Churches should stay out of politics, said Tory Senator

Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On July 3, 2012]

Nicole Eaton, the Conservative senator, is annoyed at the United Church's politicking.

On As It Happens a few weeks ago, she said that the church's social gospel stance was basically politics in disguise, which she saw as "pretty strange".

A Montreal Gazette columnist took her to task a few days ago. And the moderator of the United Church has offered a reply in the National Post.

I would say that whatever your political leanings, churches wind up becoming political to some extent, either directly or indirectly. Indirectly, by deciding not to be open to doing something when something politically "immoral"--in their view--is staring them in the face.

Does Nicole Eaton mean what she says? If so, one would expect her to also start talking about Faytene Grasseschi and My Canada, say. After all, Faytene has worked to persuade MPs to pass legislation--Roxanne's Law comes to mind. [Sorry, the example came to mind. :) ]

If church work helpful to your side is okay, then contrary work by the "other side" should be okay to try as well, even if you don't agree with it.

But then it's not "pretty strange" that Eaton would have a blind spot. And you know what happens when the blind leads the blind.