Boot on the other foot

[Rapscallion]

During my recent sojourn in Canadaland, I became aware of something. Someone I met is seeing a counsellor paid for in part or whole by the Roman Catholic church. The person in question is not religious - in fact, if you gave her a bible, she'd probably read about one line and then give up.

However, should the government of any country where voluntary organisations are forced to perform this sort of work be held to account?

I have to admit that I rarely hear of the good that religions do, but surely politicians should be taking note of what actually needs doing - not the prayer sessions or building of churches etc - but feeding the poor and giving them essential help. I have no love for religion, but there are times when you've got to look at the grass roots people and think that the secular world has something to learn.

Rapscallion

[yahurd]

However, should the government of any country where voluntary organisations are forced to perform this sort of work be held to account?

for what? im confused

[Rapscallion]

Quite simple - they should be doing that sort of work, not relying on the good will of volunteers who are spending their time and money looking after the less fortunate (in most cases).

Rapscallion

[Boozy]

Canada was founded by two nations of people, the Protestant English of Upper Canada and the Roman Catholic French of Lower Canada, now Quebec. The Quebecois had been governing themselves without the separation of church and state at this time, which meant that the RC Church took care of schooling, health care, etc. The English insisted on the separation of church and state in our new nation. The French didn't think it was feasible for them. So a compromise was reached in which the RC Church would receive funding from the government to continue their provision of services, but in exchange they would be mandated to provide these services to ALL Canadians regardless of religion.
So today, the Catholic Church is the only church that receives direct funding from the government. However, they are also the only church required to open their schools to non-Catholics.
No one around here seems to care very much. Canadians don't get worked up about religion the way Americans do.

[protege]

No one around here seems to care very much. Canadians don't get worked up about religion the way Americans do.

Most people here don't care either. Problem is, we have too many Fred Phelps types who enjoy stirring up trouble. They're a very small, but vocal minority...who does things simply to appear in the media.

[MadMike]

Problem is, we have too many Fred Phelps types who enjoy stirring up trouble. They're a very small, but vocal minority...who does things simply to appear in the media.

And unfortunately, the media eats it right up. From what I've seen, most people have wised up and are simply ignoring them, but the media still gives them the attention they crave.

A few years ago, they were in my area, and the whole family was out holding signs about how "God hates fags." Normally, I'd simply write it off as "pathetic", and not dwell on it, but it made me sad that some of his family members that were doing it were kids, one of them only being about 10 at the time.

[Boozy]

the media still gives them the attention they crave.

I hadn't really thought about the media bias...shame on me! Unfortunately, as a Canadian, I have no choice but to get my information about America from the American media. And information can be a little skewed.
For example, I remember that nutcase religious group that said "Soldiers are being killed in Iraq as punishment for America's gay lifestyle choices" or some such nonsense. How many people are actually members of this group? A few hundred? A few thousand? Out of 300 million Americans. Its a shame that they got so much coverage in the press, because here in Canada, and I'm sure in Europe as well, a lot of people were under the impression that this was an acceptable and mainstream movement in America. The fact that the majority of Americans (even those who aren't accepting of gays) found this despicable was lost in the media frenzy.

[AFPheonix]

Oh, did they miss the newscast where a biker gang came and out-louded the protesters with their harleys when they were protesting at a funeral?

That cracked me up.

[protege]

Its a shame that they got so much coverage in the press, because here in Canada, and I'm sure in Europe as well, a lot of people were under the impression that this was an acceptable and mainstream movement in America.

That's why groups like that piss me off. They repulse, and do not speak for the vast majority of us...yet people from outside the US may think they do...simply because of the damn media attention. Hell, with all the attention towards Anna Nichole, you'd think she was one of our leaders