This week's interview is with Rod Taylor, the leader of the Christian Heritage Party in Canada. It was a thrill to be able to interview a political leader and hope that I will have this opportunity again in the future. If you have any suggestions on who I should interview or have any thoughts about what was said in the interview, leave me a comment below
Before we dive right in, I’d like for my readers to get to know a little about you. So, who are you, where are you from, and what are your passions in life? I’m Rod Taylor, I live in northern BC (Telkwa) with my wife Elaine. We’ve been married 47 years and met in the Kootenays, in Fauquier on the Arrow Lakes. I was born in Minnesota and spent my early years in the States where my Dad, Walt Taylor, was involved in the Civil Rights movement with Dr. Martin Luther King. My family moved to Canada in 1968. Many Christians like to talk about politics but don’t want to get involved for different reasons. In fact, there are even some who argue that parliament is no place for a Christian. Obviously, you see things differently. What motivated you to enter politics? We are to be salt and light in the world and I think that extends beyond preaching the gospel to issues of justice and morality. When we pray “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven", I think we must also allow God to use us to be an influence for righteousness. We are to rescue the perishing and to be a good Samaritan to the unborn. Politics is corrupt only so much as the men and women who exercise power in that realm are corrupt. We are to bring kingdom principles into every area of our lives, including politics. Otherwise, we are condemned to live under the rule of the wicked…as it says in Proverbs “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn”. You have been in politics for a while and are currently the national leader of the Christian Heritage Party of Canada. What role does your faith play when it comes to engaging with current issues and shaping your party’s platform? Faith is critical. Without Him (God) we can do nothing…but with God ALL things are possible. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not [yet] seen. We must exercise faith if we expect to move political mountains. We do face giants…we need to encourage ourselves in the Lord. Like the prophets of old, we must speak the truth to our generation…blow the trumpet if you will…if there is a repenting and turning to God, we will rejoice. If the Word is rejected, if we are rejected, we can at least have the satisfaction of knowing that we have done the will of God and delivered our souls. As you look at the political landscape of Canada, what do you believe are the top three political issues that pose a threat to the church? What do you think would be the impact if more Christians became involved? Our motto is Life! Family! and Freedom! The protection of innocent life from conception until natural death is one issue God’s people cannot ignore if we are to represent the One who formed each one of us in the womb, made us in His image, etc. If we fail to defend the “fatherless”, we fail our God and our nation. The natural family is under attack in many ways: in terms of gender confusion…young people seeking to remake themselves differently than the way God made them. That is rebellion . . . as is the ending of a life prematurely. The last issue—freedom—is broad and has many facets / tentacles. Free speech is not just a civil concern. The freedom to preach the word or to teach biblical principles of morality is definitely under attack. Some preachers are caving in, reducing the message of salvation from sin to a message of just being nice people, tolerant and loving. We also need the freedom to raise our children according to our faith and conscience…Of course, many other issues are important, including the economy, Canada’s reckless spending of borrowed money…actually is theft…it’s money stolen from our children. The church is being silenced on many issues and if that continues, it will fail to achieve its mandate. One of the polarizing issues that I see in our land revolves around rights. Especially during this health crisis, some Christians see that it is selfish to fight for our rights. What is your take on this issue and how will you lead your party this fall with the upcoming election? The word “rights" is overused but there are genuine human rights given by God—not by government. True rights cannot be taken away but they can be either recognized and protected or ignored and violated. Rights are on a scale of priority…the right to life is at the top. During major crises, there can be times where the government may limit certain rights for the protection of lives. Ie. a blackout during the war . . . This current situation (COVID) does not meet the criteria and the restrictions on gatherings, the ordering of masks and even mandated injections with experimental substances is in no way justified by the evidence. Violating human rights of assembly, travel, family, operating a business, personal medical decisions . . . these are very concerning violations of the rights and freedoms Canadians have had and must have to maintain a civil, democratic society. Thanks for taking the time to respond to these questions. Is there anything you’d like to say as we come to the end of this interview? I count it a great privilege to participate in Canada’s political system and an even greater one to serve as leader of the Christian Heritage Party. So many godly men and women have poured their time and treasure into this vessel that has been the conscience of Canadian politics since 1987. We press on, speaking the truth and offering Canadians an opportunity to vote for the biblical principles that would once again make Canada a blessing in the earth. Thanks for reaching out and allowing me to share these thoughts with you. You can find more information about Rod Taylor and the Christian Heritage Party by going to their website.
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