According to new documents released in response to a request from Liberal MP Lawrence MacAulay last October after reports surfaced that seven Fisheries and Oceans libraries were being closed and the materials destroyed. Those documents also showed that so far the govt. has spent in excess of $22,000 to dispose of books and research material from the libraries and, as MacAulay said, "there's no proof it saved any money." Adding, "When these seven libraries were in place there was information that was very important to the fishing industry, and now they're gone."
Why? Jim Taylor's answer, "I see Harper as a watered-down version of far-right Republicans in the U.S. They make no secret of their desire to eliminate from their education system anything — biology, zoology, evolution, geology, even astronomy — that might conflict with the ultimate truths of the Bible." i'd correct Jim a bit by substituting 'their version of the ultimate truths of the Bible' because the great majority of Christians, outside of the predominantly white, rapture entranced Evangelicals, totally disagree with that interpretation.
The problem with having legislators who believe themselves to be part of their God's Dominion is that they think Canada's human-created laws are less important than what their religious leaders tell them the Bible says. That doesn't make them bad people, but it does influence the way they make decisions. For instance, Reagan's Secretary of the Interior James G. Watt periodically mentioned his Dispensationalist Christian faith when discussing his method of environmental management, saying, “We don't have to protect the environment, the Second Coming is at hand."
Unfortunately, evangelical groups like the Christian Missionary Alliance, with which Harper has been connected for about two decades, believe the Bible is without error. Harper would seem to take his advice from the Cornwall Alliance, a coalition of right-wing scholars, economists and evangelicals. The Alliance questions mainstream science, doubts climate change, views environmentalist as a 'native evil' and champions fossil fuels.
A book published by the Cornwall Alliance called 'Resisting the Green Dragon: Dominion not Death' even portrays environmental groups as one of the greatest threats to society and the church today. One passage, echoing James G. Watt, says, "The Green Dragon must die... [There] is no excuse to become befuddled by the noxious Green odors and doctrines emanating from the foul beast...God is sovereign over creation and therefore humans can do no permanent damage..."
Canada's fundamentalist morons are not alone, many evangelicals, including influential Texas mega-church pastor John Hagee and former Fox TV host Glenn Beck, now call themselves 'Christian Zionists', a recent PEW Research report says that, "82% of white evangelicals believe God gave the land of Israel to the Jewish people, compared with 40% of American Jews who believe the same.
Last week's news contained a number of stories about the 10 influential evangelical Protestant pastors and leaders who flew with Harper on his recent trip to Israel. Among them was David Hearn, president of Christian and Missionary Alliance Canada.The Christian Zionist's unquestioning support for Israel is mainly because of the way they interpret biblical prophecy about the Apocalypse and the Rapture. And here is the key part: Based on their reading of the Book of Revelation, such evangelicals also worry Jesus will not return to Earth to bring in Judgment Day unless the holy land is governed by Jews.
Yet Harper and his cronies are responsible for Canada's Health system, Science and Technology policies, and Environment policies.
