Not so free

In the last 18 months, Canadians have witnessed:

- The bishop of Calgary, Fred Henry, taken to the Alberta Human Rights Tribunal for daring to teach the doctrine of the Catholic Church regarding the true nature of marriage as the permanent conjugal union of a man and a woman. The complaints were settled quietly, with the bishop refusing to withdraw his public statements, but paying hefty legal fees.

- A Manitoba civil marriage commissioner has his license revoked for refusing to preside over same-sex marriages because it goes against his conscience. He is now challenging the government in court.

- A councilor for the city of Kamloops, B.C., argues on television that he believes homosexuality is not the natural condition for the human person and is promptly taken to the provincial human rights tribunal. John Di Cicco settles for a $1,000 fine before going to a hearing to avoid the prohibitive legal costs.

Interestingly, in the 2004 Supreme Court opinion on the reference from the federal government on its plan to legalize same-sex marriage, the court recognized that the government's plan "may potentially conflict with the right to freedom of religion." However, the court blithely predicted that such conflicts could be resolved - likely through the courts.

So here we are. The ancient freedom of religion, recognized by constitutional governments worldwide, is rather quickly being eroded, one human rights complaint at a time. Coincidentally, in the larger public realm, there is a growing assertiveness among those who believe the public face of religion should be limited to colorful pageantry and ritual, while restricting its forays into morality to those officially noncontentious issues such as child poverty. They assert that where religious beliefs conflict with so-called "charter values," religion must give way and recede into private life, effectively neutered of any real impact on human behavior, relegated to the realm of cranky opinions society tolerates as long as they stay in the closet.

Such opinions are appearing in the most surprising places. In the September issue of Literary Review of Canada, respected public intellectual Janice Gross Stein suggests, in a series of questions, that when institutional religions collide with "charter values," the state has a responsibility to use its coercive power to slap down the institution, perhaps even revoking its charitable status.

Gross Stein assumes, all evidence to the contrary, that there is some obvious public consensus over what comprises "charter values." Taken to its obvious conclusions, such thinking can lead to a serious attack not only on the constitutional right to religious freedom, but on the very nature of pluralism itself in Canada. This liberal orthodoxy is every bit as noxious as any other form of aggressive fundamentalism. The slippery slope is here with a vengeance.

Contact

The Catholic Register
http://www.catholicregister.org ,
Joseph Sinasac - ,

Email

Keywords

More Catholic PRWire

Showing 1 - 50 of 4,716

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »

A Recession Antidote
Randy Hain

Monaco & The Vatican: Monaco's Grace Kelly Exhibit to Rome--A Review of Monegasque-Holy See Diplomatic History
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

The Why of Jesus' Death: A Pauline Perspective
Jerom Paul

A Royal Betrayal: Catholic Monaco Liberalizes Abortion
Dna. Maria St.Catherine De Grace Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

Embrace every moment as sacred time
Mary Regina Morrell

My Dad
JoMarie Grinkiewicz

Letting go is simple wisdom with divine potential
Mary Regina Morrell

Father Lombardi's Address on Catholic Media
Catholic Online

Pope's Words to Pontifical Latin American College
Catholic Online

Prelate: Genetics Needs a Conscience
Catholic Online

State Aid for Catholic Schools: Help or Hindrance?
Catholic Online

Scorsese Planning Movie on Japanese Martyrs
Catholic Online

2 Nuns Kidnapped in Kenya Set Free
Catholic Online

Holy See-Israel Negotiation Moves Forward
Catholic Online

Franchising to Evangelize
Catholic Online

Catholics Decry Anti-Christianity in Israel
Catholic Online

Pope and Gordon Brown Meet About Development Aid
Catholic Online

Pontiff Backs Latin America's Continental Mission
Catholic Online

Cardinal Warns Against Anti-Catholic Education
Catholic Online

Full Circle
Robert Gieb

Three words to a deeper faith
Paul Sposite

Relections for Lent 2009
chris anthony

Wisdom lies beyond the surface of life
Mary Regina Morrell

World Food Program Director on Lent
Catholic Online

Moral Clarity
DAN SHEA

Pope's Lenten Message for 2009
Catholic Online

A Prayer for Monaco: Remembering the Faith Legacy of Prince Rainier III & Princess Grace and Contemplating the Moral Challenges of Prince Albert II
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe

Keeping a Lid on Permissiveness
Sally Connolly

Glimpse of Me
Sarah Reinhard

The 3 stages of life
Michele Szekely

Sex and the Married Woman
Cheryl Dickow

A Catholic Woman Returns to the Church
Cheryl Dickow

Modernity & Morality
Dan Shea

Just a Minute
Sarah Reinhard

Catholic identity ... triumphant reemergence!
Hugh McNichol

Edging God Out
Paul Sposite

Burying a St. Joseph Statue
Cheryl Dickow

George Bush Speaks on Papal Visit
Catholic Online

Sometimes moving forward means moving the canoe
Mary Regina Morrell

Action Changes Things: Teaching our Kids about Community Service
Lisa Hendey

Easter... A Way of Life
Paul Spoisite

Papal initiative...peace and harmony!
Hugh McNichol

Proclaim the mysteries of the Resurrection!
Hugh McNichol

Jerusalem Patriarch's Easter Message
Catholic Online

Good Friday Sermon of Father Cantalamessa
Catholic Online

Papal Address at the End of the Way of the Cross
Catholic Online

Cardinal Zen's Meditations for Via Crucis
Catholic Online

Interview With Vatican Aide on Jewish-Catholic Relations
Catholic Online

Pope Benedict XVI On the Easter Triduum
Catholic Online

Holy Saturday...anticipation!
Hugh McNichol

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »