Dear Lighthouse Trails:
Freedom of religion is being seriously challenged in Canada. Freedom of speech will be next! Christian organizations (perhaps including the Salvation Army, because who knows whether they will sign) which offer charitable programs (after school activity etc.) funded by the government are now required to sign that they will tolerate sins acceptable to humanists, such as abortion and sexual deviations. If they don’t sign, they don’t get their funds any more. After school programs, for example, have been cancelled when government funds were withdrawn. Our Catholic schools (which are public schools in Canada funded by the government) have to teach acceptance of things contrary to their religious beliefs. In other words, what they teach in faith and morals could affect their funding. Freedom of religion is guaranteed in the Canadian Constitution. It’s basic to this country’s government. But, as I’ve been saying to others, our Prime Minister does have a religion too, called humanism, which is being forced on all Canadians. If Christians had been as radical as the humanists, the world today would be Christian . . . because humanists like to call us extreme and radical.
I don’t think that Canadians understand – that freedom of religion includes belief in the Bible for many people and that humanism denies that the Bible is the revealed Word of God. The Moslems may be the only ones to really fight back – if they do.
The U.S. needs to take note – they could be next.
J.S.
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(photo from bigstockphoto.com; used with permission)
Canada has been going in the wrong direction for a long time. Due to their lenient immigration policies they now experience Islamic terrorism and the other blights that accompany godless governments. I feel sorry for true believers in Canada who will now experience religious persecution. Godless societies do not prosper and do not last long.
This also happened a month ago in Ontario. http://www.citizengo.org/en-ca/lf/157700-first-free-speech-arrest-ontario
I think we need a serious revival in our Country Canada. We are in a very sad state the worst I have seen as far as freedom of speech and religion goes .
Part 2. As a result, they cave in to the pressure to sin and cower to the demand. It is too easy. They make excuses; “but, I have a family to feed…” etc. If one feels it is too hard to resist such a temptation, then don’t enter into such entanglements. But this case is a form of persecution in the sense that something positive was in place, and now Christian organizations are being singled out and will suffer for their faith specifically. The next step will go further, even if there was no funding, etc. Perhaps they will put anyone in jail who does not sign a paper agreeing with sin, etc. Again, you must stand and resist! Even if you suffer persecution for it!
Yes, freedoms are disappearing fast. For the most part I do agree with the comment above but it is complicated. The main thing to note is this: No matter what anyone says or what laws are in place, you must obey God!That means you cannot teach immorality and that any sin is okay. For any reason. That is the bottom line. What happens from there, happens. I always quote that too, you must obey God above man when the laws contradict (Acts 5; 29, etc.). Now it is interesting to observe these things because it shows where things are moving. What is next? More persecution. And where is it coming next? Here. We need to watch the signs of the times. Now about this issue, it is true that if you take funding it creates these entanglements. Now suppose a Christian government wanted to fund Christians schools who needed the funding. Is that wrong? No. But again, any entanglements can get tricky quick. The danger always lurks below. If a threat does arise, the Christians must stand up to the pressure and say no to the sinful demand. Honestly, it is not the persecution that is the main problem. Jesus promised us we would suffer for Him. There are even blessings that come as a result. The main problem is that people are ensnared to money and tempted to sin. Part 1.
I am sorry, but the fault lies with the church and it’s para-church organizations that are partnering with the government in the first place. Scripture says “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” (2Co 6:14 KJV) Receiving government money is being unequally yoked. Home school your kids. It is not much different than churches that limit their own free speech in America by registering as a tax exempt organization and thus receive money by not paying taxes. “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Luk 16:13 KJV) No one can limit your freedom to teach your kids the bible at home because even if they make it illegal you must do it anyway. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Pro 22:6 KJV) In this case it makes it a rare command for “civil dis-obedience”. “Then Peter and the [other] apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Act 5:29 KJV)