Bad fruit from false prophets in Malawi leads government to consider regulating religious practices

Unquestioningly accepting the pronouncements of alleged prophets instead of being a Berean and checking them against the Bible (Acts 17:11) is always a bad idea. If religious freedom ends up being restricted in Malawi, it will be because of the words and actions of the false prophets. It doesn't say much for the discernment of the followers of these false prophets that they're less able to recognize false teachers than are government authorities. Perceptive readers can't help but notice a disproportionate number of women among the false prophets mentioned in the following articles.

As reported by Thomas Kachere in the Malawi Times News, July 12, 2024:

Fifty-two-year-old Ebel Manyamul has been paralysed for almost his entire life.

His facts of life are that when he was aged three, he suffered from leprosy.

From then on, he has been physically challenged.

Just that, as a member of a Christian fellowship, Manyamula held on to the faith that, one day, he would walk again.

Ans the 'good news' he had been waiting for came on Tuesday, April 16, this year when Manyamula, who comes from Mangirani Village in Chriadzulu District, heard that a servant of God from Nsanje, Prophetess Jersey Window, would be in his village for a night-long prayer session.

Scriptures were recited and songs of praise sang.

Before long, some of the congregants started testifying about what God had done to their lives, changing their lives from bad to good.

When it came to Manyamula's turn, the prophetess prayed for him, surrounded by some congregants who were trampling on his feet, as ordered by the Prophetess.

This is according to the version from the court that handled the case.

A medical report in our possession shows that, after the activities of April 16 this year, Ebel had 12 stitches for wounds on both legs.

According to Ebel's brother Joseph, Ebel became physically challenged when he was...3.

"We were saddened with the development," he said.

Times, which was the first media house to break the story online--nmely on Times 360 Malawi--managed to engage the prophetess on the issue before she was arrested and taken to court.

In that interview, Window indicated that she was ready "to die for Jesus Christ."

Before long, Chiradzulu Police Station officers arrested her.

The prophetess was remanded to Blantyre Prison, also known as Chichiri, as confirmed by Edward Kabango, spokesperson for South East Region Police.

They also arrested two more suspects, namely 32-year-old Veronica Wyson and 30-year-old Marita Wyson from Mangirani Village, Traditional Authority Nchema, in Chiradzulu District for causing grievous bodily harm to Ebel.

Then on Thursday, May 30, 2024, Chiradzulu First Grade Magistrate Smart Maruwasa convicted the three and ordered them to pay K150,000.00 each.

He ordered that the money be used for compensating the victim.

Meanwhile, Centre for Human Rights Education Advice and Assistance Executive Director Victor Mhango has condemned men and women of God who go beyond limits.

"Justice should be seen to be done, even on people of God who go beyond the limits," Mhango said.

As reported by Pemphero Malimba of the Malawi Times News, August 14, 2024:

Amid troubling incidents involving harm or death in the name of religious healings and exorcisms, the Centre for Human Rights Education, Advice and Assistance (Chreaa) has renewed calls for the government to regulate practices of religious leaders in the country.

Last month, a four-year-old child, who was purportedly a prophetess in Kasungu, allegedly instructed her 40-year-old mother, Ireen Banda, to flog four children who had sickle cell anaemia and Down syndrome as a supposed cure.

Banda, who remains in police custody, is alleged to have severely beaten the children all over their bodies, leading to their deaths.

In April this year, police in Chiradzulu arrested a 74-year-old female preacher, Jessie Window, for allegedly directing members of her ministry to straighten the legs of a man with a physical disability in an attempt to heal him through "prayers."

The man sustained injuries and was hospitalised for several days.

These incidents, among others, have ignited debate about regulating religious practices while respecting the freedom of worship.

In an interview Tuesday, Chreaa Executive Director Victor Mhango said such regulation would help alleviate the challenges some Malawians face due to the misconduct of certain religious leaders.

"Many Malawians are being deceived and some have been assaulted, harassed and even sexually abused by so-called men of God.

"We believe the government is aware of these issues; so, we are calling on it to ensure that these religious institutions are regulated," Mhango said.

He added that many people in the country accept whatever comes from religious leaders as the true word of God.

"It is high time Malawians recognised that many of these individuals are false prophets, merely advancing their own agendas," Mhango charged.

Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM) General Secretary Reverend Francis Mkandawire supports these calls.

Mkandawire emphasised the need for increased dialogue between the government and religious bodies.

"Regulation is unavoidable at this point. The government must implement it.

"However, we recommend that if regulations are introduced, there must be extensive consultations with religious bodies to address the issues," Mkandawire said.

He cautioned that failing to consult may infringe on the rights of legitimate religious groups.

"If the government introduces regulations without consultations, it may impose restrictions on religious bodies that are operating properly," he added.

Public Affairs Committee Publicity Secretary Bishop Gilford Matonga prefers self-regulation within the religious sector.

Matonga said if all churches or institutions were affiliated with religious mother bodies, such as the Episcopal Conference of Malawi, the Malawi Council of Churches and EAM, these organisations could discipline members who act contrary to religious teaching.

"At present, people can choose whether or not to join these bodies," Matonga said.

He also highlighted the need for a dedicated government ministry for religious affairs.

"Currently, we have only a presidential adviser on religious affairs, which is inadequate. A ministry that could formulate policies would be more effective if the policies were developed with input from the community," Matonga said.

Minister of Information Moses Kunkuyu said the government would consider calls for the regulation of religious practices, provided it does not impact legitimate spiritual practices.

"Any criminal activity by a pastor or an ordinary person is punishable by law. If a sector, perceived as sacred, requires regulation to prevent it from evading legal scrutiny, we need to address it.

"However, if the regulation does not affect genuine spiritual practice, we should engage in that conversation," Kunkuyu said.

This was how demon-possessed criminals were dealt with in the Canadian Arctic in the 1920s

This has long been one of my favourite headlines; as reported in the Edmonton Bulletin, October 2, 1929 (capitals, bold in original).

ESKIMO GETS RELIGION AND SLAYS THREE

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Insane Native Then Pushed Through Hole In Ice By Tribesmen

Canadian Press

OTTAWA, Oct. 2--Believed by the authorities to have been a victim of the wave of religious mania, which swept over this lonely land about ten years ago, a young Eskimo inhabitant of the interior of the southern portion of Baffin Land became demented and shot and killed his two parents and a young woman relation. He shot at but missed his brother. The Eskimo tribe of which he was formerly a law-abiding member, kept him in close confinement through a long winter but in the spring, after he had twice escaped their vigilance, pushed him through a hole and drowned him beneath the ice of the sub-Arctic.

The story, almost unbelievable in its complications forms a part of a routine report of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers at Lake Harbor, Baffin Land, and will be incorporated in the annual report of the R.C.M.P. now being prepared at headquarters here.

Sergeant J.F.C. White in charge of the detachment at Lake Harbor reported that last winter, accompanied by Constable P. Dersch he made a long patrol through a section of southern Baffin Island where white men were unknown before the great war. He learned the story from the tribe in which the tragedy occurred.

Heard Voice From Heaven

The report stated that Mako Gliak, a young man became obsessed with the idea that he was a purifier of his race. He told his relatives he had heard a voice from Heaven telling him to kill all his people. He promptly proceeded to put this mission into operation.

The names of those he murdered were not ascertained by the police, although they were told Mako's parents and a young woman related to him were shot before the rest of the tribe overpowered him.

As Mako was obviously under a devilish spell, the Eskimos did not know what to do with him. The nearest post, Lake Harbor, was 500 miles away, and they had no means of making such a long journey with a madman. They bound him up with thongs of sealskin and kept him under guard in an igloo all winter. About March of the following year (1926) members of the group decided that they could not keep him any longer. They told police the men of the tribe were all worn out, by this time in maintaining a sharp vigilance lest Mako should escape and continue his crazy plan.

Pushed Through Ice

They summoned him before a meeting of the whole family one day, and told him he had to die. The gave him his choice of the manner of death. He could be shot, stabbed, or drowned--whichever he preferred.

But Mako did not widh to die, they told police. However his end was decided upon, and a hole was made in the ice. He was pushed through this and river currents carried him to his death.

No official action is contemplated, officials of the R.C.M.P. said. In making public the report from the north.

It is believed that the Eskimo tribe was actuated by motives of self-defence. Such occurrences are not unknown in the territory patrolled by Canada's silent watchmen of the North.

The district in which the deaths occurred is on a river which runs from Adjuak Lake into Nellfilling Lake in southern Baffin Land. The first white man to cross this lonely land was a German, and two years after the Great War it was penetrated again by Major L.T. Burwash, noted Canadian Arctic investigator of the Yukon and Northwest Territories branch. Occasionally since that time, R.C.M.P. officers have patrolled the district but no white man has visited the scene since the fall of 1925 when the youth went mad.

R.C.M.P. officials said a religious mania of this nature is not uncommon among the semi-civilized peoples of the north.

Flashback: 1998, 2001--more examples of sin finding people out

...and be sure your sin will find you out. Numbers 32:23b

How embarrassing...as reported by Sun Media and published in The Edmonton Sun, February 11, 1998:

OTTAWA--A retired priest suffered a heart attack during a private showing in a Quebec strip bar, police said yesterday.

Jean-Paul Snyder died last Wednesday in the Champagne Room in Le Mandarin, a strip club in Mont Laurier, about 125 km northeast of Ottawa.

The 71-year-old priest, who was in his street clothes at the time, collapsed at about 10:30 p.m. The dancer, who performed for him in the private room and other club employees tried to revive him before the ambulance arrived.

"Snyder had a lengthy cardiac history," said said Quebec provincial police Const. Gilles Couture.

The priest was pronounced dead upon arrival at hospital.

Snyder retired from the priesthood in 1992 for "health reasons," said Ottawa Archdiocese spokesman Guy Levac.

Archbishop Marcel Gervais' first thoughts were for Snyder's family when he found out the circumstances surrounding the retired priest's death.

