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Manitoba's anti-bullying Bill 18
Tue, 2013-03-12 20:33
#1
Manitoba's anti-bullying Bill 18
Tue, 2013-03-12 20:41
#2
Student activities and organizations
41(1.8) A respect from [sic] human diversity policy must accommodate pupils who want to establish and lead activities and organizations that
(a) promote
(i) gender equity,
(ii) antiracism,
(iii) the awareness and understanding of, and respect for, people who are disabled by barriers, or
(iv) the awareness and understanding of, and respect for, people of all sexual orientations and gender identities; and
(b) use the name "gay-straight alliance" or any other name that is consistent with the promotion of a positive school environment that is inclusive and accepting of all pupils.
Bravo to the Manitoba government. But it has driven various religious organizations batshit. Of course. Because religion is generally based on hate.
Here's an alternate viewpoint (note: Steinbach is a big Mennonite centre):
I am a pastor in Steinbach. Steinbach made headlines about Bill 18 recently. My letter to the editor of the Carillon was published. I was asked to be on CBC and CTV about that letter. This is my story. [...]- Jesus always took the side of the poor, the outcast, the oppressed, and the marginalized. Often at the expense of the religious leaders who followed the rules. In this case, who is on the fringe? That’s where I need to be. – me
- Folks didn’t have an encounter with Jesus and walk away saying, “Man, he sure doesn’t like gay folks.” – Shane Claiborne
- We are allowed to comment and protest and influence government legislation. I do all the time. But this one is different. Sexual orientation is not a choice. There is no “love the sinner, hate the sin” option here. No choice. - me
- “I believe that when we treat homosexual people as pariahs and push them outside our communities and churches; when we blame them for who they are; when we deny them our blessing on their commitment to lifelong, faithful relationships, we make them doubt whether they are children of God, made in his image.” – Steve Chalke
Well, then, apparently my letter didn’t work.
The RM of Hanover passed a motion opposing Bill 18 for “religious freedom reasons”. The city of Steinbach passed a motion opposing Bill 18 for “religious freedom reasons”. I know that there were thousands of letters being written to MLAs and that the local school division trustees were getting tons and tons of angry letters for not opposing Bill 18.
On Wednesday morning, after the city passed that motion, I was giving out hugs to people with gay friends and gay family. My hairdresser said that if she hadn’t ditched atheism for Christianity 3 years ago, this would be the final nail in the coffin. She would never consider a Christianity like this.
And the worst part is that nobody was publically connecting the dots. The issue is not religious freedom. The issue is that some people think being gay is a sin, and thus we can’t have clubs in our schools promoting sin.
Read it all. It's not easy for a religious person to stand up against the ignorance and hatred of their church. They need our support and encouragement.
Tue, 2013-03-12 22:09
#3
Great piece, Unionist.
I like that he declined to speak to the media, and instead made his stand in church. Can't say as I would have had the wisdom to do the same, but it shows some understanding as to where his words will really matter.
Tue, 2013-03-19 10:29
#4
[url=http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/03/18/video-canadian-teenager-stands-up/]... stands up for gay-straight alliances[/url]
A Canadian teenager has defended an anti-bullying bill which would protect his right to start a gay-straight alliance, in the face of harsh opposition from religious groups who say the bill is an “incremental attempt to destroy” them.
Evan Wiens, 16, says he is the only openly gay student in his school, and has faced homophobic bullying to the point where he was afraid to walk through the school corridors.
Tue, 2013-03-19 17:57
#5
perhaps the bigger lesson here is
Why do all these people who go to church who are way more progressive than the institution itself still bother? ditch the institution and just go on believing whatever you want.
especially since the only thing that distinguishes one religion from another is the institutional doctrines.
just say you believe in some god and be done with it and stop making the rest of us have the insane debates about whether it's okay to be a human being.
Tue, 2013-03-19 18:06
#6
perhaps the bigger lesson here is
Why do all these people who go to church who are way more progressive than the institution itself still bother? ditch the institution and just go on believing whatever you want.
especially since the only thing that distinguishes one religion from another is the institutional doctrines.
just say you believe in some god and be done with it and stop making the rest of us have the insane debates about whether it's okay to be a human being.
