Two years ago I started writing about how a group of religious fanatics were quietly taking control of Stephen Harper's PMO.
And how nobody in the MSM was writing about it, because they didn't want to mix religion and politics. Even though these SoCons were using their narrow beliefs to shape government policy.
So I was glad to see today that The Star has discovered the God Squad.
"Harper has given the religious right a welcome and access in Ottawa and government they've never had before – and they've become used it."
Because every Canadian should know that the PMO is being run by Christianists who believe that protecting gays from hate crimes is something the Nazis would do.
Or that gay rights should be scrapped, abortion should be severely restricted, and that their God has called them to remake this country:
"Only God can make Canada a truly Christian country... We are called to speak biblical truth to seek justice – and that obviously has implications for our political life."
Of course, it's an even bigger conspiracy.
And this strikes me as a bit naive:
It's unclear whether Harper shares their social Conservative – or theocon – beliefs. That's the big question that only one or more majority governments can answer. How far would Harper go on the hot-button social issues of the religious right, including abortion, same-sex marriage, easy divorce and public day care?
Because Harper has been one of THEM since his
And now that we know what he's like with a minority, how far does anyone think he might go with a MAJORITY?
Right.
Which is why I don't agree with this:
"Is he really a fanatic?" she asks in an interview. "I do not believe he is. I think he's a very wily strategist... I see him as tacking on a sailing course."
Because he is a cold hearted fanatic who is ripping the soul out of this country.
Why I'm afraid of this:
However, if he were to do something, McDonald concludes, it would be irreversible by the time it was detected and "would change Canada in a profound way... People seem to wake up to what Harper is doing too late."
And why I believe that if Canadians don't see the danger, or understand how these theocons are shaping policy. And the opposition doesn't have the courage to confront this religious right agenda.
And doesn't do whatever it takes to drive these sinister Cons from power.
We really will wake up some day, in a country we don't RECOGNIZE...
Good post. People who are not familiar with the evangelical types out west might think you are a bit over the top but you are right on the money.
ReplyDeleteAgree with you, Simon. It's been apparent to me all along that there's major religious influence in play in this Con. govt. Right now I'm reading the book "The Family" by Jeff Sharlet. It's fascinating & this group is deeply entrenched in U.S. politics, for decades, & I truly believe that Harper is a part of this group along with some other Cons. If you haven't already read it I strongly
ReplyDeleterecommend it. The author is working on another book & has said there is a strong Canadian connection as well. I'm not surprised in the least. It's frightening.
Hey, the West does not have a monopoly on right-wing Christers. Witness Charles McVetey and David Mainse, to name just two.
ReplyDeleteJust sayin'...
@penlan: Rachel Maddow has reported on the secret religious organization "The Family" and it's connection to what is happening in Uganda. The author of the book you are reading is also interviewed by Rachel and he discusses "The Familiy's" involvment with lawmaking in the US. Here's link to checkout from my blog (Simon, hope you don't mind the shameless promotion): http://thegaywhitenorth.blogspot.com/2009/12/ugandas-kill-gays-bill-part-6.html
ReplyDeleteIf Harper has links to "The Family," we are in BIG trouble.
@Simon. I am happy that print media has picked this up. The more people know the truth, the better off Canada will be.
hi Constance Vigilance...thank you. I'm always a little bit over the top. I like to tell my friends I use words like bludgeons to try to attract the attention of people to worthy causes. But the truth is I enjoy it. :)
ReplyDeleteStill I challenge anyone out there to say what I wrote isn't true. And I know I'm not the only one who finds the presence of these theocons in the PMO extremely disturbing...
hi penlan...what I've been looking for is what that means in terms of government policy. And I see a long slug trail. From their destruction of the public daycare option, the attack on women's rights,the defunding of gay groups,
ReplyDeleteAnd of course their fanatic position on the state of Israel, which they believe will be the site of the "Final Battle" and the Messiah's landing pad.
Since their good friend Chuck McVety believes that earth worship is satanism I wouldn't be surprised if the Cons believe they're working for Big Oil AND God...by doing nothing to save the planet. As for "The Family"...I've been meaning to read it for ages, and I'd really like to know whether any of these Cons belong to it. Because I can just see Stephen Harper and Jason Kenney standing there in the darkened PMO, dressed as monks, holding candles, chanting gibberish, and blowing wind. And it's HORRIBLE. :)
hi 'berto...you western supremacist you...
ReplyDeleteI know I once said that there were more religious fanatics in rural B.C. than bears. But I did pay handsomely for that.Didn't I? ;)And I did change it to salmon. Wherever they are.
And I know that we Easterners are cursed with all kinds of wingnut preachers...including Chuck McVety who counts for at least a dozen just by himself.
But surely we can all agree that Alberta has more deranged Christianists per square acre than any other province. In the name of Canadian unity.
And besides they were the ones who sent us the Con Messiah Stephus Harper. So I could NEVER forgive them for that...
hi Jason...yes I saw one of Maddow's pieces on The Family in Uganda. And it's scary stuff.