"If on occasion a person makes mistakes or shows a lack of judgment, that does not erase the good done in their life," Gervais said in a statement.

As reported by Associated Press and Canadian Press, and repoted in The Edmonton Sun, April 20, 2001:

Colleagues of a Russian professor, described as a rising star in international law, were shocked yesterday when told he died in Newfoundland after cocaine-filled balloons burst in his stomach.

Gennady Danilenko, who taught at Wayne State University in Detroit, was on his way to Detroit from Amsterdam on Sunday when he became gravely ill aboard a transatlantic flight.

The airliner was diverted to Goose Bay, Nfld., where Danilenko, 45, was taken to hospital. Doctors removed a dozen balloons from his body and he died Wednesday.

An autopsy revealed six of the cocaine-filled balloons had ruptured.

"We were shocked by his death," said Joan Mahoney, dean of the Wayne State law school.

100 years ago--Roman Catholic priests in Michigan settle their differences

A direct approach in resolving personal differences is often very effective, as with this example reported in the Edmonton Bulletin, April 13, 1923 (bold in original):

PRIEST KILLED BY ANOTHER AT KALAMAZOO

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Slayer Says He Was "Driven to Fury" by Alleged Ill-Treatment

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KALAMAZOO, Mich., April 12.--The Rev. Father Charles Dillon, 56, assistant rector of St. Augustine's Roman Catholic Church, shot and killed Rev. Father Henry O'Neill, rector of the church, as they sat at the dinner table tonight, then calmly went to the telephone and notified the police and coroner.

Dillon fired four shots, all of which took effect. As Father O'Neill fell dead, Dillon turned to the Rev. Father McCollough, the only witness of the tragedy, and handed him a phial containing holy oils with the request that he administer the sacrament of extreme unction at once.

According to a statement, the assistant rector is said to have told the police and county officers he was "driven to fury" by alleged ill-treatment at the hands of the dead priest. Rev. Father O'Neill was a graduate of Assumption college, Sandwich, Ontario.

A gun and holy oils for extreme unction are strange things to bring to the dinner table, which leads this blogger to use his Sherlockian detective powers and deduce that Rev. Dillon's act was premeditated.

Hippos are now legally recognized as persons in the United States, but unborn humans aren't

More evidence that you can't be a satirist anymore, as reported by Amy Cheng of The Washington Post, October 26, 2021 (links in original):

Some 100 hippos, descended from a herd smuggled into Colombia by the notorious drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, are now recognized by a U.S. court as “interested persons” following a decision this month that is believed to be the first of its kind in the United States.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund, which sought the interested persons designation for the “cocaine hippos,” called the ruling by a judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio a “critical milestone” in its larger effort to have the American legal system recognize “enforceable rights” for animals.

Legal analysts say the U.S. court order has no direct effect in Colombia. It remains to be seen what influence the ruling might have on a lawsuit there seeking to safeguard the hippos’ well-being.

Escobar smuggled several hippos onto his estate in the 1980s. Their wild descendants now roam the wetlands north of Bogotá, where they are the largest invasive species on the planet. Colombia had considered culling them, but Luis Domingo Gómez Maldonado, an animal rights lawyer, filed the lawsuit to prevent their being killed.

Colombian authorities have since said they will instead sterilize the herd with a chemical contraceptive called GonaCon, which was developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The United States has donated dozens of doses of the chemical, used to sterilize animals such as horses and deer, to Colombia.

Now Gómez is seeking to have the hippos treated with a contraceptive that has already been used on the species. GonaCon has not been tested for hippo sterilization.

Ariel Flint, a staff attorney for the Animal Legal Defense Fund, said the federal court’s order is “narrow,” in that its purpose is to allow two U.S. wildlife experts to be deposed in support of the legal proceedings in Colombia. But their testimony is “critical in ensuring that the hippos are sterilized in a humane way, and in proving that sterilization is an effective option for any hippos that may yet be euthanized,” he wrote in an email to The Washington Post.

Escobar brought four hippos to his Colombia estate, Hacienda Nápoles, to add to his private collection of exotic animals, which also included ostriches, giraffes and elephants. After his death in 1993, the hippos were left to their own devices. They lived along the Magdalena River and ballooned to the current population of as many as 120.

The biggest community of hippos outside their native Africa, the semiaquatic mammals prospered in the absence of natural predators in South America. Favorable weather in the region may have induced them to reproduce at a younger age, researchers say.

Gómez, the Colombian lawyer, has praised his country’s jurisprudential attitude toward animals. Colombian courts characterize them as “sentient beings” entitled to some rights, the legal academic Macarena Montes Franceschini wrote in the Journal of Animal Ethics.

In 2018, a Colombian court granted legal personhood status to part of the Amazon rainforest in a landmark decision that urged the government to put an end to the region’s deforestation crisis.

Of course, it's horribly bigoted to refer to the hippos as an "invasive species," rather than as "undocumented immigrants" bringing "diversity" to the swamps of Colombia.

140 years ago: U.S. President James A. Garfield dies after being shot by a pseudo-Christian utopian socialist

On September 19, 1881, James A. Garfield, 20th President of the United States of America, died at the age of 49. He had been shot in the back on July 2 at a train station in Washington. His wound was probably survivable, and it's been speculated that his death resulted not so much from the wound as from infection caused by poking and prodding by his doctors with unwashed hands using unsterilized instruments in an effort to find the bullet.

Mr. Garfield had taken office on March 4 and had made civil service reform a priority of his presidency. The assassin, Charles Guiteau, was an unsuccessful lawyer from Chicago who has been largely passed over in the history books as simply a deranged office-seeker. However, the history books have overlooked, as Paul Harvey would say, "The rest of the story."

Charles Guiteau, the fourth of six children, was born on September 8, 1841 in Freeport, Illinois and moved with his family to Ulao, Wisconsin in 1850, moving back to Freeport with his father after his mother died in 1855. He failed the entrance examinations for the University of Michigan, and abandoned remedial studies.

Mr. Guiteau's father Luther was closely affiliated with the Oneida Community in Oneida, New York. The United States of the mid-19th century contained a number of utopian sects, and the Oneida Community, founded by John Humphrey Noyes in 1848, was one of them. Mr. Noyes was influenced by the preaching of Charles G. Finney, the "Father of American revivalism," and underwent a religious conversion at the age of 20 in 1831; he claimed to be a Christian, but eventually embraced the unbiblical doctrine that believers can attain sinless perfection in this life. He studied at Dartmouth College, Andover Theological Seminary, and Yale Theological College, and while at Yale, came to the conclusion that the second coming of Christ had occurred in A.D. 70 and that "mankind was now living in a new age."

Mr. Noyes was a Perfectionist--he believed that it was possible for man to be free from sin in this lifetime--and on February 20, 1834, he declared himself perfect and free from sin. Mr. Noyes' declaration provoked outrage from Yale Theological College, and he was expelled and stripped of his recently-earned license to preach. Mr. Noyes returned home to Putney, Vermont, where he continued to preach his Perfectionist doctrines. In 1847 he was arrested for adultery, and he and some followers fled to Oneida, where he established a community in 1848, raising canned fruits and vegetables, and achieving success in various industries, including the silverware trade. The Oneida Community, which practiced communalism, complex marriage, male sexual continence, and mutual criticism, grew to over 300 members by 1878, and had branches in other locales.

Charles Guiteau joined the Oneida Community in June 1860 at the age of 18, and expressed perfect confidence in Mr. Noyes and his teachings. Despite the community's practice of group marriage, Mr. Guiteau was generally rejected by women during his five years there. He left twice, returning once and then leaving for good, filing several lawsuits against Mr. Noyes, demanding payment for work he had done on behalf of the community. Mr. Guiteau studied law, but failed in a brief career as a lawyer and at several other jobs. He met and married librarian Annie Bunn in 1869, but was abusive to her. Mr. Guiteau eventually reinvented himself as a theologian, although his writing on the subject was largely plagiarized from Mr. Noyes. He was increasingly convinced that his actions--which included defrauding clients--were divinely inspired, but by 1875 Luther Guiteau was convinced that his son was possessed by Satan.

Charles Guiteau turned his interest to politics, originally supporting former President U.S. Grant for the 1880 U.S. Republican Party presidential nomination, and then supporting Mr. Garfield after the latter won the nomination. Mr. Guiteau believed his support had been crucial to Mr. Garfield's electoral victory, and made repeated personal requests--always rebuffed--for a consulship in Paris. By July 2, 1881, Mr. Guiteau was convinced that God wanted Mr. Garfield "removed."

In contrast to today, justice was swift in 1881. On October 14, Mr. Guiteau was charged with murder. His trial began on November 17; a plea of temporary insanity was unsuccessful, and he was convicted on January 25, 1882 and sentenced to death. On June 1, he composed a lengthy poem claiming that God had commanded him to kill President Garfield in order to prevent Secretary James G. Blaine’s "scheming" to war with Chile and Peru. Mr. Guiteau also accused Chester Arthur, who had succeeded Mr. Garfield as President, of the "basest ingratitude" for not pardoning him when he knew that the death of Mr. Garfield had saved the United States.

Mr. Guiteau was hanged in Washington, D.C. on June 30, 1882 at the age of 40. While on the scaffold, he recited a poem he had composed titled I am Going to the Lordy.

Oklahoma pastor's wife charged in his murder as evidence of their involvement in a love triangle is revealed

...and be sure your sin will find you out. Numbers 32:23b

As reported by Nolan Clay of the Oklahoma City Oklahoman, March 26, 2021 (updated March 29, 2021):

ADA — Last Sunday morning, Harmony Church pastor Dave Evans preached about attacks from the devil and all he and his wife had overcome to be victorious in life.

Hours later, he was killed at his home in bed.

His wife, Kristie Evans, 47, called 911 at 1:11 a.m. Monday and reported an intruder had shot her husband.

