It Took A Canadian Pastor...

[Faber]

According to this article they were back this morning. And he chased them away again.

But I must ask this before taking his side: Is his congregation doing anything as far as wearing masks, social distancing, holding multiple services, or holding services on Facebook? Or are they just taking an in-your-face attitude toward the police and health officials?

[NorrinRadd]

I'm on his side regardless of whether or not he and his flock conform.

[rogue06]

An article about not only what is happening there but throughout Canuckistan:

Source: Canada’s bullying of Christians is turning it into a tyranny

6086ccbd20302727804d996e.jpg
Supporters gather outside GraceLife Church near Edmonton, Alta., Canada, on Sunday, April 11, 2021

Churches in Canada have been subjected to aggressive policing of Covid-19 restrictions, despite the fact that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects the rights of religion and assembly. Why are Christians being targeted?

It’s been over a year since the Covid-19 crisis began. In that time, vaccines have been developed and are being distributed all over the world, in the hope that everyone can return to normal life.

However, one group of people that has encountered problem after problem with the restrictions put in place by governments during the pandemic has been Christians. And, in the frosty land of Canada, tensions are beginning to rise due to the apparent targeting of Christians who simply want to go back to church.

In Alberta, a church called Gracelife has been physically fenced off by the government until its leaders agree to abide by government rules regarding mass gatherings. In the same province, a pastor in Calgary named Artur Pawlowski kicked health officials and police out of his church, comparing their tactics to those of the Gestapo, after they’d arrived to investigate supposed public-health violations.

Given that the pastor is Polish, he’s likely all too aware of how the Gestapo treated his people during World War II. Similarly, the Gracelife church being fenced off rings some familiar, and alarming, bells.

Meanwhile, in Aylmer, Ontario the police chief has said that a large church service at the town’s Church of God in defiance of Covid-19 regulations will be investigated. There were more than 100 people in attendance, which is 10 times what is allowed by the current provincial order. MPP Randy Hillier and MP Derek Sloan spoke at the church, and a nurse from nearby London, who was fired after speaking out against lockdown measures, was also in attendance. Aylmer’s police have already arrested two Christians.

The Canadian charter of Rights and Freedoms states that everyone has the fundamental freedoms of conscience, religion, peaceful assembly, and freedom of association.

Judging by the language of the document, you would think that people should be able to assemble without the government restricting them from doing so in the manner they have. While it is possible that someone could catch Covid-19, they are supposed to have the right to take that risk if it means attending services of worship and being part of a Christian community. But local health officials have other ideas.

It’s fair to ask why. The Canadian population has faced restrictions and stop/start lockdowns for as long as the US has, but now the vaccine rollout is well under way, people are ready to go back to their normal lives.

Whether these government officials like it or not, part of many people’s lives is their belief in God and their desire to worship their deity. On top of that, Canada is supposed to recognize the right of citizens to practise their religion. Now maybe some people just aren’t able to put two and two together, but community and fellowship have always been part not just of Christianity, but of all Abrahamic religions.

When I see a health inspector show up with several armed police officers to a place of worship demanding that a service is stopped, I have a hard time arguing against comparisons to the Gestapo. The same with seizing a church and telling its congregation that they must comply with the government or they cannot worship God in their own church.

Anytime that a government sees itself above deity or as a substitution for deity it is becoming a tyranny. These Canadian citizens have the right to believe in God and worship as they choose. They have the freedom to assemble, and they have the freedom of association.

We were given time to ‘flatten the curve,’ we were given regulations to follow with the promise that things would improve, and all Christians have been met with are more lockdowns and further refusals to allow us our rights.

Canada as a nation is going to need to decide something right now. Is it going to allow Christians to kneel to God, or is it going to act as if it is God and want them to kneel to it first? If the answer is the latter, I fear that the darkest days for Christians in Canada have only just begun.


Source

© Copyright Original Source

[mossrose]

I have seen instances of the church closures and harassment for the entire year past across the country. The writer of the article is spot on.

[Reepicheep]

An article about not only what is happening there but throughout Canuckistan:

Do you believe that any Canadian citizen who claims to be a Christian should have the legal right to break whatever Canadian laws they want and not face any legal consequences?

You obtained this news story from a website which is a propaganda arm of the Russian government. Do you consider the Russian government to be a reliable news source?

[mossrose]

Do you believe that any Canadian citizen who claims to be a Christian should have the legal right to break whatever Canadian laws they want and not face any legal consequences?

