Nowhere in the West are Christians prevented from attending their tax-exempt churches, or are they barred from working, going to university or entering any public establishment on the basis of their religion. In Alberta and elsewhere in Canada, they have their own publicly funded school system.
They are not marginalized in the normal understanding of the term. What Bernard VanRaalte (St. Albert Gazette, Your Views, July 21) means is that Christians are not permitted to project their ideas of morality onto others, a situation for which we can all be grateful: Canada is a secular democracy and not a religious dictatorship.
What some Christians consider moral does not work for everybody. For instance, a woman's right over her own body is considered a moral precept by the majority: forcing women into back-alley abortions is now recognized immoral. Parents don't “own” children: they are entrusted to the care of parents. Gay straight alliances in schools are necessary because in many cases religious prejudices pose a danger to children who feel they don't fit the gender roles they are born into. Children who feel they can discuss the matter with their parents are not prevented from doing so.
According to Employment Minister Patti Hadju, no group is discriminated against for doing a public service, as in “serving meals to the homeless:“ the attestation is necessary to prevent hiring practices against LGBTQ students or the use of public funds for anti-abortion lobbying. And speaking of “attestations,” Trinity Western University requires one in writing to the effect that LGBTQ persons are against Christian teaching, and also demanding that celibacy be maintained. The Law Society’s reputation and mandate prevents an endorsement of what are anti-democratic practices.
Rule of religion has been tried in the past and found wanting. That is to take the polite stand on the matter. But what Christian religionists don’t seem to understand is that they have by no means a monopoly on moral precepts: those who oppose them do so out of strong moral conviction. It would be inappropriate to dwell on past religion-based abominations. Suffice it to say, secular society has developed in opposition to them.
Doris Wrench Eisler, St. Albert