Now, she has confessed to a role in the murder, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation announced Friday.

She was arrested Thursday at the Ada Police Department.

In her confession Thursday, she admitted she recruited a lover to kill her husband, provided him with a gun and bullets, and left the backdoor unlocked for him to enter the house, an OSBI agent reported in an arrest affidavit.

She said she had to urge him to "proceed with the plan" after finding him crouched down in the dining room and worrying about making too much noise, the agent reported.

She said she waited in the living room until she heard a "pop" from the bedroom, according to the affidavit. She said she then called for help from her side of the bed after her lover ran out the backdoor.

The second suspect, Kahlil Deamie Square, 26, was arrested at a residence in Newalla Thursday night, the OSBI said.

The investigation found that the pastor and his wife were leading a secret life as swingers.

The two had met Square at a Super 8 for sex "on more than one occasion" since their first encounter months ago, the OSBI agent reported in the arrest affidavit.

"On one of those occasions, Kristie secretly dropped her phone number on the floor for Kahlil," the agent reported. "Kristie continued to communicate by phone daily with Kahlil without David's knowledge."

She spoke to Ada police and the OSBI multiple times after the shooting. In one interview, she admitted Square stayed the night with her March 17, 18 and 19 while her husband was on a mission trip to Mexico, according to the affidavit.

She claimed in another interview that her husband was verbally abusive and called her names like "slut, fat, ugly and whore," according to the affidavit. She said she had told Square about the mistreatment and he had responded, "Damn." She also told him "it would be nice to have more freedom."

She told her daughter on Thursday before confessing to the OSBI that she had "begged" Square to kill her husband, according to the affidavit.

In his sermon Sunday morning, Dave Evans preached about being a witness for God.

"Who’s believing in Jesus because of us?" he asked. "And if we’re doing anything in that direction, expect for the enemy to come to destroy you. So don’t be shocked and start whining and crying. Expect it. Be prepared for it. If the devil is not attacking you, there is a reason. If the devil is attacking you, there is a reason.”

The pastor was pronounced dead at his home Monday from a gunshot wound to the head. He was 50.

The OSBI and Ada police used surveillance videos from a next-door neighbor's home, a bank and a marijuana dispensary to place Square's car in Ada on the night of the shooting, according to the affidavit.

“OSBI agents from across the state worked tirelessly on this investigation for days," OSBI Director Ricky Adams said Friday. "With the help of OSBI intelligence analysts and multiple law enforcement agencies, the suspects ... are in custody.

As reported by Jacklyn Chappell of Oklahoma City television station KFOR, March 26, 2021 (updated March 28, 2021) (links in original):

ADA, Okla. – Two arrests were made in the murder of Ada pastor David Evans. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation tells KFOR his wife, Kristie Evans, was arrested Wednesday after confessing to his murder and an accomplice, Kahlil Square, was also arrested for murder. All three of them were allegedly involved in a love triangle.

“A couple of months ago is when the three of them first met up,” said Capt. Beth Green, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

David’s wife, Kristie Evans, along with alleged accomplice Kahlil Square, were found responsible for David’s death.

“The three of them, Kristie, Kahlil and David, had a sexual relationship. Kristie and Kahlil also had a separate sexual relationship, just the two of them,” Green said.

David was the pastor of Harmony Freewill Baptist Church in Ada. OSBI was brought into investigate on Monday after Kristie called 9-1-1, reporting an intruder had come into their home and shot David.

“She came back on her own accord yesterday to the Ada Police Department and confessed. Prior to that, she had been interviewed several times,” Green said.

Court documents say the couple “first met Kahlil months ago at a Super 8 Motel.”

The documents also say “Kristie, David, and Kahlil had sex at a Super 8 Motel on more than one occasion.”

Kristie secretly gave Kahlil her phone number without David’s knowledge.

Then just last week, Kahlil stayed over at Kristie’s house, while David was away on a mission trip to Mexico. That’s when the murder was planned.

“The plan was for Kahlil to come into the house in the middle of the night and shoot David with the gun and ammunition that actually belonged to David that Kristie had given Kahlil,” Green said.

Neighbors gave investigators surveillance footage showing what was allegedly Kahlil’s white Ford Mustang at the house the night of David’s death.

Kristie shared a post to her Facebook page on the day before the murder, saying David had sent her specialty-made necklaces while he was in Mexico. The post saying in part, “So, every day, I opened a card and was reminded of how blessed, loved and lucky I am!!! I love you so much, David!!!!”

But she told OSBI a different story, saying David would call her names like “slut,” “fat” and “ugly.”

“What she told agents was that he was verbally abusive and controlling of her,” Green said.

David also shared a post to Facebook on the morning before his death saying, “Live your life so that people realize we are no longer dead, but are alive again.”

Harmony Freewill Baptist Church sent KFOR the following statement on Friday:

“Harmony Free Will Baptist Church has been grieving the death of our Pastor, David Evans, over the last few days. The circumstances that are now coming to light have taken us by surprise and we are greatly saddened. We serve a perfect Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave His life for us. These revelations do not diminish that truth and we will continue to serve Him. We are aware that even pastors can succumb to human frailty and we ask that our privacy be respected at this time as we as a church family grieve and process all of these events.”
- HARMONY FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH SPOKESPERSON

Both Kristie and Khalil are facing first-degree murder charges. Kahlil was found in Newalla on Thursday night and booked into the Cleveland County Detention Center while Kristie currently sits in the Pontotoc County Detention Center.

The Harmony Church website contains information on what to expect on your first visit, but no events are scheduled, and no information on the church's doctrine or leadership is provided.

Crimes against church buildings in Saskatchewan are increasing

As reported by Canadian Press, December 23, 2020:

REGINA - RCMP say they are dealing with a new trend in Saskatchewan involving a significant increase in crimes affecting churches.

Mounties have issued a "Crime Pattern Alert" about a growing number of thefts, break-ins, attempted break-ins and mischief involving places of worship.

Police say that from January to November there were 64 such crimes involving 55 churches — a 60 per cent increase in break-ins from 2019.

In most cases, the doors of churches were opened by force at night and thieves took money, electronics, computers, guitars, safes, freezers and refrigerators.

Investigators says all denominations are being targeted and nothing indicates the crime trend is motivated by hate, racism or ideology.

RCMP crime analyst Monica Deters says people and communities are being urged to make their churches more secure.

"This increase in church break-ins is concerning enough that it creates a pattern," Deters said Wednesday in a release.

"This new criminal trend is noticeable because these break-ins happened all year and across Saskatchewan. It is imperative that we all get involved to better secure these buildings."

RCMP say most of the crimes that affected churches this year are in the central part of the province.

I suspect this is the result of the buildings not being used during the plandemic; one thing that might deter crime would be for the buildings to reopen.

Physician-assisted suicide in Canada doubled from 2017-2019

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: Deuteronomy 30:19

For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.
But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death. Proverbs 8:35-36

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Proverbs 14:12 (also Proverbs 16:25)

Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. Proverbs 14:34

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,...
...And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Romans 1:22,28

I find it difficult to understand why today's residents of what were the Allied nations in World War II still regard the Nazis as villains when those nations are increasingly adopting the Nazis' policies. To regurgitate what I said in a previous post: It comes as no surprise to this blogger to see the rabidly antichrist Trudeaupian Canadian government of the Manchurian Pothead, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau fulfilling my prediction that the slippery slope argument will prove correct in Trudeaupia Canada as it did in Germany from the 1920s through the 1940s, with the legalization of euthanasia eventually leading to widespread killing. Doctor-assisted death is rapidly morphing into doctor-initiated death.

As reported by Christine Rousselle of Catholic News Agency, July 30, 2020 (link in original):

Washington, D.C. Newsroom - The number of Canadians killed by physician-assisted suicide nearly doubled between 2017 and 2019, according to a report released by the Canadian government. More than a third of those who opted for “medical assistance in dying” cited concerns of being a burden to family or carers.

The “First Annual Report on Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada 2019” was published in July. It follows a series of interim reports that were published over the last year.

In 2019, a total of 5,631 Canadians ended their lives through the country’s “Medical Assistance in Dying,” or “MAID” protocols. This amounts for 2% of the total deaths in Canada, an increase from 2018’s percentage. In 2018, the number of MAID deaths accounted for 1.12% of the total number of deaths in Canada.

The report found that cancer was the most common condition among those who ended their lives with MAID, followed by respiratory conditions and neurological ailments. Slightly over two thirds of those who used MAID had cancer as an underlying condition.

Along with having a “reasonably foreseeable” natural death, a person who wished to receive MAID also had to show that their condition was causing them “enduring physical or psychological suffering that is intolerable to them and cannot be relieved in a manner that they find acceptable.”

In just over a third of 2019’s MAID deaths, a “perceived burden on family, friends or caregivers” was one of the reasons cited, and in 13.7% of cases, “isolation or loneliness” was a factor.

“When asked to describe the nature of the suffering prompting their request, patients most often reported ‘a loss of ability to engage in meaningful life activities’ followed by ‘loss of ability to perform activities of daily living’ reported in 82.1% and 78.1% of cases, respectively,” says the report.

“Inadequate control of pain” was cited in 53.9% of cases, followed by “loss of dignity” in 53.3% of cases.

In U.S. states with legal physician-assisted suicide, less than one half of one percent of deaths are due to euthanasia, the lowest rate in the world. If Canada’s numbers were extrapolated to the United States, approximately 50,000 people each year would end their lives with MAID. This would put euthanasia in the top 10 causes of death for the United States, just above “intentional self-harm (suicide)” and just below kidney disease.

Countries that permit physicians to administer euthanasia and do not mandate self-administration have higher percentages of deaths from euthanasia. Similar to countries such as Belgium and the Netherlands, Canadian law permits doctors to administer the lethal dose of medication to the patients. In the United States, the drugs must be self-administered.

While Canadians have the option to self-administer the drugs, the number of people who chose to do so last year was “fewer than seven.”

