Via Alison at Creekside, we learn that Rona Ambrose has just hired Darrel Reid as her new chief of staff in the environment ministry.
Reid used to run the Canadian arm of Dobson's "Focus on the Family" (I won't link to them - you can dig them up via Google if you really want). He ran in Richmond last election, and thankfully lost - badly. Here's a nice summary from last election.
So ... it appears that if you can't get elected as a TheoCon, don't worry, you'll still get hired into a patronage job by the party.
What was that principle of separating church and state about again?
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I think if you had bothered to do any research you would have found that the separation of church and state was to protect the church, not the state.
I'm fully aware of the historical principle, thank you.
In case you hadn't figured it out, if you are to keep politics out of the church, then the corollary is that the church is similarly kept out of the business of the state.
This is especially important in a country like Canada where we do not declare precedence for any one religion.
So by Rona Ambrose hiring Darrel Reid we are heading towards a theocracy? Are you trying to say that no one that follows any religion should have anything to do with politics or else we are mixing the church with the state or does this only count when the person is a christian?
Let's take a look at your accusations:
1) Ambrose hiring Reid is leading towards theocracy.
That isn't what I said. What Anonymous was missing is some context. The extreme religious right wing has long held sway in the Reform/Alliance party. Reid's appointment is an indication of how much influence that group still retains within the current incarnation of that party.
2) I am implying that religious people should not be involved in politics.
Again, this is false. Most politicians in Canada profess some religious affiliation. However, the vast majority also recognize that their religious beliefs may temper their legislation, but do not desire to implement their interpretation of scripture in legislation. Reid does, and he's been quite clear about it.
3) That I am applying a standard only to "Christians".
Since Canada's politics are currently being heavily influenced by "christian" extremists like McVety, Reid and others, they are more likely to come to my attention.
Extremism from any faith worries me, as those people tend to be utterly intransigent in their beliefs even in light of rational evidence to the contrary. (e.g. Ted Morton in Alberta)
"That isn't what I said. What Anonymous was missing is some context. The extreme religious right wing has long held sway in the Reform/Alliance party. Reid's appointment is an indication of how much influence that group still retains within the current incarnation of that party."
It isn't what you stated, but it seems to be what you are implying. I still don't get the fact that someone who is not put into office with political experience gets a job within the party. This happens all the time with all parties. You think it is new?
"Again, this is false. Most politicians in Canada profess some religious affiliation. However, the vast majority also recognize that their religious beliefs may temper their legislation, but do not desire to implement their interpretation of scripture in legislation. Reid does, and he's been quite clear about it."
Have you really asked "the vast majority" or are you making an assumption? How do you know that he will have any type of authority to have his political wishes become reality?
"Since Canada's politics are currently being heavily influenced by "christian" extremists like McVety, Reid and others, they are more likely to come to my attention."
Have you been watching the laws that have passed in Canada over the last few decades? Do you think that a religious right wing had anything to do with any of these? I think you should be more worried about the spread of extreme socialism in Canada as it is what has taken hold.
"Extremism from any faith worries me, as those people tend to be utterly intransigent in their beliefs even in light of rational evidence to the contrary. (e.g. Ted Morton in Alberta)"
Extreme anything scares the hell out of me! This includes extreme left wing laws as well as religion. I get the feeling from you that if the person simply believes in the christian god he is extreme.
We have more to worry about from the left wing bureaucratic industries cropping up than anything coming from religion in Canada as they have been having the biggest influence in our laws in the last several decades.
I get the feeling from you that if the person simply believes in the christian god he is extreme.
Then you clearly haven't understood my use of the word "Extreme". Reid has a long history, including heading up the Canadian wing of Dobson's FOTF - not exactly what I would call "moderate".
Have you been watching the laws that have passed in Canada over the last few decades? Do you think that a religious right wing had anything to do with any of these?
Did you miss the word "currently" in my statement? I wasn't talking about the 1990s, I was talking about the here and now.
So then you agree that we should be more concerned with the radical left than with the religious extreme? I personally do not like either, as I said I am against anything that goes too far which the left has in recent years in Canada.
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