I’m a Canadian Evangelical Christian who has gay family members and friends. Normally, that’s no big deal or any kind of badge of honour. However, the Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition, NDP leader Thomas Mulcair, has publicly declared on more than one occasion in recent days that my beliefs are “un-Canadian.” On that point I’m in company with the over 4 million Evangelicals in Canada who share them with me; and the additional tens of millions of Roman Catholics, historic Protestants, Orthodox, Jewish, Muslim and other Canadians who believe that marriage is between one woman and one man, with sexual activity outside of that relationship as being “sinful.” Mr. Mulcair has decreed that anyone or any organization who holds to such beliefs is, in his opinion, ineligible to receive government funding to provide services the government wants to provide to assist people in need.
Let’s establish some context. I have a Christian friend who is gay and married to another man. We disagree on a point of theology. I accept that he is legally married in accordance with the law of the land. He has told me that his struggle some days is that people he knows in the gay community tell him that he can’t be gay and Christian while people he knows in the Christian community tell him he can’t be Christian and gay. He loves Jesus. He loves his husband. We’re still friends.
A foundational value – I’ll use “values” language since Mr. Mulcair’s declaration was about “Canadian values” – of Canadian society has been described as “tolerance.” What is tolerance? Tolerance is recognizing that we have differences with other people and still being accepting of the other person as an equal, without being required to agree with them. This is also a foundational belief in Christianity; all people are made in the image of God. By the way, we also believe all people are sinners who are loved by God and are to be loved by us as well – with unmistakable departures from Christian expression of love being an unfortunate (at times embarrassing) part of the reality that humans beings are sinners.
Let me put this out there. Any sexual activity other than that between one husband and one wife who are married to each other is, I believe, sinful. That includes pre-marital sex and extra-marital sex whether heterosexual or homosexual. Based on my understanding of the Bible, I also believe that other behaviour is sin. Here’s a brief list: gossip; unrighteous anger; worry; abortion; arrogance; bitterness; boasting; coveting (wanting what someone else has); and there are more, including not being loving toward another person. It’s a good thing we also believe in apology, repentance and forgiveness!
Bob Rae gets it. As a former NDP Premier of Ontario and current leader of the Liberal Party, Mr. Rae understands the societal value of tolerance; as well as the constitutional value of religious freedom, that informs Canadian law, and the political value of government providing funding to non-governmental organizations for implementation of government policy. Here’s what Mr. Rae had to say, “People of the Christian faith in this country do great work across the world. They do tremendous humanitarian work. The monies that are raised by those communities and spent in those communities in the poorest of conditions, in the most difficult conditions around the world, are a reflection of their faith and of their love for their fellow human beings.”
And Prime Minister Stephen Harper gets it. Past governments have had their foreign development policies, as does this one. Once the policies are set in place, submissions for funding are assessed without discrimination on the grounds prohibited by law and evaluation is made on the basis of the best use of government dollars to deliver services based on government policy. Departure from the funding agreement results in removal of the funding. Mr. Harper’s government has set different priorities from those of Mr. Chretien’s government which had different priorities than Mr. Mulroney’s government and so on.
As I noted in a blog earlier this week, “in 2010 Canadian evangelical Christian ministries spent over $535 million overseas – which represents only those organizations that are officially engaged in development work and doesn’t include the efforts of local church congregations to build schools, homes, wells, etc out of their own pockets – of which $32 million was CIDA funding. Dedication stretches dollars; and we do it well. CIDA, Canadians, Ugandans and those in other nations benefit from partnering with people committed to ‘love their neighbours.’”
Once a man was watching Mother Teresa clean the wounds of a leper and said, “I wouldn’t do that for a million dollars.” Mother Teresa replied, “Neither would I. But I would gladly do it for Christ.” I think you get the point. There is no discrimination in the effort to meet abundant need when the motivation is love. There is only limitation of resources.
The only “un-Canadian value” being exercised in this scenario is intolerance, demonstrated by Mr. Mulcair and some members of his caucus. Christians are called and willing to “turn the other cheek,” but that does not prevent standing up. An apology would be appreciated but isn’t being requested; even though we Canadians – including Canadian Evangelicals – are well known for being quick to say “sorry.” It’s a Canadian value.