100 Huntley Street's Road to Hell

I'm too lazy to come up with a funny title today

Well, friends, it's been a while since I've written here, having been fairly busy for the last month or so. But here I am again, and I'm going to write about a subject that has actually become fairly dear to me.

I've been paying a lot of attention to 100 Huntley Street lately. Not because I would by any means consider myself a devoted viewer of this depraved little program, but rather because it happens to come on right about the time that I usually leave for class. Lately, the big issue on 100 Huntley Street has been, yep, you guessed it: Gay Marriage.

I have to admit that I am actually quite disturbed the recent content of this program. It seems an uncontrollable tidal wave of religious fundamentalism is threatening to sweep forth across the nation, and this program is right on the crest of it. This wave threatens to ruthlessly crush such evil and impious things such as "ration" and "tolerance" and it's very frightening to me.

The entire 100 Huntley Street platform regarding gay marriage revolves around two things: one is a Compass poll that allegedly demonstrates that a full two thirds of the Canadian population is opposed to gay marriage, and the other is a Bible tract: "If the foundation is destroyed, what can the righteous do?".

While that Bible tract could mean almost anything, these people have pushed a half-truth upon the Canadian public regarding the Compass poll. While indeed only one third of Canadians surveyed in said poll were flat out in favor of gay marriage, only one third was opposed to it. The other third was in favor of "civil unions" for gays and lesbians, which is basically a secular marriage. More or less the same fucking thing, except granted by the state and not the church. So, of course, the churches are getting bitchy on the subject.

Regilious zealots such as David Mainse of the Crossroads foundation want to continually drive home their theory: gay marriage will destroy marriage, which is the foundation of our society.

But when men such as Mainse and Stockwell Day (a man who I supported to become leader of the Canadian Alliance Party until I personally found out what a pig-headed dumbfuck he is) speak of "our" society, whose society is it of which they speak. Whose society is "our" society?

The continual use of such a possessive term is a little bit frightening. If our society refers to a society belonging to men such as Mainse or Day, then one would have to imagine it is a society within which homosexuals are not welcome. If "our society" refers to a society belonging to other groups that are fond of this term, than one would have to imagine it as a society within which not only homosexuals are not welcome, but also jews, blacks and other ethnic minorities.

Many refer to the battle over gay marriage as the "culture wars". Now, I may be alone in this, but doesn't it seem like this isn't a hell of a lot different from the "holy racial wars"? Same shit, same pile, it just happens to be a different color... like you see after spending St. Patrick's Day drinking green beer.

Which is why it is so disturbing to see 100 Huntley Street preaching this kind of garbage. Now, 100 Huntley Street claims to be a Christian telecast. Conversely, I also consider myself to be Christian. However, the message that 100 Huntley Street preaches (which smiles on their faces that make them look so sweet that they could make you go into a diabetic coma) is entirely contrary to my religious values. For a Christian program to suggest (and often outright state) that discrimination against Gays is acceptable because they aren't referred to in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is an abomination that Christians should not tolerate.

And yet so many do. And why? Because they possess a certain amount of authority. However, this is a matter for a different rant. Let's get back to business.

Many of these people would also not consider prostitutes or those who choose to indulge in vice (wine, women and song) to be a part of their society. Yet, where did Jesus spend all of his time? Did he hobnob with the CEO of Halliburton or Enron? Fuck no! He was right down there in the gutter with the drunks, lepers and whores, ministering to the people that needed them most.

And, let's face it: who needs most to be not discriminated against in the world? You guessed it: homosexuals. Jesus would be in favor of same-sex marriage, or at the very least civil unions. But try to convince people like bishop Fredrick Henry of this. They have answers for everything. Well, not really answers: half-answers. But, apparently, half-answers (much like half-truths) are supposed to be good enough.

Bishop Henry recently noted that not only did Jesus teach about unconditional love, he also taught about uncompromising truth. In other words, Jesus loves you, but since it still matters what you do, he does love you less if you're gay. Sinner.

And of course, the same telecast that decries the biased and unfair journalistic coverage of the comments of men such as bishop Henry also tries its hand at journalistic coverage of the gay marriage issue... which is unquestionably biased and partisan to their side of the issue. Hypocrites.

Furthermore, describing a man who denies that discrimination against homosexuals as a great humanitarian is equally as ridiculous as pretending that Stockwell Day (who tends to provide half-answers on important issues and full-answers on more or less irrelevant issues) still possesses any relevance in Canadian politics.

One look into the eyes of these people reveals that they are afraid. And if they could admit that, I could respect that. But using religion as a shield behind which they can hide that fear is a farce.

An utter, utter farce.