REALity November, 2018 Ottawa, ON
BC Evangelical Pastors Take a Stand
Three hundred Evangelical Pastors in BC have taken a stand against the BC NDP government’s sex-education curriculum.
According to Pastor Lorefice Gabeli of Westwood Community Church in Vancouver and president of the Association.
For far too long, many of us in the evangelical churches throughout Canada have been dismissed, intimidated, bullied, and even threatened because of our biblical worldview regarding human sexuality, a worldview that is not only based on the time-honoured truths of the Bible, but is a view protected by Canadian law.
This group of BC Pastors have signed a statement of faith denouncing the inclusion of homosexuality and transgender identity in the SOGI curriculum. They call their statement “The West Coast Christian Accord” which is a 14 point document outlining the Christian position on gender identity and human sexuality. The Pastors have sent a letter signed by them and one thousand other signatories to the BC Minister of Education, Rob Fleming, requesting him to stop the SOGI curriculum taught in BC schools, because it is believed it is an infringement of their religious freedom.
In their letter, the Pastors state that the SOGI message contradicts the Christian truths, disrespects Charter values, and is harmful to school children, their parents, school teachers, and society as a whole.
Faith communities were excluded from the public discussion about the SOGI curriculum and some Pastors claim they have been vilified in the media over it. Bully tactics by sex activist teachers at meetings set up to inform parents about SOGI have also resulted in threats to some of the churches. Teachers opposed to SOGI fear for their jobs and are reluctant to speak out.
According to the Christian Pastors, the BC government failed in its legal obligations to fully consult with parents before putting the SOGI program into effect. The West Coast Christian Accord is a clarion call to arise and stand as one representative of the Canadian Church, declaring that Christians have the right, as law-abiding citizens, to the freedoms of conscience, speech, and the freedom to practice their faith and values, denied them as well as parents and children by the SOGI curriculum.
The liberal left or “progressives” believe that they can force society to comply with their directives by threats and intimidation. The Pastors in BC have shown that this is not the case.