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Canada

  • New Hope for Iranian Christian

    In April, the Persecution and Prayer Alert covered the story of "Nancy," a refugee from Iran who came to Canada after threats on her life when she converted to Christianity. On investigation, the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board judge was not convinced she was a Christian, despite clear testimony from her and her pastor. The judge admitted to knowing little about Protestant Christian beliefs, but ruled against her anyway when Nancy was unable to name more than two Christian sacraments and did not use the term "holy communion" for the receiving of bread and wine. As a result, she was ordered deported to Iran.

    An August 5 article in Christian Week reports that she has now applied for a religious worker's visa for the United States to work with the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, in ministering to Iranian immigrants in Utah. If the U.S. embassy recognizes this as a legitimate job and she passes the interview expected this month, she will be moving to the U.S. and applying for a permanent residency permit for herself and her family. Nancy's husband and children are still living in Iran.

    Pray that this opportunity will enable Nancy to go to the U.S. and not be forced to return to Iran to face likely persecution. Pray also that her family will be able to join her.
  • The Coming War (Editorial)

    What is increasingly obvious to me is that the frontline of the war for religious liberty in both Canada and the United States will be the extent to which Bible-believing Christians will be permitted to make public statements and to publicly practice their beliefs regarding homosexuality. Take for example the statements by Soulforce Western North Carolina Director Charles Merrill and his same-sex partner Kevin Boyle in response to President Bush's reference to homosexuals as "sinners" on July 30 during a press conference in the White House Rose Garden. In a press release by Religion News Service, Merrill and Boyle state, "The president can hold whatever religious beliefs he does. But somehow an insinuation that we as gay men and lesbians are sinners is 'spiritual violence' against us. Homosexuality is not a sin, homosexuality is not a sickness." In other words, "Believe what you will, Mr. President, but keep your beliefs private."

    In Canada we have seen this trend developing for some time now. On June 20, 2001, the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission ordered both the Saskatoon StarPhoenix newspaper and Hugh Owens of Regina to pay three homosexual activists $1,500 each for publishing an ad in the newspaper that, in the Commission's opinion, exposed homosexuals to hatred and ridicule. The ad consisted of four passages from the Bible (Romans 1:26-32, Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 21:13, 1 Corinthians 6:9) followed by an equal sign and two stick men holding hands inside of a red circle with a line running through the stick men. In the opinion of the Commission, it was not the symbol that rendered the ad unacceptable; it was the inclusion of the Bible verses that condemned homosexual behaviour. The implications of this ruling are considerable in light of a private member's Bill that is expected to be voted on when the House of Commons reconvenes this fall that proposes to add "sexual orientation" to the current list of identifiable groups (i.e. colour, race, religion and ethnic origin) in the "hate propaganda" sections of the Criminal Code of Canada. The concern is that the wording of the Bill is vague enough to allow for a case-to-case interpretation of what would constitute a hate crime against someone of a particular sexual orientation. Potentially, we believe, this Bill could lead to the criminalization of the public reading of Scripture passages that speak out against homosexuality, sermons that decry sexual sin and any other printed literature that critiques homosexuality.

    In late 2000, the Ontario Human Rights Commission ruled that Christian publisher Scott Brockie could not decline printing jobs for gay organizations that would promote homosexuality. He was told that "he was free to hold his religious beliefs and practice them in his home, and in his Christian community" but the Commission ruled that "it is reasonable to limit Brockie's freedom of religion in order to prevent the very real harm to members of the lesbian and gay community, and their organizations, by the denial of services because of their sexual orientation." Thankfully, the Ontario Division Court ruled in June 2002 that the Board of Inquiry decision was overly broad. The court ruled that Mr. Brockie had the right to refuse to print material that infringes his conscience or religion but he does not have the right to refuse to print material simply when the mandate of the organization infringes his conscience or religion. While this was a victory of sorts, the original ruling does point to a direction that human right commissions and courts are moving where personal belief is expected to remain private.