ReplyDeleteAlthough of course I already consider the Cons to be a Family...like the Sopranos. :)
The problem in Canada is that we've never seen a government like this one before, so most people don't recognize the danger,or believe it could happen here. What they need to understand is that since 911, politics in this country
has fundamentally changed. The religious right has become a political movement, so the argument over the theocons is not about beliefs, but POWER.
Hopefully the media will start asking questions about how these SoCons are shaping policy. Because if they don't, as you say, we could really be in trouble.
Sitting there, looking like dummies, rubbing our eyes and mumbling Wha wha wha what happened?
As I say all the time, we really do need to find out who is REALLY running Canada?
Hello Simon,
ReplyDeleteI'm not getting something.
I can't find anything relating to a religious experience that Harper had in 1993. Can you provide a link or offer a few keywords for
Google searching, please?
hi Torontonian...sorry for taking so long to get back to you. The basic outline can be found in Marci McDonald's excellent piec Stephen Harper and the Theo-Cons. The other stuff I picked up from interviewing some people for a university project. My feeling then and my feeling now is that Harper is entitled to his religious beliefs, as long as he doesn't turn them into policy for the rest of us. And I happen to believe he has and is doing that, so I wish the media had the guts to ask a few more questions...
ReplyDeleteThank you for your reply, Simon.
ReplyDeleteThe media can have the courage to
ask the questions but Harper's
"press availability" is greatly curtailed. As an example, I don't think that Mansbridge is having a year-end interview with Harper--again! How many years does that make, now? No year-ender with Mansbridge?
CTV and Global will get theirs but not CBC.
Harper is a cryptic Christian in my books. A Christian stands fair and four-square with everyone.
Harper is doing all sorts of behind the scenes and backstairs dealings and is concealing much from us.
That behaviour is not fair nor is it four-square. He dissembles and has no courage to take the heat.
He has no humility and no valour.
Even a bad Ignatieff would be more honest with us than a good Harper.
Oh well, Hogmanay comes soon and with it the promises of a new year and a new social order in Canada without Harper at the helm.
Let's resolve to make it so.
What an amusing post! A conspiracy no less! How can I join my support to this group - oh, simply by participating in the general election and using the tools of democracy to support the party that best, but no means completely, reflects my values.
ReplyDeleteYou seem to feel that only you and people whi agree with you should have the right to express opinions and to influence policy in this country. This hardly sounds like freedom and democracy.
So, many Canadians derive their values through their faith experience. From where do yours come? And what makes yours any MORE valid than mine?
Seems like you are not so supportive of the religion of 'tolerance' that you claim, eh?!
Well, good luck on your witch hunt and finding some creative ways to demonize Christians!
Quite sincerely, may you be blessed by the God you so strongly oppose.
Cheers!
Stephen B.
Stephen B.
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing at all wrong with having faith values.
What is abhorrent is having the views of some pushed on the many and the many forced into corners to defend themselves from the self-righteous.
What happened to free will and self-determination? You want to take those away from us and we won't let that happen.
Practice your life as you see fit but don't push it on the rest of us.
Consider--many of the things you don't agree with are legal but they are NOT COMPULSORY. Because they are not compulsory, the free will of society is called upon and the people of the nation act accordingly--in free will.
Nobody forces abortions, alcoholism, or divorce on society.
Remedies are there for those who need it and the rest of us live our lives peacably because nobody tells us how to live.
I've noticed how the self-righteous Christians hurt their own. If you're having difficulties, you're not praying hard enough . . .for example.
There are others, but that will do for the moment.
We like free choice and free will.
To paraphrase you and ask you at the same time:
What makes your values any more valid than mine?
What is that quote about judgement?
Judge not lest ye be judged.
And who said that and did He set am example for the rest of us to follow? What about the adulteress
and His non-judgement of her. He first of all forgave her then gently admonished her.
Why not try the same sometime?
hi Stephen...first of all let me make one thing clear. I don't have any problem with other people's religious beliefs. I don't believe in them but I would defend their right to express them.
ReplyDeleteAfter all, my values were shaped by my mother who is what I would call a good and real Christian. A person who believes in a message of love not hate.And spends all her spare time helping the less fortunate.
But that's beside the point, what I object to is the Cons implementing policy based on an evangelical religious agenda, without being OPEN about it.
That's what I mean by the word conspiracy.
I would have no objections if they told Canadians our policy is based on Old Testament prophecy, and left it up to voters to decide what they think about that.
Personally I think that it all sounds more like Iran than Canada.
But to each his own... :)
hi Torontonian...nicely said. That's what I shoulda told Stephen but...um...couldn't. I'm hereby designating you my Minister of Religious Affairs, because boy are you GOOD... :)
ReplyDeleteI think you've found a new admirer/rebuttal issuer in the form of Stephen B.
ReplyDeleteJust pretend he's not there.
Harper is George W. Bush with a library card
ReplyDelete