[Robin Mathews]

<strong>Written By:</strong> Robin Mathews
<strong>Date:</strong> 2007-08-21 14:02:00
<a href="/article/10159365-stephen-harper-the-canwest-monopoly-propaganda-machine">Article Link</a>

Does writer Douglas Todd ask any real political questions? Not one. Don’t be silly. It’s CanWest, stupid. <P> To suggest Todd should ask real questions is like suggesting the man I call “Gordon Campbell’s personal representative at the Vancouver Sun, Vaughn Palmer” should do a searching investigation of the CN/BC cabinet (perhaps criminal) handling of the Prince George CN train disaster. Palmer, after all, is only the Vancouver Sun’s senior political columnist. Don’t expect real journalism from him (or any CanWest employee). <P> So Douglas Todd spends two pages on Stephen Harper’s Christian fundamentalist membership in what is, essentially, a U.S., missioning fundamentalist church. It was founded in the U.S. Its headquarters have always been in the U.S., now in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Recently, its logo was updated to include a globe in the background – what some call an announcement of Spiritual Imperialism. Nowhere, however, does Todd tell you any of that. Nowhere does he tell you it is a church very largely supportive of George W. Bush and U.S. expansionist policy. Nowhere does he tell you its ideas and policies are U.S., not Canadian. <P> Nowhere does he tell you the majority of Canadian Christian fundamentalists belong to U.S. branch-plant churches or have U.S. fundamentalist roots. Todd writes – in an unconnected way - of “the denomination’s leaders” (of Stephen Harper’s church). But he doesn’t say those leaders are, in fact, in the U.S.A. <P> Does Douglas Todd mislead readers? You judge. Preston Manning is the son of fundamentalist, long-time Alberta premier, Ernest Manning, a radio preacher and a tight supporter of U.S. reactionary politics. With Preston, Ernest Manning worked to Americanize Canadian politics and to push them towards narrow, reactionary ideas. Does Todd tell you that? Of course not. Rather he writes: Stephen Harper “became involved with the then-new Reform party of Preston Manning, an evangelical radio preacher”.(C11). Is Todd confusing father and son? I know a lot about Preston Manning. His having been a radio preacher I forgot – or he never was one. Anyway, that is the least important thing about Preston’s lifelong drive to the Right, to U.S. Republicanism, to his fawning attitude to the U.S., and his willingness to curb Canadian freedoms. <P> Todd mentions none of those things. <P> Stephen Harper’s church wants – aggressively – everybody to be Christian. That should make Todd ask if Christian missioning connects Harper and fundamentalist George Bush. He doesn’t ask. Harper disapproves of Canadian Social Insurance, in fact, but Todd won’t say it in those words. (C1) And Harper “trusts in the free market”. Those two things mean – though Todd won’t say it – that Harper is a Capitalist fundamentalist and a Christian fundamentalist, in equal parts. Is that why Canada is in Afghanistan – to kill Canadian soldiers and Afghan Muslims for Christ and the U.S. Stock Market? Todd won’t ask that question. <P> Key “experts” who Todd interviews are from the U.S.A. – Purdue University and Notre Dame University. That’s because Stephen Harper’s church is, essentially, a U.S., reactionary, U.S.-power supporting church. So you go to U.S. experts to ask questions about it. <P> Get that clear. The “Christian and Missionary Alliance Church” of Stephen Harper and Preston Manning is essentially a U.S. and U.S.-inspired church for which the prejudices and policies of U.S. society provide a yardstick for the world. Two U.S. policies are (1) to loot Canada of its wealth and (2) to subjugate ordinary Canadians. Todd doesn’t tell you that, and he doesn’t ask what Harper is doing in what is, essentially, a U.S. church. <p> I guess the final questions have to be (1) how can all those CanWest employees pretend they’re journalists, and (2) how have they got the guts to stay in the Leonard Asper’s CanWest Planetary Monopoly Propaganda Machine? Maybe they hope it will be a jumping-off place to become press secretary to Stephen Harper, or Stockwell Day, or Christian and Missionary Alliance pietist Diane Ablonczy – now, like Day, a Harper cabinet minister.

[sthompson]

I just can't quite follow Robin on this one.

OK, there should be more coverage of the rail issues in BC and what they have to do with US ownership and integration.

But I think it's actually quite important to expose the particular brand of Christian faith underpinning our current government, which as the article points out Harper and Preston Manning downplay quite possibly because it would be politically damaging if it was exposed--the article provides much evidence to show that Canadians don't agree with what can be gleaned about Harper's religious convictions and that they fear his sort of Christianity, esp in their politicians.

When I ran in the last election for the NDP, my Conservative opponent Chris Warkentin literally bused people out from the local Bible college for the biggest all-candidates' forum in Grande Prairie--they remain his biggest supporters, and he won, of course. The religious basis of current federal policy may have important implications for our country (and how Harper shares these convictions with his US counterparts) so should certainly be brought to light.