In 2019, the average age of a person who received MAID in Canada was 75.2 years, but 103 people between the ages of 18 and 45 received MAID.

Last year, 92.2% of requests for MAID were approved, out of a total of 7,336 applications.

Only 3.6% of people who were deemed eligible for MAID withdrew their request.

Of those who were deemed ineligible for MAID in 2019, about a quarter were denied because death was “reasonably foreseeable,” and an additional quarter were denied due to not being “in an advanced state of irreversible decline in capability.” Those requirements are likely to change for future years.

In September 2019, the Superior Court of Quebec found that the requirement that a person who receives MAID have a “reasonably foreseeable natural death” was unconstitutional. The Canadian government later announced that they do not intend on appealing this decision, and a piece of legislation titled Bill C-7 was introduced in February 2020 to further expand MAID criteria.

In addition to removing the requirement of a reasonably foreseeable death, Bill C-7 would also allow for advanced directives.

Cardinal Thomas Collins, the Archbishop of Toronto, released a statement in February criticizing Bill C-7 for expanding the criteria for MAID without expanding the availability of palliative care.

“Where is the political will to push forward on palliative care for all Canadians? Only 30% of Canadians have access to quality palliative care even though we know that pain and loneliness are among the biggest fears of those who are suffering. Palliative care can address these issues,” said Collins.

“If all Canadians had access to quality palliative care, fewer would seek lethal injection. But instead of developing an overall culture of care, we are rushing towards death on demand,” adding that doctors will be forced to comply with requests for euthanasia as Canada does not have conscience rights protections for medical professionals.

“We should take time to be truly present to those who may feel that they are on the margins in our community,” said Collins.

“Those who feel that their life no longer has value must be assured by all of us that this is absolutely not the case — there is dignity within each human life, not just when we are young, healthy and able, but even more so, when we are fragile and vulnerable.”

See also my previous posts:

Supreme Court of Canada strikes down ban on assisted suicide (February 6, 2015)

Canada's largest children's hospital drafts policy that could allow for the euthanasia of children (October 11, 2018)

Canada's antichrist Liberal government plans to study reports on expanding euthanasia (December 23, 2018)

Covid-19 provides opportunities for police state persecution of Christians

And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,
Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide...
...But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,
Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.
But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done. Acts 4:1-3, 15-21

Freedom is everybody's business--your business, my business, the church's business--and the man who will not use his freedom to defend his freedom does not deserve his freedom. Carl McIntire

Any similarity between the subject of this post and the one immediately below, is of course, purely coincidental. ;) The Covid-19 crisis seems to be gradually winding down, but the harassment and persecution of Christians by politicians and police in the United States and Canada is continuing, and is unprecedented. Other blogs on my blog roll have reported on cases of Covid-19 persecution in the U.S.A., and the reader is invited to search those blogs for information. While churches in some areas are holding drive-in services with no problems, other parts of the country are less tolerant. I'll mention just a few examples from the United States of churches being prohibited from holding services that couldn't possibly be endangering health. First, this example from Tulsa, as reported by Michael Overall of the Tulsa World, March 29, 2020:

The mayor’s shelter-in-place orders scuttled plans for a Sunday morning drive-in church service at Tulsa’s iconic Admiral Twin theater.

The Tulsa Police Department informed the nondenominational Common Ground church Saturday afternoon that the service couldn’t happen, elder Brian Leonard said.

“We’re disappointed,” he said. “But we want to comply with the law of the land.”

Normally worshiping in a converted in-door movie theater near 51st Street and Memorial Road, the church had planned to use the drive-in theater to have services without violating Tulsa’s COVID-19 shutdown.

The Tulsa Health Department had approved the idea earlier in the week, including plans for Pastor Tom Dillingham to preach from the back of a flatbed truck while congregants stayed in their cars.

But Mayor G.T Bynum issued a safer-at-home order effective at 11:59 p.m. Saturday, banning “all public and private events or social gatherings outside of a family or living unit” until April 16.

After staying open Saturday night, the Admiral Twin will cancel movie showings Sunday night, owner Blake Smith told the Tulsa World.

He will seek clarification from the mayor’s office Monday on whether the drive-in could reopen under the new restrictions.

“If he wants us to stay closed, we’ll stay closed,” Smith said.

“We stay opened because we wanted to give people with cabin fever a place to go and still maintain social distancing. But if we need to close, we’ll close. Whatever it takes to get this all over with as soon as possible.”

This example from Las Vegas, as reported by John Przybys of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, April 9, 2020:

The pastor of a Las Vegas church who had been planning to conduct a live Easter service now says the church will only stream the service on YouTube.

The Rev. Joseph Guy, lead pastor of Open Arms Community Church, 2800 W. Sahara Ave., had been planning a live service for Sunday. On Wednesday, he announced plans to stream the service on the internet with just a handful of church staff members in the sanctuary, and offered the public the option of watching the service from their cars.

However, Gov. Steve Sisolak announced a few hours later that drive-in services, as well as religious gatherings of 10 or more people, now are prohibited in an effort to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Guy said after Sisolak’s announcement that the church now only will livestream Sunday’s 6 p.m. service. Three to five church members will be in the sanctuary to handle the streaming, he said, and weekly services after Easter also will be livestreamed only.

“I think that’s probably the best option for us,” Guy said, although not being able to conduct a live Easter service to open the new church is “definitely a big disappointment for me.”

Guy said his goal was to “foster a sense of community on the biggest day in Church history.” He added that he holds “a deep respect for Governor Sisolak,” but called cancellation of the live service “a hard pill for me to swallow.”

One Las Vegas City Councillor has criticized the Governor's order, as reported by Blake Apgar of the Review-Journal, April 9, 2020 (link in original):

A Las Vegas City Council member and a group of religious leaders are speaking out against Gov. Steve Sisolak’s directive that bans gatherings of 10 or more people at places of worship.

Ward 2 Councilwoman Victoria Seaman gathered with faith leaders Thursday to speak to reporters about her opposition to the governor’s order.

“We all understand that these are trying times and that we need to make sacrifices to get through them,” Seaman said. “We do, however, disagree that those sacrifices need to include the free exercise of religion that this country was built on.”

Seaman’s public opposition comes one day after Sisolak announced the order, which includes a ban on pop-up and drive-in services. She said she considered the prohibition of drive-in services an overreach.

Pastor Paul Marc Goulet of the International Church of Las Vegas said his congregation wanted to hold Easter services in the church’s parking lot with people attending in their cars. Goulet, like Seaman, called the directive an overreach. He asked that Sisolak reconsider his decision.

“We’re asking politely, we’re asking you with all of our hearts, that this is something that’s both physical and emotional and relational,” Goulet said.

Seaman said late Thursday that City Attorney Brad Jerbic determined the International Church of Las Vegas will be able to hold its drive-in Easter service as long as no one leaves their cars and nothing is handed out.

“So we are elated that they can have their Easter drive-in service, and we think that it’s completely following all the guidelines of safety for the coronavirus,” she said.

A spokeswoman for Nevada’s coronavirus response effort declined to comment on the concerns Thursday, but Sisolak said Wednesday that the decision was not easy. A devout Catholic and frequent churchgoer himself, the governor said he prayed about his decision before announcing it.

Sisolak previously issued a general ban on gatherings of 10 or more people in March.

Pastor David Teis of Liberty Baptist Church also took issue with Sisolak’s directive.

“We do not believe that the governor has a right constitutionally to tell us what we can and cannot do,” Teis said.

Because the free exercise of religion is a fundamental constitutional right enshrined in the First Amendment, any restrictions must pass the highest level of legal scrutiny. Rules must be written narrowly to serve a compelling government interest — in this case, to prevent of the spread of disease.

Sisolak encouraged religious leaders to use alternatives to in-person services, such as online streaming. The International Church of Las Vegas website said services are only being held online until further notice.

“We are living in unique times. Science tells us that putting large numbers of people together during a pandemic for any reason … is an invitation for disease to do its work,” Sisolak said in announcing the order Wednesday.

As of Thursday night, the state had reported more than 80 deaths from the novel coronavirus...

What's disappointing to this blogger are the wimpy responses of some church leaders. The governing authorities are far exceeding their legitimate authority, and have no right to deny the freedom of these churches to hold services, especially since the services can't possibly be regarded by anyone with any wisdom of violating the spirit of social distancing. Those who are taking away the freedom of Christians and others can be trusted only to keep dredging up the same old lies to justify such behaviour, especially "These measures are only temporary" and "It's all for everybody's good." Pastor Dillingham in Tulsa used the phrase "comply with the law of the land," but he fails to recognize that these aren't laws that have been passed by legislative bodies, but are just decrees being issued by dictators. The churches mentioned in the above articles should have gone ahead and held services, anyway, as a challenge to the unconstitutional behaviour of the authorities.

Two churches in Kansas decided not to take the denial of their rights lying down; as reported by Jason Tidd of the Wichita Eagle, April 16, 2020 (updated April 17, 2020):

Two Kansas churches and their pastors are suing the governor over her executive order that bans mass religious gatherings due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Wichita by Calvary Baptist Church in Junction City and pastor Aaron Harris and First Baptist Church in Dodge City and pastor Stephen Ormond. They are being represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly is the only defendant.

The federal lawsuit follows a narrow decision by the Kansas Supreme Court on Saturday that allowed Kelly’s mass gathering ban to prohibit religious services with more than 10 people. The ruling came before Easter Sunday worship services, and justices did not consider the constitutionality of the order relating to religious liberty.

The churches and their pastors are asking a federal judge to issue an injunction prohibiting Kelly’s executive order from being enforced, allowing churches to meet in-person with more than 10 people. The pastors also seek a declaration that the executive order violates the First Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment, as well as the Kansas Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

The willingness of churches in Kansas to stand up for their rights brought a positive result, as reported by Anna Spoerre of the Wichita Eagle, April 19, 2020 (links in original):

The Rev. Scott Hanks said Sunday’s in-person service at Heritage Baptist Church in Lawrence didn’t look much different from last weekend’s.