You obtained this news story from a website which is a propaganda arm of the Russian government. Do you consider the Russian government to be a reliable news source?

The lockdowns and church confiscation have worked really well, haven't they, to lower numbers.

[rogue06]

Do you believe that any Canadian citizen who claims to be a Christian should have the legal right to break whatever Canadian laws they want and not face any legal consequences?

Since your question is deliberately crafted to include such things as murder, rape, kidnapping, arson rather than just acts that limit the freedoms and rights of Canuckistanis..

You obtained this news story from a website which is a propaganda arm of the Russian government. Do you consider the Russian government to be a reliable news source?

My source was Google News which provided the link. I think the only important question here is whether they're right or wrong.

[Reepicheep]

Since your question is deliberately crafted to include such things as murder, rape, kidnapping, arson...

My source was Google News which provided the link. I think the only important question here is whether they're right or wrong.

Please give some examples of Canadian laws which you think Canadian Christians have the legal right to break.

Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed the admiration and trust he has in Putin. Do you, too, admire Putin and consider his government to be conforming to all Christian values?

[seer]

Do you believe that any Canadian citizen who claims to be a Christian should have the legal right to break whatever Canadian laws they want and not face any legal consequences?

Yes, absolutely - if those laws interfere with the free practice of faith and worship. And yes they need to be willing to face the consequences of the totalitarian state.

[rogue06]

Yes, absolutely - if those laws interfere with the free practice of faith and worship. And yes they need to be willing to face the consequences of the totalitarian state.

Going back to our roots that is pretty much our tradition.

[mossrose]

Please give some examples of Canadian laws which you think Canadian Christians have the legal right to break.

Public health orders are NOT laws.

Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed the admiration and trust he has in Putin. Do you, too, admire Putin and consider his government to be conforming to all Christian values?

1. Whataboutism.

2. Straw man.

3. Jackassery.

[Reepicheep]

Public health orders are NOT laws.

"To protect the health and safety of Albertans, public health orders are legally-enforceable and fines can be issued for violations."

https://www.alberta.ca/covid-19-orde...gislation.aspx

***********

Canadian Christians who are experiencing legal problems are experiencing those problems because they are breaking the law and NOT because they are Christian.

My congregation is Christian, and we are currently holding in-person weekly Sunday services. Why hasn't the government closed us down?

[mossrose]

"To protect the health and safety of Albertans, public health orders are legally-enforceable and fines can be issued for violations."

https://www.alberta.ca/covid-19-orde...gislation.aspx

***********

Canadian Christians who are experiencing legal problems are experiencing those problems because they are breaking the law and NOT because they are Christian.

My congregation is Christian, and we are currently holding in-person weekly Sunday services. Why hasn't the government closed us down?

"Legally enforceable and fines can be issued" does not make them laws. And police all over the country, including this province, are refusing to enforce a lot of the crap.

The government gives good little obedient children reward money instead of persecuting them when they don't obey God's instructions instead. Such a church doesn't have enough evidence to convict it in a court of persecution, which speaks ill of it's devotion to God.

I see you ignored my comment about how well the lockdowns and church confiscation have worked.

[Sparko]

"To protect the health and safety of Albertans, public health orders are legally-enforceable and fines can be issued for violations."

https://www.alberta.ca/covid-19-orde...gislation.aspx

***********

Canadian Christians who are experiencing legal problems are experiencing those problems because they are breaking the law and NOT because they are Christian.

My congregation is Christian, and we are currently holding in-person weekly Sunday services. Why hasn't the government closed us down?

So if Canada outlawed Christianity would you obey?

[Faber]

Do you believe that any Canadian citizen who claims to be a Christian should have the legal right to break whatever Canadian laws they want and not face any legal consequences?

You obtained this news story from a website which is a propaganda arm of the Russian government. Do you consider the Russian government to be a reliable news source?

More specifically, any Canadian and United States citizen has the responsibility and moral obligation, not a right, to break any Canadian or American laws, or provincial, state and municipal laws, that force them to violate their responsibilities to God alone, even if he/she doesn't want to, and be willing to face any and all legal consequences, no matter what the cost.

(Let me add, though, that a Christian should appeal to the authority first, seek a reasonable alternative, as did Daniel the Prophet, before considering breaking the law as a last resort. Which is why I questioned earlier whether or not this congregation agreed to wear masks and practice social distancing before taking whatever actions they did.)

And as for the reliable news source, isn't that what is referred to as an "ad-hominem" attack? It states at the beginning of the article, "Micah Curtis is a game and tech journalist from the US."