There have been several occasions as both member of parliament and leader of the Liberal Party of Canada when Justin Trudeau has stuck a foot in his photogenic mouth. He is in the midst of a controversy at the moment both as a politician and as a member of the Roman Catholic church. Trudeau declared that all potential candidates for the next federal election in his party must be "pro choice" when it comes to abortion. He discovered quickly that some of his own MPs do not share that outlook, nor do many voters who have traditionally supported the Liberal party. I certainly understand why Trudeau supports the freedom of reproductive choice, but if he revisits the Charter of Rights and Freedoms he will discover that one of them is "freedom of conscience and religion."
Actually, he was reminded of this by the Roman Catholic archbishop of Ottawa. Not to mention that his soul and his status within the church are in peril if he upholds this policy for the party. Some RC commentators have called for Trudeau's excommunication from the church if he doesn't relent.
First of all, the United Church will welcome Justin if he ends up looking for a church home. I do find this fascinating though. I feel that Trudeau doesn't have the right to demand this from his candidates. At the same time, the RC stand on reproduction and abortion is not one I support, despite several areas of concern through the years. Nor do I feel comfortable with the archbishop's suggestion that they hope for "conversion" on Trudeau's part. We choose Christ, or convert to Christ, not simply particular aspects of doctrine in any expression of the Christian church. The dogmatism on certain issues of Roman Catholicism such as birth control and abortion can be challenged biblically and theologically.
Ah well Mr. Trudeau, you'll learn. Maybe.
What do you think about all this? Or you bothering to give it much consideration at all?
Hmmm ... commenting on politicians' comments can be fruitless, and open one to a lot of useless arguing ... I feel for Justin - he probably loves his church and the comfort it brings - but I agree with you, David - dogma based on tradition that enslaves or rejects any segment of humanity and disallows choice, on threat of excommunication, is not, in my mind and heart, Christ-like. I too have concerns about abortion issues, but I do not feel we should deny a safe abortion to women whose lives may be jeopardized, or who have become pregnant by an act of violence against them. As a form of birth control, I don't like the idea of abortion - one should always take precautions prior to having consensual sex, if one does not wish to become pregnant . How many great humans might we not have had on earth if they had aborted because of mom's (or dad's) feeling of being "inconvenienced"?
ReplyDeleteHad to come back to this one ; Justin should not have the power to tell Liberals that they MUST be pro-choice (religion and ex-communication, etc aside, having to toe the party line on such a personal moral issue denies democracy.)
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