Congregants still sat with a pew between them to follow social distancing guidelines. They didn’t shake hands. The offering plate wasn’t passed around, and communion wasn’t administered.

The biggest difference: more people showed up.

Heritage Baptist Church is one of at least three churches in Kansas to continue holding in-person services as a legal battle continues over whether churches should be excluded from Gov. Laura Kelly’s executive order limiting mass gatherings to 10 or fewer people.

Local, state and national public health officials have said people should avoid gathering in groups, as part of a strategy to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.

Earlier this month, a board of the state’s top legislators overrode Kelly’s order. Then, the Kansas Supreme Court struck down the override hours before Easter.

The latest development came Saturday when a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order against part of Kelly’s executive order. The ruling paved the way for in-person religious services without violating the law.

Hanks, the pastor at Heritage Baptist in Lawrence, declined to say exactly how many people attended Sunday.

“I’m sure I could, but I better not do that,” he said. “I guess I don’t want to stir up more problems by giving out numbers.

But Hanks said the crowd had grown from the week before and that it was “absolutely” more than 10 people, adding that he “definitely had a good crowd today.”

As state officials in recent weeks began encouraging social distancing and placing tighter restrictions on gatherings, many churches turned to the Internet to stream their services without the physical presence of their laity...

...Pastors of two other churches — Calvary Baptist Church in Junction City and First Baptist Church in Dodge City — filed a lawsuit against Gov. Laura Kelly on Thursday, saying her order violated the first amendment and the Kansas Preservation of Religious Freedom Act.

They are being represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian nonprofit.

On Saturday U.S. District Judge John Broomes issued a temporary restraining order against part of Kelly’s executive order.

“Plaintiffs have made a sufficient showing that a live controversy exists as to whether the Governor’s current restrictions on religious activity . . . violate Plaintiffs’ First Amendment right to freely exercise their religion,” Broomes wrote in the ruling.

“Defendant has not argued that mass gatherings at churches pose unique health risks that do not arise in mass gatherings at airports, offices, and production facilities. Yet the exemption for religious activities has been eliminated while it remains for a multitude of activities that appear comparable in terms of health risks.”

As part of the Broomes’s order, the plaintiffs’ churches have to abide by 24 protocols, including those Hanks observed his congregation following Sunday.

Many of the church’s elderly members have been staying home, Hanks said. His congregation includes about 300 members. Some in attendance wore gloves and masks.

He noted that Douglas County had 43 confirmed cases and zero deaths as of Sunday, according to Douglas County health officials. No church members or relatives of church members have tested positive, he said.

“I am concerned, and obviously other precautions might have to be taken if there was some way the virus was in the church or somebody who had it,” Hanks said. “But there’s none of that.”

Hanks added it’s not possible for his church to stream services. There are no fiber optics on the side of Interstate-70 where the church sits, he said.

He’s also heard of churches hosting drive-up services in their parking lots.

“But you can’t get around that the Bible says ‘not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together,’” he said, referencing a passage from the book of Hebrews.

“There was no internet when the Bible was written,” he continued. “God intended for people to get together for church, and so that’s why we’re doing it, because we believe that’s what God wants.”

Hanks said he’s not taking the coronavirus lightly, acknowledging there is a risk when gathering.

He plans to continue following outlined precautions and holding in-person services for the foreseeable future.

“I just like people to know that we’re not some crazy cult group or something that demands for people to come to church,” Hanks said. “All we’re trying to do is during this virus time, is to leave a way out for people to be able to come to church.

“I look at it this way: Out of all the times that we need God, it’s now, so why would we close church doors during a time of national virus?”

In a news release Saturday, Kelly said the ruling is only the first step, adding that her order wasn’t about religion, but rather a public health crisis.

”There is still a long way to go in this case, and we will continue to be proactive and err on the side of caution where Kansans’ health and safety is at stake,” she said.

“Courts across the country have recognized that during this pandemic emergency the law allows governments to prioritize proper public health and safety...”

Meanwhile, the same things are going on in Trudeaupia Canada. Here's an example from Saskatchewan, as reported by Stephanie Taylor of Canadian Press, April 14, 2020:

NIPAWIN, Sask. - Saskatchewan's premier wants an explanation for why an Easter drive-in church service was prohibited over the weekend.

Scott Moe's office said the Saskatchewan Health Authority has been asked to account for its decision, as drive-in events seem to maintain safe physical distancing.

"While we must remain vigilant in observing physical distancing, we should also encourage innovative and unique ideas that support the ability of Saskatchewan residents to pull together while staying apart," Moe's office said in a statement Tuesday.

Other churches across the country have held drive-in services.

Moe's office noted that hundreds of people were allowed to pay tribute Monday to the family of Edmonton Oilers hockey player Colby Cave, who died of a brain bleed in Toronto. Vehicles stretching several kilometres lined a highway as his family returned home to Battleford, northwest of Saskatoon.

Last month, the province issued a public health order limiting gatherings to no more than 10 people, one of several restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jordan Gadsby, lead pastor of the Nipawin Apostolic Church, said people were invited to an arena parking lot where they could tune into an Easter Sunday church service from inside their vehicles.

“We thought it would be worthwhile to try and do something a little bit creative and a little bit different," he said.

Gadsby said people in the community were excited about the event, which would have met physical-distancing requirements because nobody needed to step outside a vehicle or roll down windows.

"It’s good for people to have something to look forward to, even if we're not really in the same space," he said.

"When everyone’s stuck at home for long periods of time, it takes a toll on our mental health and our spiritual health."

On Saturday, he said he was called by a public health official who explained that complaints had been made about the drive-in service.

"I believe the wording was that you’re strongly recommended not to do this and we consider this to be a mass gathering, which goes against the public health guidelines," Gadsby said.

He told the official that worshippers wouldn't have physical contact, but there was still concern people would leave their vehicles and visit with one another.

To avoid placing the church and anyone attending at risk of being fined, the church decided to cancel, Gadsby said.

"Having to cancel this event was one of the most disappointing and discouraging moments of leadership for us."

During a press conference Tuesday, health authority CEO Scott Livingstone said the church didn't have a plan for keeping people inside their vehicles during the service.

Livingstone said he would follow up with public health officials, but added he believes the drive-in service presented different circumstances than the vehicular rally for the Cave family.

"A spontaneous event that we're not aware of is quite different than an event that was planned, advertised and that we received public concerns about," he said.

The Calgary-based Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms said it has sent a letter to the health authority expressing concern about the drive-in service being declared a mass gathering.

Jay Cameron, a litigation manager with the justice centre, said he believes what happened to the church wasn't justified, because no health risk was posed by people staying inside their own vehicles.

"People are longing for a sense of community during the coronavirus outbreak and they still have a right of freedom of association and religion as protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms."

Cameron said charter rights should not be infringed on based upon hypothetical situations, such as people possibly leaving their vehicles.

He said he wants the health authority to admit it made a mistake and that it won't be repeated; otherwise, the centre will consider legal action.

It's interesting to note that the order issued in Saskatchewan came not from the province's highest elected official, but from a faceless bureaucracy--again, exceeding its legitimate authority.

In Calgary, police have shown themselves to be not representatives of God (as Romans 13 extremists like to promote them), but as bullies throwing their weight around. As reported by Keean Bexte of Rebel News, April 18, 2020:



This wasn't an isolated incident in Calgary, as reported by Mr. Bexte, April 29, 2020:



A similar incident occurred in Edmonton, as reported by Jeff Labine of the Edmonton Journal, April 24, 2020:

An Edmonton man who was handing out religious material in Old Strathcona last week is facing a $1,200 fine following complaints he wasn’t complying with physical distancing guidelines.

James Kitchen, a staff lawyer with the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, said on Thursday his client along with two other men were public speaking and distributing written material using a long stick with a claw at the end last Friday. Around 7 p.m. an Edmonton city police officer ticketed one of the three after initially warning them to leave.

Kitchen said the ticket was issued because his client wasn’t social distancing but he said cellphone footage taken by the three men shows that’s not the case.

“The fact that there is a pandemic doesn’t mean there’s no rule of law, doesn’t mean there is no Constitution,” he said. “In fact, I would argue that it is at that point those foundational principles on how our society operates is even more important.”

To minimize the spread of COVID-19, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw mandated on March 27 that people gathering outdoors must be at least two metres apart.

Municipal and provincial officials have been granted additional powers to enforce public health orders and guidelines. Fines for violating a public health order start at $1,000...

...Cheryl Voordenhout, a media relations adviser with Edmonton Police Service, said in an email Thursday police received complaints about a small group in the area of 82 Avenue and 104 Street occupying the sidewalk, making it impossible for pedestrians to keep the two-metre distance.

“The group was asked to move one block north, where there is more room, and were given time to comply with the request,” she said. “After they did not comply, one member of the group was issued a ticket under the Public Health Act.”

Voordenhout said it is standard procedure to use the lowest intervention first before escalating to more stringent measures. She said after a verbal warning was not complied with, the next step was to issue a single ticket, rather than ticketing all of the members of the group.

Kitchen, who did not provide any additional details about his client over safety concerns, said the man has had run-ins with police before but didn’t elaborate. He said more details would be revealed if the ticket is challenged in court.

“They were staying put, they had their spot and they were just staying there,” Kitchen said. “According to what the officer said, the complaints were about people being annoyed about stepping around these guys because there’s the six-foot requirement. There were some accusations they weren’t maintaining that even though they were stationary the whole time.”

It's encouraging to see that one pastor in Ontario isn't giving in to police state bullying, as reported by Randy Richmond of the London Free Press, April 28, 2020 (link in original):

AYLMER — Police videotaped a drive-in church service but issued no tickets Sunday as a battle over the meaning of a provincewide emergency order reached new levels.