And I can't quite agree with criticizing the reporter for not asking Harper important political questions when it states in the article Harper wouldn't answer the Sun about whether his faith informs his opinions on policy (an important question, I think):

"The Alliance Church is also tough on divorce and holds that Christians who have been adulterous do not have a right to remarry. The denomination's leaders, in addition, oppose abortion, stem-cell research, euthanasia, the use of marijuana and ordained female clergy. When Trask told his suburban Calgary congregation during a recent Sunday sermon about RockPointe's mission to be 'relentlessly focused on the lost,' he was reflecting the Alliance Church's belief in the need to rescue non-Christians from damnation. The Canadian church's website features a list of sample prayers 'for the lost,' so members can pray for sinful on-Christians they hope Jesus Christ will save from 'eternal damnation.' Harper doesn't respond to journalists, including those from The Vancouver Sun, who want to ask whether he shares such Alliance Church doctrines."

and

"Harper, the 48-year-old leader of a minority Conservative government, virtually never talks publicly about his Christian beliefs. As a result, those who are curious about his spiritual views resort to visiting Harper's friends, such as Trask, and congregations like RockPointe -- which belongs to the Christian and Missionary Alliance denomination, with which Harper has been connected for about two decades."

However, some of the information Robin raised about Harper's church and its ties to the US was interesting.



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Once it was decided that Canada was to be a branch-plant society of American capitalism, the issue of Canadian nationalism had been settled.--George Grant

[SphinxMontreal]

Aaahhh yes, those Christian FunnyMentalists, probably some of the most
judgmental and hypocritical people on the face of this planet. From day one,
everyone with half a brain could see that Harper is just a puppet for the
American regime, doing everything in his power to transform Canada into an
American satellite nation.

"I guess the final questions have to be (1) how can all those CanWest
employees pretend they’re journalists, and (2) how have they got the guts to
stay in the Leonard Asper’s CanWest Planetary Monopoly Propaganda
Machine?"

1) They're not journalists, they're actors following the same bullsh** script.

2) This one is easy. A paycheck and a comfy job down the road is more
important to these sellout "actors" than the future of their families and their
country. In summary, these characters are part of the problem, not the
solution.

Unfortunately for the masses, today's mainstream journalism is just as
corrupt as the rest of corporate society. And the worst part is, our "leaders"
are condoning and encouraging this filthy brand of "journalism."

[sthompson]

I can't speak for all journalists of course, but I have some empathy for journalists because corporate ownership makes it tough for even good journalists to do good work. Journalists actually tend to be more educated and lefty in this country according to the accepted knowledge, but if no one will print what you write, what good does it do? I had a piece edited by the powers that be while working at a little ag paper up north here just for mentioning that half the workers at a new honey plant were from Nicaragua, even as the owners trumpeted how many local jobs it created. I think it was about two lines in a much longer piece and they were hardly negative, but out they went. Conrad Black forbid you try to publish something with teeth and a conscience. As a journalist you don't choose what gets published, and it can be career suicide to try to ask tough questions. It won't change until the consoldiated ownership of most of the media is broken up.

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Once it was decided that Canada was to be a branch-plant society of American capitalism, the issue of Canadian nationalism had been settled.--George Grant

[RPW]

The CBC headline: <b>"Human error blamed in Prince George CN crash"</b> nailed it cold. <p>But the "error" in question is CN's funneling money into profits, at the expense of wages, maintenance, and upgrades..........</p><p>---<br>"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." <br />
-Max Planck<br />
<br />

[Deacon]

I have some questions for Mr Matthews:

1) Please explain the use of the phrase "Prince George NC Rail disaster" to describe a collision between two trains in which no one was injured.

I ask because, while I didn't see the actual crash, I did see the burning trains and heard the roar of the pressure release valves from across the river.

As did hundreds of my fellow citizens, and none of us were impressed, nor do we in general believe the CN spin on things presented later.

What exactly did YOU see with your own two eyes?


Also concerning you statement:

"Get that clear. The “Christian and Missionary Alliance Church” of Stephen Harper and Preston Manning is essentially a U.S. and U.S.-inspired church for which the prejudices and policies of U.S. society provide a yardstick for the world. Two U.S. policies are (1) to loot Canada of its wealth and (2) to subjugate ordinary Canadians. Todd doesn’t tell you that, and he doesn’t ask what Harper is doing in what is, essentially, a U.S. church."

I ask that you please provided proof of this.

I am no right winger, nor am I an apologist for any charismatic or penetecostal organization, nor do I belong to any such organization.

Nor am I any fan of Manning, Day, Harper or any other subscriber to dominionist theology.

What I am, however, is someone who wants proof when someone makes essentially blanket statements.

Therefore I ask you to provide links to said proof.

I may find it useful in my own dealings with those types.




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If George W. Bush and Tony Blair are really Christians, then pork and shrimp are Kosher.