Letter One:
I did not know that the Presbyterian Record and staff are supporters of the Liberal Party of Canada by having political articles in there [sic] magazine. I read 1 Corinthians and could not find any passage relating to Trudeau’s campaign. Mr. Trudeau is not even close to the Apostle Paul’s footsteps. I guess you also now support there [sic] ideology and policies.
I know it does not affect anybody but I will not renew my subscription when it comes due.
Letter Two:
Is the Presbyterian Record so hard up for contributions and writers that it has to publish that smarmy piece by a Liberal flack?
The Record should keep itself equidistant from all political parties. I would be equally outraged if I were subjected to an article about Mulcair’s Catholicism or Ambrose’s evangelical Christianity.
I am minded to stop subscribing but for that article by Wardle, Escape from Pakistan. We need more pieces like that, not hagiographical nonsense by spinmeisters.
Letter Three:
I notice that a liberal hack is writing in the Record. Liberals use religions to further their aims and then dump them once elected. There are researchers in the Liberal party who purposely look up the Good Book to see if they can find anything to help them on their way. Then you see Trudeau kneeling in a mosque reciting the Qur’an. They do anything to get votes. They tell lies and half-truths more than any party and they make promises only to break them once elected. They are the most corrupt party in Canada. Do you notice that Trudeau never criticises the Muslim extremists for killing and beheading Christians? That is because he has an ISIS-loving advisor who also told him what to say after the Boston bombing.
My response:
So you don’t like Justin Trudeau or the Liberal party. That’s fine. But what makes you think the magazine or the staff are supporters? That’s quite a leap.
Each month we publish articles that take many different ideological positions, theologically, socially, politically. Some months may be more conservative than liberal; some months may be more liberal than conservative. Every month seeks to represent the wide boulevard that is the Presbyterian Church in Canada.
Of all the denominational publications I’m familiar with, the Presbyterian Record seeks to publish the voices from within its church. Month to month, the issue is written almost entirely by PCC members.
We take pains to do that. You may not like a singular voice; but rest assured this magazine works hard to represent the whole church.
So, the meanness in your letters hurts. It is as if you’re saying the magazine should only serve your interests and if it fails to do that 100 per cent of the time, you are free to call us names and abandon us.
Many, many Presbyterian Canadians have served in political office over the years. And we have sought their voices every time. Quite a few have been Tories; a handful Grits; very few NDP. (There have been one or two who ran for the Greens.) This is important because our church’s voice goes to Ottawa. I have met a few over the years at General Assembly. This is our church; and the magazine seeks to tell its story.
So, if there is any ideology we seek to promote, it is our denomination in all of its messy faithfulness.
God Bless,
A.