    In May 2001, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the British Columbia College of Teachers could not refuse to approve Trinity Western University's teacher education program simply because TWU students must agree to refrain from extramarital sex, including homosexual behaviour while enrolled in the university. But in the ruling, the Court stated that "the freedom to hold beliefs is broader than the freedom to act on them." If the Court had found evidence that the graduates were acting out his/her beliefs and encouraging their students to refrain from premarital sex (homosexual or otherwise), the case would probably have been ruled rather differently. Simply put, the Court ruled in favour of TWU because there was no evidence that the private beliefs of the graduates were being shared in the public arena.

    Last Thursday, Canada's National Post newspaper reported that Liberal Party leadership front-runner Paul Martin had suggested to reporters in Toronto that his role as a legislator may take precedence over his religious beliefs when it comes to allowing same-sex couples to marry. The Supreme Court of Canada, at the request of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, is presently reviewing proposed legislation that would allow same-sex marriage, to determine whether it complies with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Martin told reporters, "I am a practicing Catholic and I have responsibilities as a legislator and those responsibilities must take in a wider perspective."

    The issue of when duty contradicts faith is one that Christians have wrestled with from the first century. From the very beginning, Christians have been told that it is alright to believe what you will in the privacy of your own homes and congregations, just so long as in public you make your beliefs subservient to societal norms when conflicts occur. For the early church, the choice was whether they would allow civil authority (personified in Caesar) to have an equal claim to loyalty and obedience as Jesus Christ. The temptation then, as now, was to segment one's life into "religious" and "secular" realms. For the Christian, however, this is impossible. Faith, by its very nature, is communal, impacting all of one's life; private and public. The Christian worldview is that Jesus is Lord of all of life, not just the "religious" parts. For Christians, there is ultimately only one Lord, one God, one absolute authority. We can never give unconditional loyalty to any earthly institution. The early Christians were martyred not because they believed in Jesus but because they were seen as political rebels. They had to decide who they, ultimately, would obey; God or men. Increasingly, it seems to me, Christians in North America are facing a similar choice, especially in the war over homosexual right.
  • Commons Goes Into Recess; C-250 Vote Delayed

    Supported by the Canadian Alliance opposition party, Canada's Liberal government used an obscure parliamentary rule last Friday (June 13) to adjourn the House of Commons early for a three-month summer recess, thereby delaying an expected vote of Bill C-250 scheduled for today. This controversial bill proposes to add "sexual orientation" to the current list of identifiable groups (i.e. colour, race, religion and ethnic origin) in the "hate propaganda" sections of the Criminal Code of Canada. The Voice of the Martyrs is concerned that this bill is vague enough to allow for a case-to-case interpretation of what would constitute a hate crime against someone of a particular sexual orientation. Potentially, we belief, this bill could lead to the criminalization of the public reading of Scripture passages that speak out against homosexuality, sermons that decry sexual sin and any other printed literature against homosexuality.

    It is believed that the government recessed the Commons early to delay a vote on this and other controversial legislation. Many believe that, had C-250 been voted on today, it would have passed. The move to recess early means that a vote on this faulty legislation will be delayed until at least next fall.

    While The Voice of the Martyrs welcomes this development, we are concerned that the Liberal government fears opposing this bill (sponsored by openly homosexual NDP Member of Parliament Sven Robinson) because of public opinion concerns. We urge all Canadians, especially those with Liberal Members of Parliament to take the time this summer to write their MPs and The Honourable Martin Cauchon, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, regarding this bill. Contact information can be found through a link to the House of Commons directory at www.vomcanada.com/links.htm. To assist you in writing a well-reasoned, thoughtful letter, we encourage all Canadian Christians to go to http://www.evangelicalfellowship.ca/social/initiatives.asp for more information on this bill and some of the issues at stake.
  • Update on Bill C-250 According to the latest information available, Bill C-250 is up for final debate in the Canadian House of Commons today. The bill will then be voted on no earlier than Wednesday, June 18. If it is not voted on that day, the vote will not take place until the fall session. For more information on Bill C-250, the potential ramification for the church in Canada, and suggestions on what you can do, view our report from last week.
  • Hate and Sexual Orientation Up For Final Reading

    In November 2002, the Persecution and Prayer Alert reported on a private member's bill, Bill C-250, presently before the Canadian Parliament that would add "sexual orientation" to the current list of identifiable groups (i.e. colour, race, religion and ethnic origin) in the "hate propaganda" sections of the Criminal Code of Canada.

