Draconian Canada?
(HT: More Books and Things)
I have been pretty busy over these last few weeks, but I just have to quickly point to something that is happening in Canada. It looks like certain laws that were introduced in that country in the 60’s have started to affect Christian Ministries.
Canada’s government is fast becoming a draconian government!
LORRI MacGREGOR, co-founder along with her husband Keith of MacGregor Ministries a Christian counter-cult apologetics organization in British Columbia, Canada, will address the theme: “CANADA GAGS THE GOSPEL.” The Canadian Government will not allow any critiques of other religions. You can be any religion you want as long as you do nothing but promote your own religion. In Lorri & Keith’s case, in addition to presenting the Christian religion, they were responding to attacks on Christianity.
MacGregor Ministries carefully documented these attacks and responded to them from a biblical perspective, in a respectful and even kind manner. To their knowledge, none of the groups attacking Christianity through their websites or magazines got taken to task, only MacGregor Ministries! At the same time, they present sound, biblical, Christian doctrine, which promotes the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is, of course, their purpose. They were told they had to present all religions as equal, could not be “persuasive” regarding Christianity over others, and had to get rid of their website and magazine. Their presentation of the Christian gospel through their DVD’s and printed matter was ruled “uncharitable” and their careful critique of others in defense of Christian doctrine was called “hate”.
Here is a nine minute interview in regards to the latest on what is happening to this particular ministry. MacGregor Ministries has been told that its work is uncharitable and they have now lost their tax exempt status and to continue to operate they must register as a business. Obviously there is no such thing as freedom of speech for Christians because apparently no J.W. or Mormon outreach has had the same happen to them. When Lorri was spoken to she asked if she had a right to defend Christianity against other religions and cults who also claim to have the truth and attack her stand, she was told that the Watchtower society is in complete compliance with them, and they don’t have a problem with them at all. They do however; have a problem with Christians showing errors in the cults. They accuse MacGregor Minsitries of having hate literature.
Well, I have checked out their website, and I cannot find any hate literature. They address the Jehovah Witnesses, the Mormons and even The Seventh Day Adventists, which I know a lot about because I was brought up in that particular Church. They also speak about William Branham, Benny Hinn, Kathryn Kuhlman, Tommy Tenney, Rodney Howard Brown, John Wimber and Rick Joyner, just to name a few. Most of these names are “Word of Faith” teachers and I have personally known about their teaching through my family members. Even I started to get sucked into it myself until someone said that I should measure their teachings against the Word of God and see what comes of it.
Some of these family members have had the sense to leave such Churches that follow the teachings of such lunatics but others unfortunately are still attending. I have even gone so far as to bring such matters to the Baptist Union, and I am yet to hear anything from them. Did I do that because I hate them? NO!!!! I did it because I believe in accountability and I believe in measuring things up against the Word of God.
These cult busters are doing nothing more than showing the very clear differences between other religious teachings against what the bible says. And now that is regarded as HATE!!! Are they not allowed to disagree with other religions?
This is political correctness gone mad! And it has done its job very well.
It is becoming very clear to me that the Church and State are slowly becoming amalgamated in one way or another. One such way is because of the government wanting the churches to be more transparent with their finances. While other Churches are willingly becoming corporations (Inc.) so that they can better serve the community through certain purpose driven/seeker friendly methodologies.
And now this… because of a so called “hate crime” they are being charged as uncharitable so therefore cannot be a charity and must be registered as a business. Despite the fact that these people do not get paid for what they are doing and have given their lives free of charge to evangelizing the lost, to actually reach these people.
The hooks are in, and it seems to me that the commission that God has given to the Church has been truly gagged in some parts of the world. Don’t think that it can’t happen in your neck of the woods. It will!
Mat 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
Hard to believe, eh? But then, they don’t allow any Christian radio stations up here either.
They don’t allow Christian radio stations at all?
As far as I know we only have one in South Australia, which I don’t listen to anyway. I have very bad radio reception on my stereo, it’s not hooked up properly!
I’m from Canada - to clarify, there are actually several Christian radio stations here. I lived in Alberta where I enjoyed Christian radio, and now in New Brunswick, which enjoys at least three stations.
Just did a quick search and found there are at least 16 stations across Canada; plus two of the NB ones (not listed). So we may be draconian and surely are in need of revival, but we do have at least 18 stations sending out the Good News in Canada.
Over in B.C. there are none that we know of, maybe it’s just our province then. Perhaps I am just going by hearsay, but when I have discussed this with friends, I have always been told that Christian radio is not allowed in Canada. Thankfully, we can pick up some U.S. Christian radio station signals as we are near the border, so that is good.
Now I am curious and I will have to look into it further.
Well what do you know, I just found one in all of B.C. up north a ways on the coast in Prince Rupert. Wow. I have been misinformed and am wrong. I will have to move up north to the rainforest.
Actually, we did have one Christian radio station but it was silenced. From what I have read, over here we have something in effect called the restrictive “balance” requirement which some say is not even legal (Christian stations are prohibited from fund-raising, which leaves them dependent on paid advertisers, unlike American Christian radio stations). Hence the lack of them.
Sorry to take up your blog space on my puny little province, but hey, we are all part of the Commonwealth and have to stick together!
I’m Bob Beasley, CEO of Back to the Bible Canada, a ministry that has taught God’s unchanging Word on radio since 1939. About a dozen years ago, the Canadian Radio and Television Commission, the agency that is responsible for the airwaves, granted the first license for a single focus Christian radio station in Canada. There are now close to 50 of them. This is a major breakthrough and a source of much gratitude to the Lord. As for their financial support, there are a variety of options, depending on what the group making the application requests. A number of the stations do sell advertising, but only as a portion of their total fundraising - they also hold shareathons a couple of times a year. If Christians who are passionate about starting a Christian radio station in their community do things well and in order, the CRTC has been very favorable to granting a license. I know of a couple of groups who are trying to get things in order to make application for a Christian station in the lower mainland of BC - please pray that at least one of them will be granted a license. The same is happening in Toronto, although there are Christian stations now in the GTA - Oakville and Barrie for example. Anyhow, that’s the latest on Christian radio in Canada. These are exciting days for this young but burgeoning ministry.
Seems I am behind the times. Like about a dozen years. That’s awesome.