On March 17, the Alberta Court of Appeal quashed Jim Keegstra’s 1985 conviction for willfully promoting hatred against the Jewish people and ordered a new trial. In December 1990 the Supreme Court of Canada upheld the conviction for willfully promoting hatred against Jews in a 4 – 3 decision, but it referred Keegstra’s other grounds of appeal back to the Alberta court.
Keegstra, who is also anti-Catholic, represents himself as a crusader for Christianity. In this he is like his racist counterpart Ernst Zundel of Toronto, who once carried a large cross through the street linking his case to that of the crucified Christ.
Canadian Council of Churches
On May 16, the Canadian Council of Churches (CCC) elected United Church Minister Bruce McLeod as president for the next three years.
McLeod , 62, was United Church Moderator from 1972 to 1974 and was a commissioner on the Ontario Human Rights Commission from 1975 to 1978. He shares his ministry at Bellefair United Church with his wife, Joyce Kelly.
Rev. Mcleod also writes a weekly column for the Toronto Star.
He is a committed supporter of abortion on demand and of the United Church’s decision to accept homosexual/lesbian ministers. He frequently uses his column to attack traditional Christian family-sexual morality. In his eyes, anyone who opposes the homosexual lifestyle is ‘homophobic’.
Catholic Civil Rights League
The Catholic Civil Right League (CCRL) has been inactive for some years.
But recently, on the initiative of Ottawa member Robert Eady, it has launched a complaint with the Canadian Radio and Television Commission (CRTC) about the film, he Burning Times.
The film has been shown several times on Vision TV.
The CCRL will launch a protest with the Canadian Human Rights Commission as well, says Mr. Eady, if no satisfaction is forthcoming from the CRTC.
The Burning Times is a product of the national Film Board’s radical feminist Studio D. It clearly exposes Catholics to hatred and contempt, states the CCRL’s press release, especially by means of falsifying history and the use of inflammatory and false statements against the Catholic Church.
Opponents of the film charge that:
Christianity is portrayed as anti-woman per se.
Therefore, the Catholic Church is shown as a wicked, patriarchal, misogynist institution which suppressed the rights and privileges of women. The film alleges they once flourished in early European society.
In order to justify this accusation, the film uses false and inaccurate historical accounts in a deliberate attempt to invite rage and hatred against the Catholic Church.
The film deliberately employs false accusation, distortions and inflammatory language to manipulate the viewer into despising Catholicism.
Robert Eady is The Interim’s Ottawa correspondent. Mail on this subject may be directed to him under title of CCRL, 136 Oakburn Road, Kanata, Ontario, K2L 1E3.
The CCRL’s action has been reported by Ottawa Sun columnist Peter Stockland, Ottawa Citizen’s religion editor Bob Harvey (June8) and the Globe and Mail’s religion columnist, Jack Kapica (June 12).
Presbyterians
U.S. Presbyterians have voted down a much publicized report which proposed to allow premarital sex, homosexuality, bisexuality and permissive immorality. The vote was 534-31 rejecting the report, i.e. 17-1.