    This Friday, June 6, Bill C-250 is set for debate on its third and final reading before the House of Commons. The bill, initiated by the Honourable Svend Robinson, was slated to be debated later on the House's agenda, but Robinson traded places with another Member of Parliament who was higher on the list. If the bill is debated this Friday, it could be voted on before Parliament rises for the summer. If passed, this bill would make advocating genocide, public incitement of hatred and the willful promotion of hatred against people based on their sexual orientation illegal.

    While The Voice of the Martyrs believes that the deliberate incitement of hatred towards any identifiable group is inexcusable, we join with groups such as The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, The Catholic Rights League and The Christian Legal Fellowship in expressing concern about this particular bill, since it could potentially limit the freedom of expression of religious groups.

    It is the position of The Voice of the Martyrs that the Bible clearly opposes homosexual activity and that believers are called upon to see homosexuality as sin. We are of the opinion that this bill is vague enough to allow for a case-to-case interpretation of what would constitute a hate crime against someone of a particular sexual orientation. Potentially, we belief this bill could lead to the criminalization of the public reading of Scripture passages that speak out against homosexuality, sermons that decry sexual sin and any other printed literature against homosexuality.

    The Voice of the Martyrs urges Canadian Christians to write to their MPs and to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, The Honourable Martin Cauchon regarding this bill. Contact information can be found through a link to the House of Commons directory at www.vomcanada.com/links.htm. Before doing so, however, we encourage all Canadian Christians to go to http://www.evangelicalfellowship.ca/social/initiatives.asp for more information. We also urge prayer for the Canadian Parliament as they debate this initiative.
  • Convert Faces Deportation to Iran

    "Nancy," an Iranian convert to Christ, is facing deportation from Canada on April 24 after failing to convince an Immigration and Refugee Board judge that she is a Christian. This is despite clear testimony from both her and her pastor. Wanting to protect her family in Iran, Nancy has asked that her real name not be published.

    In 1999 Nancy was introduced to Christ by a friend in Tehran and converted to Christianity in the summer of 2000. When her husband was questioned about her church attendance, Nancy fled to Montreal to live with her sister-in-law. While there, she attended a Pentecostal church where she was baptized. She later became an active member of the Ascension Lutheran Church in Montreal. Those who know her confirm that she has a genuine Christian faith.

    The immigration judge, Hélène Panagakos, repeatedly admitted in her ruling that she was not familiar with Protestant Christianity. This did not stop her, however, from judging Nancy's Protestant beliefs. When Nancy was unable to name more than two Christian sacraments and did not use the term "holy communion" for the receiving of bread and wine, Panagakos rejected her claim that she had become a Christian. It is worth noting that Protestants typically do not believe in more than two sacraments and frequently do not use the terminology "sacrament" and "holy communion." Panagakos claimed that Nancy obviously lacked knowledge of "the most basic Christian concepts." Canadian officials have further decided that, even if she is a Christian, she does not face a significant risk of persecution in Iran.

    As in much of the Muslim world, however, Iranian Muslims who convert from Islam to another religion are considered apostates. The penalty for apostasy in Iran is severe, often death. Nancy's family in Iran is already under surveillance by the authorities. For up-to-date information on the mistreatment of Christians and other religious minorities in Iran, see the International Religious Freedom Report for 2002 submitted to the US Congress by the State Department at http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2002/13995.htm. Iran is still considered a country of particular concern by The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (see http://www.uscirf.gov/crptPages/CPC-Iran.php3).

    According to the National Post, Immigration Canada has said there is little chance of the deportation order for April 24 being overturned. In an interview, Nancy said, "My life is not with the officer, it is in God's hands. I still have hope. I have been afflicted, but I am not despairing. I have been persecuted, but I am not forgotten."

    Pray that the deportation order will be overturned. Pray that Nancy will continue to find her strength in Christ. We encourage Canadians to write to their local members of Parliament as well as the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Denis Coderre. Contact information is available through our links page.

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