Looking for God: an Ongoing Tale - Conservatives and Christianity
“Great to see you Tamara,” Mitch begins as he sits down for lunch at the revered Out Back Shack.
“I see you've survived the election. You did vote, didn't you?” Tamara asks. Who did you vote for? My guess is the Conservative candidate.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Er, well, I notice that Conservatives from time to time express traditional approaches to family, gender and marriage questions. And since these approaches are often connected with fundamentalist Christians and traditional Catholics, and you say you are a Christian, I thought you might vote Conservative.”
“Ok. So help me a little: How do you define a fundamentalist Christian or a traditional Catholic? Does just taking a certain view of marriage and family put you in one of those camps?” Mitch asks in response to Tamara's explanation.
Tamara takes a moment to collect her thoughts. “Well, I don't think I can say much more on what distinguishes those groups. I don't know.”
“Well, let me ask you something else. Do you think that when it comes to politics and public life that Christians are only concerned family and sexuality?”
“So, you're saying that they are concerned with other things? I kind of feel like that should be the case, but can you explain that a little more?”
“I'll try,” says Mitch. “First of all, I have a friend, someone very active in her church, who believes that God has called her to speak out for native groups in Canada such as the Lubicon in the West. She has spent her career addressing government groups and working alongside First Nations people.”
“That sounds neat. But what about other issues such as the environment, economic globalization, and government scandals?”
“The organization, A Rocha, is a worldwide community of people who see the world as God's world and engage in research and action to conserve the environment. You might check out their web site.” Mitch spells ‘A Rocha' for Tamara.
“As for the globalization of the economy, a number of Catholics and Protestant believers are working to protect the integrity of local work places, vulnerable people groups, and human rights. I don't know if I can say much about government scandals except that churches all over the planet are against them. They teach against lying and cheating in government. I sometimes wonder if the main reason we see government scandals at all is because not enough of our public servants spend time in faith communities, where taking what does not belong to you is considered a sin.”
“So what would you say to the Conservative government as it starts out?”
“Let me try to answer that. I would say, pay attention to the poor of the country. Practice compassion in the global community. Take care of the environment because it is God's, we are only its stewards and our children need a clean, safe world. Do protect marriage and family because it is one of the most powerful gifts God has given to the human community. And give all college students free tuition.”
Tamara laughs. “You don't really mean that last bit.”
“Well, at least, governments need to stay in touch with Canadian students and work alongside them in good faith.”
“So who did you vote for?”
Continued next week.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
“I see you've survived the election. You did vote, didn't you?” Tamara asks. Who did you vote for? My guess is the Conservative candidate.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Er, well, I notice that Conservatives from time to time express traditional approaches to family, gender and marriage questions. And since these approaches are often connected with fundamentalist Christians and traditional Catholics, and you say you are a Christian, I thought you might vote Conservative.”
“Ok. So help me a little: How do you define a fundamentalist Christian or a traditional Catholic? Does just taking a certain view of marriage and family put you in one of those camps?” Mitch asks in response to Tamara's explanation.
Tamara takes a moment to collect her thoughts. “Well, I don't think I can say much more on what distinguishes those groups. I don't know.”
“Well, let me ask you something else. Do you think that when it comes to politics and public life that Christians are only concerned family and sexuality?”
“So, you're saying that they are concerned with other things? I kind of feel like that should be the case, but can you explain that a little more?”
“I'll try,” says Mitch. “First of all, I have a friend, someone very active in her church, who believes that God has called her to speak out for native groups in Canada such as the Lubicon in the West. She has spent her career addressing government groups and working alongside First Nations people.”
“That sounds neat. But what about other issues such as the environment, economic globalization, and government scandals?”
“The organization, A Rocha, is a worldwide community of people who see the world as God's world and engage in research and action to conserve the environment. You might check out their web site.” Mitch spells ‘A Rocha' for Tamara.
“As for the globalization of the economy, a number of Catholics and Protestant believers are working to protect the integrity of local work places, vulnerable people groups, and human rights. I don't know if I can say much about government scandals except that churches all over the planet are against them. They teach against lying and cheating in government. I sometimes wonder if the main reason we see government scandals at all is because not enough of our public servants spend time in faith communities, where taking what does not belong to you is considered a sin.”
“So what would you say to the Conservative government as it starts out?”
“Let me try to answer that. I would say, pay attention to the poor of the country. Practice compassion in the global community. Take care of the environment because it is God's, we are only its stewards and our children need a clean, safe world. Do protect marriage and family because it is one of the most powerful gifts God has given to the human community. And give all college students free tuition.”
Tamara laughs. “You don't really mean that last bit.”
“Well, at least, governments need to stay in touch with Canadian students and work alongside them in good faith.”
“So who did you vote for?”
Continued next week.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