Church of God Pastor Henry Hildebrandt spoke for about a half-hour to members of his congregation, sitting in about 70 cars in the parking lot of the church, windows up and their radios tuned into the service.

Speaking from a covered platform outside the church, Hildebrandt gave a passionate defence of the need for churchgoers to meet on a Sunday morning.

“I am so glad, so glad we can do it like this. I can never be distant from you, never, I can never be distant from you,” Hildebrandt said. “We’re here this morning in order for you to cast your eyes on me . . . to come here so we can see one another.”

“So why don’t we just wave at each other and honk a little bit?” he said at one point, prompting one of several loud explosion of support from car horns.

“I was overwhelmed to see how many people did stop by to listen in and I also feel we did very well in social distancing,” Hildebrandt said after the service.

“This is not a gathering because people are staying in their vehicles. There was no crowd to be seen anywhere. When I preach, I use my hands, my arms, half of my preaching is by my actions. It’s very important to interact that way, As you saw we waved at each other and blinked the lights. It just makes all the difference.”

Aylmer police officers did not stop anyone entering the parking lot and helped with traffic after the service. They videotaped from the road and from the church driveway.

Watching and listening to the service was London lawyer Nick Cake, who is representing the church in any legal action brought by police.

“There were no laws being broken here. The spirit of the law is to keep people apart physically, not to keep cars apart in a parking lot. It’s to prevent public contact,” Cake said.

“The only ones out of their cars were you guys (about a dozen journalists) and the police.”

Cake said he hopes police witnessed the safety measures taking place.

“Hopefully they do see that everyone kept their windows up and this was just akin to a Costco parking lot. The right thing would be to continue to let people operate in this way.”

Hildebrandt said he understood police would be taking the videotaped recordings to the Crown’s office Monday to determine if charges should be laid.

Aylmer police Chief Zvonko Horvat said last week his officers would lay charges under an Ontario emergency order imposed to slow the spread of COVID-19 if the Church of God held the drive-in service, as it has done twice this month.

But The Alberta-based Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms says police don’t have the right to ban drive-in services.

“The Charter of Rights isn’t suspended just because we have an emergency facing our society. There are measures that are going to be justifiable that do restrict the freedoms we normally have,” Lisa Bildy of the justice centre said in an interview Sunday. “But there is a balancing act that has to happen and there always has to be a minimal impairment of those fundamental freedoms.”

The Church of God and other churches across Canada have come with solutions that allow congregations to worship together safely, said Bildy, a London lawyer.

“They’re not doing anything to jeopardize anybody’s health. I think there should be some accommodation from the authorities as well,” she said. “Parking lots all over the community are filled with people. If it’s in front of a store, it’s fine, but put it in front of a church and somehow it now becomes a problem.”

Bildy said she was waiting to see what Aylmer police would do before considering next steps.

Aylmer police were notified about both of the previous services and sent officers to monitor the gatherings, Hildebrandt said in an earlier interview.

A constable confirmed that officers witnessing the service last Sunday saw no violations, Hildebrandt said.

But a photograph of the church’s parking lot full of cars was posted on Facebook, generating negative comments to police, Hildebrandt said.

Individuals caught breaking Ontario’s emergency orders could get slapped with a $750 ticket. In more serious cases involving a court summons, convictions carry a maximum fine of $100,000 and up to one year in jail.

The fine increases to $500,000 for company directors and $10 million for corporations.

Hildebrandt said he has tried working with police, offering to pay officers to watch the service if that’s necessary to ensure safety measures are followed.

“I have tried every which way. But the chief, I would say he is on the wrong side of history. This morning this was the safest parking lot as far as COVID-19, this was the safest parking lot in town, by far.”

About 300 metres down the road from the church, people are allowed to park at the liquor store, get out and buy alcohol without any legal trouble, Hildebrandt said.

“We absolutely do not want to cause unnecessary disturbances in Aylmer. I don’t want to cause trouble. But I saw no way around it,” Hildebrandt said. “I know we were with God’s blessings this morning. We plan to be here next Sunday, the Lord willing.”

As reported by the London Free Press, April 26, 2020:



As reported by David Menzies of Rebel News, April 28, 2020:



Pastor Hildebrandt was interviewed by Andrew Lawton of True North, April 29, 2020:



Fortunately, Pastor Hildebrandt's determination to stand up to police bullying was rewarded, as reported by Mr. Menzies, May 2, 2020:



The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms issued the following press release on May 2, 2020 (links in original):

AYLMER: The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (jccf.ca) today announced that it will file a Charter challenge against the Ontario government, on behalf of the Church of God in Aylmer, Ontario, for its infringement of the church’s freedom of peaceful assembly. Ontario authorities have threatened to fine the church despite its use of strict “social distancing” measures that eliminate any discernible risk to public health during their “drive-in” church services where people stay inside parked vehicles.

The Church of God, like other congregations across the country, has been prevented from holding in-person services, but found a creative and safe way to bring parishioners back together for worship while ensuring member and public safety. A drive-in service was held for the last three Sundays in their church parking lot, with congregants remaining in their vehicles with the windows up, listening to the service on the radio. Only members of the worship team, no greater than five in number, are permitted outside of their vehicles, and they also follow strict physical distancing guidelines.

Despite successfully conducting two such services with the approval of police, complaints were made by people who saw a photo of the Aylmer Church of God parking lot, and mistakenly assumed that the congregants were inside the building. The Aylmer Police Chief then threatened, on April 20, that any further services would be considered a breach of the law and subject to stiff penalties. Penalties could include fines of $750 to $100,000 and up to one year in jail.

The church held its third drive-in service on April 26, again abiding by all social distancing and public health protection measures. Police attended on the church’s private property, videotaping all of the vehicles and maintaining an ominous presence.

Although the provincial Crown Attorney declined to proceed with charges on this occasion, the Aylmer Police Chief has declared that this was an opportunity to “educate” the congregation, and that police investigation could again follow if complaints are received.

The Province’s Order under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act prohibits gatherings of more than five people, including for the purposes of conducting religious services, rites or ceremonies. Despite the fact that many larger stores and businesses remain open, with varying degrees of success in limiting physical contact between customers, churches and other religious centres have been singled out and effectively closed.

The Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, like all laws in this country, must comply with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantees citizens that the government will not infringe their freedoms of peaceful assembly and religion, among other fundamental freedoms. The onus is on government, not citizens, to show that the violation of Charter freedoms is “demonstrably justified.” Where there is a pressing and substantial concern, such as a declared public health emergency, reasonable restrictions may be imposed, but governments are required to violate Charter rights and freedoms as little as possible, only to the extent truly necessary to protect public health.

The Government of Ontario has had ample time to clarify its Order to ensure that it is not overly broad, and that it does not arbitrarily target religious groups. Recently, the Saskatchewan Public Health Authority reversed its ban on drive-in church services, after receiving a legal warning letter from the Justice Centre.

The Ontario government, copied on a letter from the Justice Centre to the Aylmer Police Chief last week, has failed to respond, leaving the church with no option but to commence legal proceedings.

“For many religious communities, coming together to worship is an important part of their faith, and while not perfect, solutions such as drive-in services allow them to exercise their fundamental freedoms of peaceful assembly and religion while still respecting the government’s orders to protect public health,” says Justice Centre lawyer Lisa Bildy.

“The measures taken by the Church provide much more safety to public health than long lineups of people waiting to get into the liquor store, or sitting in their vehicles bumper to bumper at the Tim Horton’s drive-thru – all permitted activities,” adds Bildy. “On Sunday mornings, the Church of God has the safest parking lot in town.”

“Citizens across the country are attempting, in a good-natured manner, to comply with the extraordinarily restrictive measures which have been imposed. The Covid-19 outbreak, however, does not suspend the exercise of the Charter. The restriction on religious gatherings, in which people exclusively occupy their personal vehicles on a parking lot while worshipping, is irrational, unnecessary, and not a minimal impairment of Charter rights,” concludes Bildy.

The Justice Centre is presently preparing court documents on behalf of the Church.

Pastor Hildebrandt's church held another drive-in service on May 3, 2020 without incident. As reported by Mr. Menzies, May 4, 2020:



I don't know if all those who showed up were regular attenders of that church, but I suspect that many were Christians from other churches who went to express solidarity with the church and pastor. The willingness of at least some Canadian Christians to stand up for their God-given rights and refuse to cave in to bullies is a positive development; let's pray that more Christians will have the courage to defend their freedom.

California "pastor" pleads guilty in $33-million investment scam

Yet another one; as reported by Sean Emery of the Orange County Register, April 17, 2020 (link in original):

The pastor of a Westminster-based church accused of swindling more than $33 million from investors has agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Kent R.E. Whitney, 38, of Newport Beach is expected to admit to federal counts of mail fraud and filing a false federal income tax return, court filings show.

Prosecutors allege that Whitney ran the Church of the Healthy Self – along with a related investment arm known as CHS Trust – out of a strip mall in Westminster.

Whitney directed church representatives to appear on television and at live seminars –appearances that were recorded and frequently uploaded on YouTube – in order to solicit investments. Among the false and misleading claims prosecutors allege were presented to investors were promises of a 12% rate of return, a guaranteed return of principal with no risk due to federal insurance and a claim the organization was audited by an accounting firm.

In reality, prosecutors say, little investor money went into trading accounts, and fake monthly statements purporting to outline nonexistent investment returns were prepared for investors.

Prosecutors also allege that Whitney reported an income of $17,539 in the 2018 tax year, far less than the $452,872 he is believed to have earned that year. Of that, prosecutors believe $435,333 came from the alleged fraud scheme.

Previous court filings tied to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission investigation alleged that investor funds were used to purchase Rolex watches, a Bentley automobile, Gucci apparel and guns, as well as on rent for various Newport Beach properties. That filing also alleged that Whitney founded the church in 2014, three months after completing a 44-month prison sentence for a commodities scam.

