It seems to me that if I led a political party, if I aspired to lead Canada and if the polls showed that many people were hesitant to vote for me, because they believe I am a born again Christian who is against gay marriage and abortion, I would try to allay their fears, right?
I would stay away from religion.
And I would avoid giving ammunition to my adversaries by giving a speech that seems straight out of an encyclical from Opus Dei.
Well, that’s not what Pierre Poilievre did.
Youtube screenshot, Pierre Poilievre
He took advantage of the Easter celebrations to loudly proclaim his devotion to Jesus Christ who, “through his sacrifice, paid the price for our sins and overcame the power of death itself so that we could rejoice in his promise of eternal life.
“The joy of Easter unites all Canadians. It reminds us that although we face trials, we have the promise of new beginnings, redemption, and hope for eternal life.”
Uh…
Of kess?
AND HOME PHONE
Yes, I know, I will alienate all the believers who, from the height of their goodness and their compassion, will pray that I burn in hell for eternity.
But all the studies show it: over the last 20 years, the share of people who say they are non-religious has more than doubled in Canada. More than a third of Canadians (12.6 million people) reported no religious affiliation in the 2021 census.
Would it be too much to ask our leaders to leave religion aside when they speak publicly?
Pierre Poilievre believes that Jesus was the son of God, that he died on the cross to atone for our sins and that eternal life exists?
Great good for him.
But for a growing number of Canadians, these “beliefs” are fabrications.
Like saying that man was made in a laboratory by extra-terrestrials, and that these little green men chose an automotive journalist to spread their message.
- Listen to the Martineau – Dutrizac meeting between Benoît Dutrizac and Richard Martineau via QUB :
NOT A BUFFET
As the secularism activist Guy Perkins told me at the QUB microphone yesterday, we are entitled, when politicians launch into sermons like the one that Pierre Poilievre delivered on Sunday, to ask ourselves to what extent these elected officials leave their religious beliefs guide their decisions and political action.
The word of God is not a buffet where we only choose the passages that suit us.
It’s a whole thing, take it or leave it.
If God is Wisdom incarnate, he is right about everything.
However, the Bible is clear: God condemns adultery, fornication, homosexuality and considers that the soul is present in every human being from conception.
Not to mention from the moment of erection.
Does Canada’s future PM share these beliefs?
The question is legitimate.
And if he does not share them, can he tell us by what right he dares to question the convictions of his God, who created everything – including Poilievre himself?