Well, it happened, as I suppose was inevitable, at least in a secular sense (from God’ perspective, there’s always hope). Bill C-9, the ironically named ‘Combatting Hate Act’ passed the House of Commons with a 186-137 vote. Look on the good side – there’s still over a hundred sane people in parliament who believe in free speech.
As we wrote a few days ago, the legislation seeks to forbid ‘hate speech’, a nebulous category which means anything that might make anyone that might make someone feel uncomfortable, if their ‘race, religion, or sexual orientation’ is criticized. Of course, this might include large swathes of the very word of God, a Being not averse to making us feel uncomfortable, but only so that we avoid the worse discomfort possible, the loss of the eternal life by wallowing in a life of sin. Moses smashed the golden calf, ground it into powder, and made the rebellious Israelites drink it mixed with water. And what of Elijah and Jezebel, Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar, John the Baptist and Herod? Saints Paul, Peter and James, and, yes, Christ Himself ?
After them, we have the panoply of saints and martyrs, put to death for speaking the truth, which made people uncomfortable. But they, like Christ, always spoke in charity, and it is only in charity that the truth should be spoken, even if it sometimes needs to be proclaimed from the housetops.
This may now come at quite the cost, for the punishments for violations are severe – from two years all the way to life imprisonment for the more serious ‘crimes’. All for saying the ‘wrong’ thing. They’re serious and mean business.
Then again, we may take some comfort that Christ did predict these days, which have been upon us before, and now, it seems, will be with us again:
Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils, and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. (Mt 10:16-20)
So gird up your loins, pray to the Holy Spirit, and prepare for the spiritual battle. Victory is the Lord’s, and we must but do our part, in caritate et veritate.Â