As reported by Hillary Davis of the Los Angeles Times, April 17, 2020:

...According to his plea agreement, Whitney ran the Ponzi scheme from September 2014 until April 2019 out of Church for the Healthy Self, which he founded and operated out of a Westminster strip mall. The church appeared to have no sanctuary, according to court documents.

At Whitney’s direction, church representatives appeared on television and at live seminars at church offices to solicit investments in CHS Trust, the church’s investment arm, and made several false or misleading claims, authorities allege. They included guaranteeing an annual rate of return of 12%, guaranteeing a return of principal with no risk because CHS Trust was federally insured and boasting that the church’s traders had not lost money in 15 years.

According to authorities, Whitney and his associates targeted the Vietnamese community by advertising on Little Saigon radio and television stations as well as on YouTube. The scheme identified at least 355 investors.

Investors sunk more than $33 million into the scheme over the 4½ years, but in reality, little of that money went into any trading accounts, court documents state. But Whitney directed that monthly statements be sent to investors showing falsified reports of returns, authorities say.

Whitney also admitted that he filed a false federal income tax return in 2018 claiming $17,539 in total income even though his true income was at least $452,872, largely obtained through the fraud scheme. The resulting tax loss was at least $130,808, according to the plea agreement.

Whitney faces a sentence of up to 23 years in federal prison. He has a previous federal conviction for defrauding investors in a commodities scheme. He had been released from prison a few months before forming Church for the Healthy Self.

The FBI investigated the case with the assistance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Apostate mainline churches support illegal blockades in Canada

For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; II Thessalonians 2:7a (NIV)

The Coastal GasLink project is a natural gas pipeline covering approximately 670 kilometres (about 416 miles) from the area of Dawson Creek, British Columbia to the B.C. coast near Kitimat. The company, after years of consultation, has signed agreements with all 20 First Nations (i.e., Canadian Indian bands) along the pipeline route. The Trans Mountain Pipeline is an oil pipeline carrying oil from Alberta to the coast of British Columbia; 120 of 129 Indian bands support the project. Native and other organizations protesting the projects have had their days in court, and lost.

The overwhelming majority of Indians support the pipelines because the projects offer them a once-in-a-generation chance to improve their economic circumstances and escape poverty. However, the Wet'suwet'en, an ostensible First Nation in British Columbia run by allegedly hereditary chiefs, has, for several weeks, been operating an illegal blockade of the Coastal GasLink project. The blockades have spread across the country, e.g., Mohawks in Ontario are expressing solidarity with the Wet'suwet'en protest, using it as an excuse to continue several hundred years of grievances with Canada. All three levels of government in Canada have done nothing to end the lawless blockades; the police, with the notable exception of Vancouver, have been worse than useless, refusing to clear the blockades, while arresting law-abiding people who do try to clear the blockades.

It comes as no surprise to this blogger that the federal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has done nothing to stop the lawlessness. This "government" is basically just a criminal racket, under the titular leadership of a pot-smoking puppet of evil international financier George Soros. Mr. Trudeau has finally gotten around to saying that it's time for the blockades to end, but his actions, or lack thereof, increase my suspicion that he supports the protests--especially since they have a disproportionately negative impact on the economy of western Canada, rather than his parasitical home province of Quebec.

There's nothing "grassroots" or spontaneous about the protests that are increasingly paralyzing the Canadian economy, as becomes apparent when court decisions come down in favour of the pipelines, and protest rallies magically appear in various places within minutes of the announcement of the ruling. The Wet'suwet'en aren't even a real Indian band, but are a company, with the "hereditary chiefs" actually a board of directors, while many of their sympathizers are foreign-funded non-Natives (see videos at the bottom of this post).

On February 16, 2020, geopolitical blogger Dracul Van Helsing came across a Trotskyite World Socialist International (his description) website, and one of their leaders was boasting about his plans to take over Canada, noting that the political leaders are weak, that it was easy to take over the links of Canada's infrastructure, and that he was going to use the Wet'suwet'en dispute to do that, sending out agitators to lead groups of Wet'suwet'en supporters into blocking railways, bridges, highways, airports and various government and public buildings, bringing the Canadian economy to a virtual standstill, making it ripe for widespread anarchy and eventual violent revolution. The next day, they began doing just that, but on the following Sunday, when blogger Van Helsing to post the link for the relevant item to his own blog, the item had been taken down--which this blogger finds very suspicious.

The activities described in the item quoted by Dracul Van Helsing remind me of a book published in 1972, but still relevant. A former Czechoslovakian Communist Party official who defected to the West wrote The Subverters (or The Subverters of Liberty, depending on whether it's the British or American edition), in which he revealed that U.S.S.R. dictator Josef Stalin in 1948 had begun training "master subverters." The master subverters were carefully prepared for 10 years in specially-constructed communities made to resemble those found in the countries to which they would be sent. The master subverters spent these years in these pseudo-Western communities learning the languages (including accents) and customs of their assigned countries, and were given new identities, with all the proper documentation, so that by the time they graduated and took up their assignments, it was impossible for most of the residents in the Western countries to which they were assigned to know that their new neighbours weren't new arrivals from among their own people, but were in fact Soviet spies. Mr. Hutton argued that disruptive events that happened in Western countries in the late 1960s-early 1970s, such as race riots in America, campus protests in Western countries (especially in France), labour strikes in Britain, and skyjackings in the Middle East and elsewhere, were related, and were the result of years of work by the master subverters. It sounds suspiciously like what's going on in Canada today.

The current activities of certain Native terrorists activists also remind me of the prophetic novel The Flaming Sword (1939) by Thomas Dixon, in which Communists used Negroes as dupes in an attempt to take over the United States. Mr. Dixon wrote his novel after researching every race riot in the U.S.A. from 1900-1938.

Despite the overwhelming evidence that the protesters who are attempting to shut down Canada are a small, loud, and violent minority, it comes as no surprise to this blogger that they've attracted the support of clergy from the country's apostate mainline churches. As reported by John Longhurst of the Winnipeg Free Press, February 10, 2020 (link in original):

Two Manitoba bishops are among 71 Anglican, Presbyterian, Lutheran and United Church of Canada leaders and others from across Canada showing support for the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs protesting the $6-billion, 670-kilometre Coastal GasLink pipeline that will go through their traditional territory.

Both The Right Reverend Geoffrey Woodcroft, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Rupertsland, and Bishop Susan Johnson, National Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, signed the solidarity statement that calls on the Canadian government and the RCMP "to immediately cease their occupation, arrests, and trespassing on Wet’suwet’en sovereign territory."

The statement, goes on to note "these unlawful occupations and tactics violate the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples" and violate the wishes of the Wet’suwet’en Clan Chiefs who "hold sole title to their unceded territory and unanimously do not support the construction of the pipeline."

It goes on to say the pipeline project would mar the landscape, cut down trees, harm migration patterns of animals, and put the entire watershed at risk of a leak and contamination.

"We are deeply concerned about the militarized arrests, pressure and trespassing presence of the RCMP on Wet’suwet’en sovereign territory," it states, adding this treats "Indigenous peoples like prisoners on their own territory."

The statement concludes by noting the pipeline not only tramples on the rights of Indigenous Nations, but endangers "our collective wellbeing and future."

For Johnson, signing the statement was a way to remind Canadians "we are not living in to the calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, including the commitment to free, prior and informed consent."

She’s also "deeply concerned about climate justice and about responsible resource extraction. The concerns of the Wet’suwet’en overlap all of these concerns."

For her, using the RCMP is the wrong way to deal with the issue.

"If we are serious about addressing these concerns, then we need to take time to have a real consultation," she said.

By signing the statement, she wants members of her denomination, and other Canadians, to know "we stand with the Wet’suwet’en people and hold our government accountable for its actions."

As for Woodcroft, one reason he signed it because the Anglican community in Manitoba and northwest Ontario is "well connected" with Indigenous people.

He also sees signing it as a way to promote the Anglican Church’s goal of promoting reconciliation with Indigenous people, and of ensuring treaties are fulfilled.

Concern about climate change, and the future of the planet, is also on his mind.

"I am convinced that Creator, God is calling not only me, but all of goodwill, to get on with providing a better tomorrow for all people," he said.

The church has "always had a voice and a strength to care deeply for God’s creation," he added, concluding that is something "we somehow forget" until situations like this arise. Then "we are called back to exercise love, justice and humbleness."

Other signers of the statement include The Most Reverend Mark MacDonald, National Anglican Indigenous Archbishop; The Right Reverend Ron Culter, Archbishop of the Anglican Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island; The Right Reverend Andrew Asbil, The Bishop of Toronto; Jennifer Henry, Executive Director, KAIROS; Carragh Erhardt, Justice Ministries, The Presbyterian Church in Canada; Peter Haresnape, General Secretary, Student Christian Movement of Canada; The Reverend Dr. Joanne Mercer, Anglican Parish of Twillingate, Anglican Diocese of Central Newfoundland.

Find the full statement here: https://bit.ly/2uy25MQ.

In addition to the solidarity statement, members of Hope Mennonite Church in Winnipeg signed a petition sent to the Prime Minister to honour the jurisdiction of the Wet’suwet’en traditional governance and publicly affirm the demands of all five Wet’suwet’en Clan Chiefs.

In the petition, they also call on Coastal GasLink to vacate the territory of the Wet’suwet’en; that the Canadian and British Columbia governments uphold their commitments to implement the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; and that the RCMP respect the rights of the hereditary chiefs and refrain from interfering with Wet’suwet’en law.

I'm not taking a chance that the link and the statement might disappear, so here, with the names and affiliations of the signatories, is the statement by mainline clergy in support of the small, violent minority of terrorists who are attempting to shut down Canada:

Thursday February 6th 2020

Peace be with you,

In solidarity with our Wet’suwet’en relatives, we call upon the government of Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to immediately cease their occupation, arrests, and trespassing on Wet’suwet’en sovereign territory.

