Duffy and the born-again Christians

You have to feel for the Duffster. There he was, most loyal lap-dog in Big Steve's kennel, being totally hung out to dry when the optics of his expense claims suddenly made him a liability.

That has to cut deep.

What did he expect? To hear him tell it in court today, he expected a little loyalty back, according to the CBC. And not just loyalty, but empathy, honesty, and perhaps even a bit of mercy. After all, he was dealing with a crew of "born-again Christians," and why would he expect less from that lot than he would expect from Jesus himself, and after all, wasn't Jesus all about truth and love and forgiveness?

Well yes; if you read the Sermon on the Mount you might think so, but Big Steve's Alliance Church Mafia were cut from stiffer cloth than that. Take a gander at their "Vision Prayer" and you'll get a sense of what sort of religious nutters were running the country for the last ten years. These are hard-core Christian Zionists; they're to Christianity what the Taliban are to Islam.

Here's hoping Duff does better with Justice Vaillancourt than Christ did with Pontius Pilate.

Stephen Harper's Alliance Church mafia

I've made reference from time to time to the influence of the fundamentalist Christian and Missionary Alliance on Harper government policies. There's an interesting profile of Conservative Party lawyer Arthur Hamilton in today's Globe and Mail. Here's a quote that made my coffee spray out my nose;




Politically, Mr. Harper has found the sweet spot between economic success and responsible environmental policy, Mr. Hamilton said, and he's made Canada relevant on the international stage.




In reality there's never been any question that economic considerations trump environmental concerns in Harper's Canada, nor does any reasonable observer imagine that Canada is more relevant on the world stage today. What's frightening is that Harper and the clique of Alliance Church types around him totally believe their own bullshit.


Here's a quote from the Alliance Church's "vision statement" that might help explain our foreign policy;


Vision Prayer


O God, with all our hearts we long to be:
a movement of churches
transformed by Christ,
transforming Canada and the world.
By your grace and for your glory:

• Renew and empower us through a fresh encounter with yourself
• Release us to be strategic in service, kingdom-connected in practice, passionate in pursuit of your mission and mercy

Use us to fulfill your purpose for Canada and the world.

… Canada and the World ...

• Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, the ends of the earth...
• Pray for our nation - the government - that godly agendas be required through minority rule.
• Pray for a missionary you know by name in a cross - cultural situation. Ask God to provide inspiration. Ask God if you are to be a provider.
• Pray for an utterly unreached people group - those under the domination of Islam, closed Hindu and Buddhist nations, etc.

If you've ever thought that our Israel First foreign policy smacks of religious fervor, that's because it's religious fervor.


And here's what they call an "Environmental Vision" at the Alliance Church. Good luck trying to find anything in it about what most normal people think about when they hear the word "environmental."


Faith can be a beautiful thing, but I don't recall where Canada ever signed up for faith-based government.