore never be tried as a preventative. A third reason is that government should keep its hands off our bodies. Fourthly, government must respect conscientious objections. In the fifth place, it is one or the other. Either it does not itself believe in [Vxtion] or if it does it will do a redundant work by proceeding to protect once more those already safeguarded against the evil that will no longer have a hold on them anyways. [Vxtion] certificates would therefore have to go, and it will be gone at least from our free schools. The form of tyranny hidden in these [Vxtion] certificates is just as real a threat to the nation's spiritual resources as a smallpox epidemic itself"". Take time to reflect on these words. What is being stressed by Kuyper is the fact that we should have the freedom to choose whether to get the V or not. He sees V-Certificates for what they are – a hidden form of tyranny. They coerce people into getting something that may go against their conscience. We need to be aware of history and not ignore it. This issue has already been addressed. It would be wise to learn from those who have gone before us. Remember, "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it." It Will Potentially Harm People's Conscience God has given us a special gift – the conscience. The conscience is defined as "that part of the human psyche that induces mental anguish and feelings of guilt when we violate it and feelings of pleasure and well-being when our actions, thoughts and words are in conformity to our value systems". It is the faculty that the Holy Spirit uses to steer us according to God's Word. God intends that our value system reflect His values. In other words, that our conscience is held captive to the Word of God. As a Christian, there are several reasons why our conscience may tell us not to get the V. Some reasons may be:
Implementing V-passports will potentially coerce people to go against their conscience. I know because I've been tempted to go against my own. It would be so much easier to fall into line with all the others and roll up my sleeve. I could escape mistreatment and earn back my freedoms. But to do that is neither right nor safe. You see, if I intentionally go against my biblically-informed conscience, I will end up not only feeling guilty but causing harm. If I go against what I believe God teaches in this area, what would be the next area in which I will compromise? And the further I go, the more damage will be done until I have become insensitive to what is right. So Houston, we have a problem! Your decision to implement a v-passport will do much more harm than good. The way forward is not continued segregation and loss of freedom for those who aren't V'd. The way forward is fully opening up the province and learning to live with a virus that has a 98% recovery rate. Will this happen? The odds are against us. Starting September 15, things will become more difficult. You may want to give in and go against your conscience. Don't try to fight the battle alone. Let me encourage you to rest in God's strength. He alone has the power to protect you, the wisdom to guide you, and the ability to enable you to go through even the darkest of times. Today I've been thinking a lot about solidarity. This started in the morning when I asked my wife, "Isn't it strange that I get to rest on a day called Labour Day?". You might be scratching your head, trying to figure out the connection. Well, you see, this began my discovery about what Labour Day is about. And one thing that stands out is the concept of solidarity.
At the end of the nineteenth century, unfair treatment and unsafe workplaces were rampant throughout the world. According to National Geographic, "In many places, workers toiled for at least 12 hours a day, six days a week in mines, factories, railroads, and mills. Children were especially exploited as cheap labourers who were less likely to strike. Sweatshops locked workers in small, crowded spaces and punished them for talking or singing as they worked". If workers dissented about low wages, long work weeks and unsafe work conditions, they were replaced. Things were not good for workers, and they grew increasingly restless. Instead of being quiet and grudgingly bearing it until things got better, workers began to come together and stand up! Throughout North America, there were strikes and walkouts. Some were civil; others were violent. The first of many here in Canada happened on March 25, 1872, with the Toronto printers walking out. On behalf of the printers, the Toronto Typographical Union had sent petitions to their employers for a shorter workweek three years prior. Their request for a 58-hour workweek was denied by the owners of the printing shops, calling it absurd and unreasonable. In desperation, they protested by striking. The publishers replaced them with new workers, but the strikers drew the support of fellow city labourers. On April 15, 1872, ten thousand supporters rallied at Queens Park to protest. When people come together, others take notice. The activity garnered the attention of Globe publisher George Brown and Prime Minister John A. MacDonald. Brown pressed legal charges against the strike committee for criminal conspiracy. At this time, there was still a law on record making union activity illegal. On April 18, 1872, that changed with MacDonald introducing the Trade Union Act legalizing and protecting unions. This Act gave workers greater protection and ability to ask for fairer treatment. There is always a cost when it comes to standing for what is right. The workers involved in the strike lost their jobs and were forced to leave Toronto, but their efforts were not in vain. They not only moved the unions to demand a shorter workweek, but they encouraged others to advocate for fair treatment and safer working conditions. Twenty-two years later, the federal government under the leadership of Prime Minister John Thompson passed a law making Labour Day official. Could you imagine if the Toronto printers decided to bear unfavourable work conditions grudgingly? Where would we be as a nation? This act of solidarity led to a greater good in our society. Sadly, today some are facing mistreatment in another form. Concerning the workplace, certain employees who speak out against mandatory V's or whose personal convictions will not permit them to get the V, are being maligned, silenced and punished for their decisions. What happened in the past is being replayed today. It's just repackaged. What can we do as Christians for those who are experiencing this treatment? Solidarity. We can come alongside them, advocate on their behalf, and encourage them to continue to stand against unjust conditions. We can attend protests and show our support. We can write to our MPs and MLAs. We can be a voice on social media, exposing what is happening. We can have conversations with people who are willing to listen. We can be sympathetic listeners that they can confide in. Most importantly, we can be prayer warriors that bring them to the one who can provide for them far better than we can. For me, this is all fits into the word - solidarity. Well, it's that time again - election season. And as I look at what is happening throughout Canada, the people's voice is getting louder.