In a public statement made yesterday, the RCMP have asserted that they will arrest any persons who will not leave their camps on unceded Wet’suwet’en territory. Wet’suwet’en law precedes and supersedes Canadian law on Wet’suwet’en land. The militarized forced removal of Wet’suwet’en from their own territory, for the economic benefit of fracked natural gas Coastal GasLink’s 670km pipeline is consistent with the colonial practices of genocide. These unlawful occupations and tactics violate the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Wet’suwet’en Clan Chiefs hold sole title to their unceded territory and unanimously do not support the construction of the pipeline. The pipeline project would mar the landscape, cutting down trees, harming migration patterns of animals, and putting the entire watershed at risk of a pipeline leak and contamination. Furthermore, the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people found that there is a direct connection between resource extraction projects and increased violence against and within Indigenous communities. The migration of settler labourers to pipeline projects sites has been connected to increased sexual harassment, murder, rape, sexual assault, the influx of drugs and alcohol, increased conflict and policing, and the undermining of Indigenous self-determination in their communities.

We are deeply concerned about the militarized arrests, pressure and trespassing presence of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on Wet’suwet’en sovereign territory. We are alarmed by the RCMP’s establishment of an “Exclusion Zone”- which infringes on freedom of movement of the Wet’suwet’en Nation, with the exclusion of media from witnessing and documentation, and bars clan members from accessing their own lands. These acts of intimidation, occupation, and restriction are harmful and reverses us back to the pass system era, which treats Indigenous peoples like prisoners on their own territory.

The RCMP does not hold the jurisdiction or right to arrest sovereign Wet’suwet’en peoples on their own unceded Nation and territory. The practice of forced relocation, arrest, detention, and criminalization of Wet’suwet’en, Indigenous peoples, and their allies on Wet’suwet’en land is an egregious and shameful violation of international law. We call upon the RCMP and Canadian government to respectfully honour Wet’suwet’en Clan law, whereby ceasing their surveillance, occupation, and militarized violence on Indigenous land.

The continual prioritizing of the interests of private sector and resource extraction over the rights of Indigenous Nations, laws, treaties, lands, and waters, condemns our collective wellbeing and future. We call upon the RCMP and government of Canada to immediately halt all violations and assaults on Indigenous water and land defenders. We stand with the Wet’suwet’en and their allies who have made significant sacrifices on the front lines of this violation on their territory. We honour and respect their commitment to defending the wellbeing of the waters, lands, creatures, people, and sovereignty of Wet’suwet’en.

Sincerely,

The Reverend Evan Smith
Sandra Campbell
The Reverend Leigh Kern
Toronto Urban Native Ministry

The Most Reverend Mark MacDonald
National Anglican Indigenous Archbishop

Bishop Susan Johnson
National Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

The Right Reverend Ron Cutler
Archbishop of the Anglican Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island

The Right Reverend Andrew Asbil
The Bishop of Toronto

The Right Reverend Geoffrey Woodcroft
Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Rupertsland

The Right Reverend Riscylla Shaw
Bishop Suffragan of Toronto

The Right Reverend Peter Fenty
Bishop Suffragan of Toronto

The Right Reverend Jenny Andison
Bishop Suffragan of Toronto

The Right Reverend Kevin Robertson
Bishop Suffragan of Toronto

Aaron Sault
Suitaakii Black
The Right Reverend Sydney Black
The Vision Keepers Council

The Reverend Canon Ginny Doctor, Mohawk Turtle Clan
Coordinator of Indigenous Ministry, The Anglican Church of Canada

Jennifer Henry
Executive Director, KAIROS

Melanie Delva
National Reconciliation Animator, The Anglican Church of Canada

Yolanda Bird
Suicide Prevention, Alberta and Saskatchewan

Carragh Erhardt
Justice Ministries, The Presbyterian Church in Canada

Judith Moses
Deputy Prolocutor, The Anglican Church of Canada

The Reverend Dr. Karen L. Egan
Prolocutor, The Anglican Church of Canada

Peter Haresnape
General Secretary, Student Christian Movement of Canada

The Reverend Dr. Jennifer Eileen Sculley
Director of Faith, Worship and Ministry, The Anglican Church of Canada

The Reverend Jasmine Hanakaulani Bostock
St. Peter’s, Honolulu

The Reverend Pamela Rayment
St. Clement’s Church

Laura Walton
Prolocutor for the Anglican Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario

The Reverend Dr. Joanne Mercer
Anglican Parish of Twillingate, Anglican Diocese of Central Newfoundland

The Reverend Valerie Kerr, Mohawk, Wolf Clan
Archdeacon

Elin Goulden
Social Justice and Advocacy Coordinator, The Anglican Diocese of Toronto

The Reverend Maggie Helwig
Social Justice and Advocacy Committee, The Anglican Diocese of Toronto

The Reverend Canon George M. Porter
Gathering Table, Thunder Bay

The Reverend Andrea Budgey
University of Toronto Chaplain

The Reverend Tay Moss
Church of the Messiah

The Reverend Samantha Caravan
All Saints’ Peterborough

The Reverend Dana Dickson
Trinity Anglican Church, Bradford

The Reverend Dr. Jason McKinney
Epiphany & St Mark, Parkdale

The Reverend Canon Brad Smith
St John the Evangelist, Peterborough

The Reverend Mark Regis
Church of St. Mary and St. Martha

The Reverend Don Beyers
Christ Church Bolton, York-Credit Valley Social Justice Officer

The Reverend Janaki Bandara
St Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Cambridge

The Reverend Dawn Leger
St. John’s West Toronto

The Reverend Stephen Kern
Dr. Anne Kern
St. Philips-on-the-Hill, Unionville

The Reverend Dr. Alison Kemper
The Reverend Canon Joyce Barnett
St. Matthias Bellwoods

The Reverend Megan Jull
St. Augustine of Canterbury

The Reverend Sherman Hesslegrave
Zachary Grant
Church of the Holy Trinity

The Reverend Alexa Gilmour
UCC, Toronto

The Reverend Sandra Fyfe
Anglican Parish of Horton, Wolfville

Lisa Alexander
Lawyer/Mediator, Victoria

Andrew Stephens-Rennie
Vancouver, BC

Canon David Robinson
Winnipeg

The Reverend Dr. Heather McCance

Caitlin Reilley Beck

Sharla Sandrock

The Reverend David J. Burrows

Kathy Wellunscheg Klassen

Belinda J. Kishimoto

The Reverend Elizabeth Boehm-Wilson
UCC minister, Kingston

Suzanne Brooks

The Reverend Anne Hoganson

The Reverend Justin Philip Cheng

Susanne Cruickshank

The Reverend Dr. Morar Murray-Hayes

Professor Alan L. Hayes

The Reverend Susanne McKim
Trinity-St. Paul, Port Credit

The Reverend Canon Nicola Skinner
Grace Church, Markham

The Reverend Erin Martin
St James the Apostle, Sharon

The Reverend Susan Spicer
St. George, Ajax

The Reverend Dr. Leigh Silcox
St. Matthias, Etobicoke

For media contact: lkern@toronto.anglican.ca

Two things from the list of signatories stick out to this blogger: the disproportionately large number of female names, especially those with religious titles in front of them--an obvious indication of apostasy; and the fact that almost all of those whose locations are identified come from oil-consuming areas, and almost none from-oil producing areas, and are far away from where the protests originated (although, the way the protests are spreading, they may already have come to experience the protests and/or their effects directly). These people are not Christians, but are liars, hypocrites, economic ignoramususes (ignorami?), and mental and moral pygmies (and I say that with all due respect). They openly support lawlessness, while having the nerve to say "Peace be with you."

As for the comment that "there is a direct connection between resource extraction projects and increased violence against and within Indigenous communities": if that's true, why are the overwhelming majority of Indians in favour of these projects? Are the majority of Indians therefore in favour of increased violence within their communities? I don't believe so, but these religious liberals apparently do, which prompts me to accuse these liberals of a racist slur against the law-abiding majority of Indians. And aren't these liberals always saying that poverty leads to violence? Now they're saying that increased prosperity is directly connected to violence. This blogger can come to no other conclusion than that the signers of this statement want the majority of Indians in the affected areas (and I think it's reasonable to infer that they they would also be opposed to such projects elsewhere in the country) to continue to live in poverty, with everyone subject to continuing and increasing anarchy. These apostates are as sincere in their professed concern for the poor as Judas Iscariot:

Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,
Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. John 12:3-6

See the following videos for more information:

SPECIAL REPORT: Foreign-funded corporation posing as a First Nation blocks pipeline (Rebel News, January 23, 2019)



Investigating the fake First Nation running the illegal Coastal GasLink blockade (Rebel News, January 15, 2020)



Coastal GasLink protester IDENTIFIED — he's from Ontario! (Rebel News, January 17, 2020)



K'omoks First Nation in BC denounce “non-indigenous” protesters for blocking highway (Rebel News, February 13, 2020)



The truth behind First Nations pipeline protests (Financial Post, February 14, 2020)



Majority of First Nations support Canadian energy (True North, February 14, 2020)



Pipeline protests have nothing to do with supporting the Wet’suwet’en people (True North, February 15, 2020)



Wet'suwet'en hereditary Chief Woos, aka Frank Alec TOOK OVER a title reserved ONLY for women! (Rebel News, March 3, 2020)



See also my post The Flaming Sword: A prophetic novel? (January 14, 2009)

See also Dracul Van Helsing's posts:

Pansy Justin Calls All Wimps’ Meeting With Pansy Jagmeet and Pansy Yves-Francois (February 18, 2020)

Renfield’s Ottawa News Broadcasts and The Arrival of Magical Mystery Tour (February 19, 2020)

Justin Trudeau’s Failed Macho Man Impersonation and The Unmasked Demon Dancer Chief Woos (February 21, 2020)

Trotskyite Anarchists Throw Burning Debris Against Canadian Trains (February 26, 2020)

HT: Dracul Van Helsing