Georgialee Lang points to the case of an Albertan couple wanted to adopt, the proposed TWU law school and the Canada Summer Jobs attestation requirements.
Imagine a situation where a gay couple was told they could not adopt a child because they were gay, or a Muslim couple told the same thing. . . . The outcry from the public, specific interest groups and civil liberties organizations would be searing and the media would gobble up the controversy.
But that’s exactly what occurred in Edmonton last year when an evangelical Christian couple, who otherwise qualified to bring a child into their home, were told they were “unsuitable.”
The husband had himself been adopted and when he and his wife realized they could not have their own children, they applied to adopt a child.
They jumped through all the hoops with flying colours until a social worker asked them about their views on same-sex marriage, sex before marriage and a child who may identify as the opposite gender despite the child’s biological DNA.
The couple exhibited sincere compassion as they explained their beliefs, founded on biblical principles, beliefs also held by Catholics, Muslims and Orthodox Jews. They advised the social worker that they would accept a child’s exploration but would not encourage a gay lifestyle, hoping that by providing a stable, loving home the child would follow their example.
They also recognized the reality of the legalization of same-sex marriage and were respectful, although not supportive, of the law of the land.
Despite their thoughtful responses they were advised their views were contrary to the position held by the Alberta government and that if they adopted a child they may well abandon the child.
To their rescue came lawyers with the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, which challenged the Alberta government’s Children’s Services branch on their behalf, on the ground that their Charter right to freedom of religion had been violated. That their case was righteous was obvious when shortly after the lawyers became involved the Alberta government reversed their decision.
Yes, this is another example of the ongoing attack on Christian values in Canada. Not to mention,the battle to stop a Christian law school; deny Christian groups government funding for summer student employment; and introduce LGBTQ gender ideology in public elementary schools.
Georgialee Lang has been a trial and appellate lawyer for 29 years. A graduate of UBC’s law school, she is a Canadian leader in the family law bar and was recognized in 2013 with a prestigious Lexpert Zenith Award, making her one of 60 Canadian women lawyers honoured for leadership in the profession. Three appearances as counsel in the Supreme Court of Canada have been the highlight of her legal career. She attends Broadway Church in Vancouver.
[…] couple had to get legal help before the Alberta government’s Children’s Services would allow them to adopt. Whilst respecting the law on same-sex marriage and willing to support a child’s exploration of […]
Christians have been oppressed since Jesus went back in to heaven. The difference is that they did not hide in a church building for a couple of hours once a week, and then go out and live like the world. So-called believers today commit all sorts of sins in a ‘God will forgive you even if you know what you are doing is wrong attitude.’
We are supposed to be a light for the world, showing Jesus in us. We do not pray but turn to ‘demonstrations and other worldly means’ when the Bible says we do not fight against flesh and blood, and the weapons of our warfare are not carnal.
We may be under attack, so let’s fight back in prayer, healing the sick, casting out demons and preaching the word just like the early church.
I’m just hearing that something is going on in Canada concerning the rights of Christians. I like your answer. When we start behaving as followers/disciples of Christ with our actions instead of just professing to be Christians, we’ll have a fighting chance to hold on to our freedoms.
Prayer and walking in what we’ve learned will help us to be ready when Jesus comes back for His bride, the true church.
Praying for America, Canada, India and the nations.
As a Christian I can see that the freedom of religion in Canada is under attack. It is told in the Bible that this is going to happen shortly before the end of this world. In the end times Satan will convince the world that God’s word is wrong and destructive to society, while the opposite is actually true. Everything God says is true and beneficial to mankind.
I see the world buying into Satan’s plans. As a Christian I believe as God’s word states. Christians are supposed to denounce this Satanic influence (LGTBQ) on a Godly society. Christians must renounce homosexuality and sexual impurities in society. A proper response from a Christian is to rebuke and renounce the sin the person commits, but to show love and compassion to the person as well as to show them the error of their ways.
But society has taken the position that anything that speaks out against this sinful life style is hate. It is not hate . It is just our Godly duty and values. I personally am looking for a way to oppose the LGTBQ movement and get all laws giving rights to this group revoked. I don’t hate LGTBQ people, just their immoral actions and attempts to undermine God in society.
Thanks for your article and the ability to comment here. God bless you, in Jesus holy name, Amen.
Leaving aside whether or not the criteria for adoption in Alberta was proper or reasonable and ignoring the fact that, by the end of this article, it is made clear that the decision, reasonable or not was reversed, the idea that Christian values are especially under attack is a tired trope.
In answer to the very first question of the article, it is actually quite easy to imagine a Muslim couple being told that they could not adopt a child were they to have answered the questions asked of them in the same manner as this Christian couple.
Again, leaving aside whether the questions were reasonable or not, the fact that they were asked at all suggests, perhaps, that religious values generally are under attack but not that Christian values specifically are.
Thank you Georgialee!! The decision of the court re: TWU and its Supreme Court loss is beyond understanding and speaks to the power of the LGBTQ gender lobby, but also to a push against Christianity that is worse than any current bias against the LGBTQ community, which is actually being embraced as a politically correct cause and celebrated.
There seems to be a choice intentionally to not gain a proper understanding of “evangelical” or of TWU as a university community or of its Community Covenant. The Globe and Mail did the best effort to properly cover this issue, but these key points need to be walked out a little better for the public at large.
I worked for nine years at TWU as Student Media Advisor in the Student Life department, and with at least one self-identified gay student and I can say that the idea that the community would be harmful to someone from the LGBTQ community is beyond ridiculous.
I know if a self-identified Christian believer in a gay community, I’d be at much more risk of prejudice and “whispering about,” the worst that they could find gay alumni could say about their time at TWU. And we’re talking 17 – 22 year olds brought up in conservative homes.
There’s lots you could say about the experience of a gay individual at TWU now, but harmful is not one of them. The gay student I worked with, as much as he struggled with Christians who would not embrace his lifestyle, had signed the covenant and stayed on because he felt accepted and loved being part of the community.
How does that square with harm? It doesn’t. The Supreme Court was bent to a lobby and put aside true justice. It’s wrong and the bias against those of the Christian faith vis a vis any other group is downright scary.