I'd say they still go because they don't want to concede control of the institution to those with the worst intents-they don't want to let the haters and the retrograde say "we speak for God".
Tue, 2013-03-19 18:13
#7
I'd say they go for the sense of community with other church members that they feel, irrespective of the fact that the church hierarchy are assholes.
Tue, 2013-03-19 18:55
#8
That too.
Most of the people you run into in a lot of church or synagogue(or, I'd suspect mosque)congregations probably aren't as obsessed with the more rabid and hateful forms of the teachings of their respective faiths.
Tue, 2013-03-19 18:57
#9
I'd say it's for the same reason some people keep proclaiming their political party is the greatest and the others are all crap. When faith and community clash with humanity and experience, it's easier to stay with the status quo.
Tue, 2013-03-19 18:58
#10
I'd say that for some they are social clubs, and for some - like the fellow interviewed in that article - it is much more serious.
Plus, it's not so cut and dried when you consider some of the progressive work that gets done, even under the banner of the most backwards of some of these churches. And that goes double for institutions with an even stronger tradition of pacifism, peaceful resolution, and international solidarity work like the Mennonites.
But frankly there's no defense for the way they are lining up against this. It is totally out of line, and none of their business.
Tue, 2013-03-19 19:01
#11
Yes Unionist, but when people bemoan the fall of their party it is because they feel real ideals are being betrayed - not because of the colour on the jersey. At least it is that way for some.
Tue, 2013-03-19 19:02
#12
dp
Tue, 2013-03-19 20:58
#13
Yes Unionist, but when people bemoan the fall of their party it is because they feel real ideals are being betrayed - not because of the colour on the jersey. At least it is that way for some.
Correct. And to return to this thread, people should ask themselves why the monsters are in charge of their church (Jewish, Muslim, Christian, whatever). Either they overthrow the monsters, and restore the true faith, or they pack it in. In the case of the Catholic Church, for instance, I believe good people should probably stop kidding themselves. In the case of Steinbach, the Mennonites have lots of good values to choose from, including charity and the peace movement. Maybe they can put together a critical mass for change.
But in the final analysis, good people should wonder why virtually all established religions are the last, not the first, to embrace human beings that don't fit their mould. Could it be because religions are mostly based on denial of material reality and affirmation of the community of the faithful to the exclusion of the Other?
Tue, 2013-03-19 21:08
#14
The question was why people stay in church.
I answered that while I think some do it for the pies, others, like the fellow in the article you cited, truly care for their spiritual path, and for the institution.
If you are actually interested in following some of the synods, conferences, and movements within religions you'll find that there are many people trying as hard as they can to change them, with some success. There have also been one or two examples of revolt, schism and overthrow in the past - oh - seven hundred years or so.
But of course none of this is really relevant to the central point, which is that this is none of the churches' damned business.
Wed, 2013-03-20 02:12
#15
perhaps the bigger lesson here isWhy do all these people who go to church who are way more progressive than the institution itself still bother? ditch the institution and just go on believing whatever you want.
especially since the only thing that distinguishes one religion from another is the institutional doctrines.
just say you believe in some god and be done with it and stop making the rest of us have the insane debates about whether it's okay to be a human being.
[url=http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/a-sign-of-good-faith-amid-the-upr... all religious institutions are like that[/url]
Wed, 2013-03-20 02:53
#16
Wed, 2013-03-20 09:48
#17
@ Aristotled24
Vic Toews again.... no surprise.
And those comments are interesting.
Maybe that's why Kelly Block just sent out another one of these:
Wed, 2013-03-20 10:24
#18
In support of A24's point - some local United Church news here:
[url=http://myjourneywithaids.wordpress.com/2013/02/24/shaun-fryday-whose-fai... the blog, "My Journey With Aids"[/url]
Just read it please.
Wed, 2013-03-20 10:58
#19
Thanks U.
I know the United Church policy is official, but effectively on a congregation-by-congegation basis, so it is by no means universal. Still, I'm not surprised that they would be one of the groups to speak in favour of this (and THAT I am fine with).