LTE: Beware of False Prophets

‘Evangelical Christianity has been hijacked by people who would have given Jesus himself the boot if he knocked on their door. ‘

– President Jimmy Carter

Recently, we have witnessed a disturbing trend where political figures exploit religious holidays and sentiments to advance their divisive agendas. In both the United States and Canada, Republicans and Conservatives have shamelessly used this past Easter weekend as an opportunity to sow discord and promote exclusion.

In the US, some politicians expressed outrage over the timing of Trans Day of Visibility coinciding with Easter weekend, while in Canada, a Veterans Affairs Canada social media post triggered a deluge of evangelical fervour from individuals who seem more interested in scoring political points than practising the values they claim to uphold.

This coordinated effort to stoke fear and resentment is reminiscent of the tactics employed by authoritarian leaders like Trump who also used simplistic slogans (think of Poilievre’s “Axe the Tax” and “Spike the Hike” slogans) to control and manipulate his followers. The Conservatives’ willingness to exploit public sentiment for political gain is deeply troubling.

Whatever happened to no mudslinging and bipartisanship MP Eric Duncan promised after winning his seat in 2019? Unfortunately, it looks like he was vulnerable to the lure of power that Pierre Poilievre promises. 

Moreover, the complicity of certain politicians in promoting violence and intolerance cannot be ignored. From the January 6th insurrection in the US to the recent Truck Convoy protests in Ottawa, we have seen how divisive rhetoric can lead to real-world harm. It is unconscionable that some elected officials would actively support and encourage such behaviour.

We have seen Senator Bernadette Clement and Senator Raymonde Saint-Germain receive threats after they debated the Carbon Tax and were targeted by Andrew Scheer on social media. Even after Senator Clement’s death threat, there was no public solidarity shown by our own MP, who is also her own representative. This is truly deplorable behaviour. We also found out Eric received his own death threat which he doesn’t feel he needs to discuss publicly. Does he not want his constituents to know what happened? Does he not want to ensure his constituents feel protected from this insanity? 

Reflecting on the true meaning of Easter, let’s not fall for false prophets who seek to weaponize people’s faith for personal and political gain. It is imperative that we remain vigilant against attempts to sow division and hatred in the name of religion.

What happened to the separation of church and state?

Kelly Bergeron
Cornwall