Laws that threaten religious freedom rarely begin by banning sermons. They begin with the redefinition of words — especially words like harm, hate, safety, truth, tolerance, and inclusion. Over time, those redefinitions reshape what a society considers acceptable speech, and eventually, what it is willing to tolerate from people of faith.
Over the past year, we’ve faced many Covid-19 related restrictions from all levels of government; federal, provincial, and regional. Non-essential travel has been restricted with closed land borders. Those who travel must submit to a mandatory test, costly hotel stay, and forced quarantine upon their return. The economy has been shut down, stay-at-home orders and curfews have been issued, social gatherings have been limited, masks are compulsory in almost every indoor setting (and some outdoor settings), etc..
It seems too soon for another federal election, and yet tomorrow, voters across Canada will select our fourth government in the past 10 years. I’ve had a call from one candidate’s office, and a representative from another stop by, and enough political literature show up in my mailbox to kindle a fire. What should a Christian do when it comes to an election? Is it voting OK for a Christian or is it wrong? What does the Bible reveal?
