Harper & Evangelical Capitalism
Posted: Sun May 10, 2015 10:19 amHarper & Evangelical Capitalism
[ http://www.watershedsentinel.ca/content ... capitalism ]
By: Joyce Nelson December 29, 2014
Society Jan-Feb-2015-Vol25-No1
We think of right-wing evangelical religion as an influence in American politics, but, unrecognized by the public and mostly unreported, it is a powerful influence on the Conservative caucus. That would explain the destruction of environmental policies and those omnibus bills.
When it comes to religion, most 21st century Canadians are a tolerant lot, with a “live and let live” mentality. We tend to not particularly care about other Canadians’ religious beliefs, or lack of religious beliefs, and we expect a similar tolerance in return.
But when the supposed separation of Church and State starts to erode, we take notice. As Stephen Harper gears up for the next election, some of us wonder if the massive changes to Canada that have already been perpetrated by the Harper government are connected to his religious beliefs.
In her 2010 book, The Armageddon Factor, Marci McDonald warned about the “theo-cons” (Stephen Harper’s word), who view “science and environmentalism as hostile to the Bible.”
Regarding the church that Harper has belonged to for nearly three decades – the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church – McDonald noted that its “adherents believe that the Bible is ‘inerrant’ and the Second Coming is ‘imminent’.”
That would place Harper’s church squarely in the Evangelical tradition called dominionism, those who believe in the so-called “dominion mandate” spelled out in Genesis 1:28: “And God blessed them [Adam and Eve], and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the Earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the Earth.”
Many (although not all) dominionists take that passage as a divine trump card against any thoughts about environmental protection or regulation.
In taking the Bible literally and as “inerrant” (rather than as metaphorical or symbolic truth), most dominionists also believe that the Earth is a mere 6,000 years old, and that the “end times” are not only “imminent” but welcome, because the Faithful will be “raptured” to Heaven before the Battle of Armageddon takes place in the Middle East. The handy Rapture Index at raptureready.com helps them determine just how “imminent” those end times are.
Now some Canadians are wondering: Does the Prime Minister’s Office check the Rapture Index regularly? Does Harper?
In other words, just how much has the separation of Church and State been blurred in Canada?
MORE:
[ http://www.watershedsentinel.ca/content ... capitalism ]
[ http://www.watershedsentinel.ca/content ... capitalism ]
By: Joyce Nelson December 29, 2014
Society Jan-Feb-2015-Vol25-No1
We think of right-wing evangelical religion as an influence in American politics, but, unrecognized by the public and mostly unreported, it is a powerful influence on the Conservative caucus. That would explain the destruction of environmental policies and those omnibus bills.
When it comes to religion, most 21st century Canadians are a tolerant lot, with a “live and let live” mentality. We tend to not particularly care about other Canadians’ religious beliefs, or lack of religious beliefs, and we expect a similar tolerance in return.
But when the supposed separation of Church and State starts to erode, we take notice. As Stephen Harper gears up for the next election, some of us wonder if the massive changes to Canada that have already been perpetrated by the Harper government are connected to his religious beliefs.
In her 2010 book, The Armageddon Factor, Marci McDonald warned about the “theo-cons” (Stephen Harper’s word), who view “science and environmentalism as hostile to the Bible.”
Regarding the church that Harper has belonged to for nearly three decades – the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church – McDonald noted that its “adherents believe that the Bible is ‘inerrant’ and the Second Coming is ‘imminent’.”
That would place Harper’s church squarely in the Evangelical tradition called dominionism, those who believe in the so-called “dominion mandate” spelled out in Genesis 1:28: “And God blessed them [Adam and Eve], and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the Earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the Earth.”
Many (although not all) dominionists take that passage as a divine trump card against any thoughts about environmental protection or regulation.
In taking the Bible literally and as “inerrant” (rather than as metaphorical or symbolic truth), most dominionists also believe that the Earth is a mere 6,000 years old, and that the “end times” are not only “imminent” but welcome, because the Faithful will be “raptured” to Heaven before the Battle of Armageddon takes place in the Middle East. The handy Rapture Index at raptureready.com helps them determine just how “imminent” those end times are.
Now some Canadians are wondering: Does the Prime Minister’s Office check the Rapture Index regularly? Does Harper?
In other words, just how much has the separation of Church and State been blurred in Canada?
MORE:
[ http://www.watershedsentinel.ca/content ... capitalism ]