In Nova Scotia, there have been some recently reported attacks on the Liberal signs in different ridings. Some have been stolen, others knocked down, and yet others vandalized. There may be a small chuckle or smile that comes across our faces when we hear about this, but biblically speaking, theft and vandalism are wrong (Exodus 20:15; 22:1). We don't have the right to steal or vandalize another person's property. But there's more to this, isn't there? The people are sending a message to the party. Many are done with the draconian measures placed on them by the Liberal party. They are done with a Prime Minister who is more concerned about his image than the well-being of his constituents. They've had enough! Some of the signs have a swastika mark on them. Of course, the Liberals are viewing this as the work of white supremacists. Though this may be true, could it also be something else? Could it be that the people are indicating that the liberal party is operating like Nazis with their draconian measures? If you want to see how aggressive Trudeau is getting, view this video. To think that there is another reason for the symbols left on signs is reasonable to accept, especially when compared to what is currently happening in the province. Today there was a protest outside the QE2 hospital in Halifax. Actually, it was part of a nationwide protest to support Canadian Frontline nurses that are opposed to mandatory V's. Nurses who have been on the frontlines providing medical treatment without a V, are now being forced to get the V or lose their jobs. This is just the latest oppression that they are experiencing. For a while now, nurses who dared to question the narrative had been threatened with investigations and disciplinary action. Or to put in another way, they were silenced from voicing their opinion and engaging in open debate and dialogue. Doesn't science operate through the process of rigorous questioning and testing? Anyways, I digress. There are two other protests set to happen soon. On Saturday, there is a rally at Citadel Hill to demonstrate disapproval of the medical mandates and potential Scotiapass. On the 10th there is an "Unmask our Children" rally. Follow Freedom Nova Scotia for details. What we have in Nova Scotia is a continued united fight for medical freedom for not only ourselves but our nurses and our children. The suppression of freedom is not a hallmark of democracy but fascism. So when we factor this in with the symbols left on liberal signs, it makes sense that there is another thing at play other than racism or white supremacy. The people are not happy with the current federal government, which is also vividly seen throughout Trudeau's campaign. It seems like wherever he stops, crowds are opposing him. Just follow the news headlines over the past week. The voice of the people is getting louder. They are crying for freedom from medical tyranny. But are they being heard? Just take a look at this infograph and draw your own conclusions. As I think about this, I can't help but ask the question, "If we were as passionate about crying out to God as we are about crying out against the government, where would we be as a nation?" Can you envision what Canada would be like if everyone stopped doing what they thought was right and instead followed what God said is right? That would be a wonderful place to live. But for now, we stand and fight for what is right. We become a voice of one crying out in the wilderness for people to come back to Him. We plead for people to repent and trust the one who can save and deliver them. We expose falsehood and teach truth, trusting that one day God will open their eyes. And we rest on His strength, knowing he is big enough to handle our troubles and bring us through the dark valleys. |
AuthorHello! I'm glad you found my blog. My name is David Hanson, and I am a concerned Christian who desires for the church of North America to become aware and begin to think biblically of what is happening around them in society. It's time for the church to awake and speak into the current events of the day. We alone have the truth to navigate life effectively. That truth is the Word of God. Archives
May 2022
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