Why damaging Christian places of worship in Canada has become the norm
If the shrines of other religions were attacked, what kind of resonance would it cause?
"It's only churches! Big deal!" — this seems to be the most common and widespread reaction of people to the very disturbing news of arson and vandalism to which Christian churches in Canada are being subjected today. How many churches, Catholic, Protestant or otherwise, located on and off Indigenous lands have been desecrated, seriously damaged and even burned to the ground in recent weeks?
At last count, there were more than 20. Some of them have turned into pure ashes, others have miraculously survived after unsuccessful arson attempts. The vandals are very confident. And there's no telling which church will be their next target.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe tweeted his condolences over the destruction of a Roman Catholic church near Lake Redberry. As the premier wrote, it was a church from his constituency that was attended by generations of local people, people from whom he received support and approval.
Little is said now that acts of vandalism not only destroyed church buildings, but also dealt a great blow to the parishioners of these churches. Hundreds of believers have seen their houses of worship destroyed and their faith insulted by acts of violence. All this deprived the people of the pastoral care so necessary for them.
"When we are ripped away from the church in this cruel way, it's horrible," bitterly expressed a woman who lives near the demolished church near Redberry Lake.
The attackers must be punished
Faith, for those who hold Christian values, is one of the deepest shrines, and for some, perhaps the deepest. So why is the whole series of attacks on Christian churches given very superficial coverage in the Canadian media?
The question has already come up: if 10 or 20 holy sites of any other religion were attacked, what would be the reaction of governments and the media in Canada?
Renowned Canadian journalist Alan Fryer commented: "If the churches were mosques, synagogues or gurudwaras (Sikh temples), then the media would use all their resources to support them and also to press the police and politicians to take their measures to strengthen public order. And that would be the right thing to do.
But we should expect the same sensitivity, vigilance and urgent investigation of what is happening with regard to the burning of Christian churches. An attack on any faith of any person or on a symbol of his faith should be punished in the same way.
It's worth noting that the people who have spoken out the most in defence of Christians with calls to stop the burning of their places of worship are those from whom no one expected it: the Indigenous peoples of Canada. They are the ones who are now grieving for all the atrocities committed against their children, the ones who most condemn the violence and vandalism that has engulfed Canadian society. Sometimes those who suffer the most have the most generous hearts. And that's a good lesson for all of us.
