Imagine you have set up a small business offering writing and editing services. You have printed up business cards. You are proud of the fact that a number of Christian organizations have used your services, so your website and brochure lists some glowing recommendations. You are easily identified as a Christian. Then someone comes in off the street and asks you to write a brochure or a report that violates your religious beliefs. What do you do?
Maybe some members of a New Age religion have asked you to write up a brochure for the next Psychic fair in your town. You kindly tell these folks you cannot because it would go against your conscience.
They go away unhappy and lay a complaint against you before a human rights commission on the grounds that you discriminated against them on the protected ground of religion.
What if you were asked to write a brochure advocating same-sex marriage? You belong to a religious denomination that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. You refuse on conscience grounds. You find afterwards that you have a human rights complaint laid against you for discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.
Think it can't or won't happen to you? Think you can't be targeted by activists from any range of groups that want to use the system to silence any group that is critical of them?
Take a look at this list. It is quite a litany of cases, many involving Christian expression. It is not a comprehensive list. History can and will repeat itself. That's why it is important to raise your awareness and do what you can to protect freedom of expression and freedom of religion in Canada.
1 comment:
Thanks for the wake-up call, Deborah. I admit to wanting to keep my head buried in the sand but am becoming increasingly convinced that I can't keep doing that.
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