Anti-Christian Government Pressure in China
I just read a news report from China that sounds like it could have come from Alberta. According to reports, in July, Chinese government officials in two provinces, Guizhou and Sichuan, are advising church-going Christians they must sign a form declaring they will stop attending church services. Any who fail to sign the form will have their old-age pensions, and other social assistance benefits terminated.

This is clearly a subtle form of persecution driven by atheistic ideology. Ignored is the fact that, along with other citizens, Chinese Christians pay taxes throughout their lifetime to fund these benefits.

Also ignored is Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which lists “the right to freedom of religion . . . either alone or in community with others in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”

Further, Article 22 states, “everyone … has the right to social security, and is entitled to the realization . . . of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and free development of his personality.”

Anti-Christian Government Pressure in Alberta
In Alberta a similar scenario is developing between the government and Christians. Earlier this year, the Education minister issued some guidelines for schools to combat bullying which now are presented more as standards that must be obeyed.

Unfortunately, these standards are part of the sexual revolution, championed by progressive secularists, that presents sex without any moral aspects, and simply as any other physical activity that can be enjoyed by everyone, with anyone, in many ways. This philosophy is now taught in many schools as part of their sex education program. Although students are taught to avoid disease, to use birth control, and to practice sex only with consenting partners, moral values are not mentioned.

The specific educational standards currently presented are part of this sexual revolution and have to do with protecting vulnerable students from bullying and are focused on students who are gay, lesbian, or transgender.

In principle, this is admirable, since Christians are completely in favour of preventing bullying in any form against any vulnerable person. Christian schools are already fully on board with comprehensive, functioning, anti-bullying policies and practices.

The problem for Christians is that the Education minister did not just set a goal, “You must have policies and practices that will prevent bullying of LGBTQ students.” He also dictated very specifically what these policies and practices must be. Unfortunately, the policies demand that homosexuality be celebrated as completely normal, and forbids any kind of “conversion” counseling of sexually confused students to help them think through their feelings.

Financial Pressure on Christians
What’s more, the minister also indicated that if an independent Christian school did not fully comply to the letter with his policies and practices, he would consider defunding it. That is, he would disqualify the school from receiving the per-student subsidy every school receives from the government.

Ignored is the fact that every Christian parent pays taxes to fund the education of their children. It costs the government more than $13,000 per year to educate a student in the public school system, whereas it costs the government less than $4,500 per year to educate a student attending an independent Christian school. The student’s parents pay tuition and school fees to cover the rest of the expense. Clearly this policy is driven by anti-Christian ideology and not for financial reasons.

Christian parents of students exposed to this kind of teaching are upset since it contradicts what they teach their children. Christianity gave the world the restrictive moral prohibitions against all sexual expressions outside of marriage—a permanent, one-man one-woman, sexually exclusive monogamy.

Ignored is Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states in section (3) “Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.” Ignored also is the clear biblical teaching throughout the Scripture that parents are responsible and accountable to God for the training and teaching of their children.

The Alberta Government Cuts Parents Out of the Picture
In Alberta, the state, not the parents are now in charge of a child’s education. For instance, if a student, even in an independent Christian school, tells a school staff member that she is lesbian, this information must be reported to government officials, but cannot be shared with the student’s parents without her permission. The parents are expressly left out of the situation.

With this policy the Alberta’s secular progressive government ignores the parents’ rights guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the biblical teaching of the parents’ responsibility, but fully endorses the sexual revolution and the LGBTQ agenda that goes with it.

This is a good time to remember to thank God that He is still in charge. He sets up rulers and takes them down. “The Lord controls the mind of a king as easily as he directs the course of a stream.”  Proverbs 21:1 (GNT) It is also a good time to pray and, as God leads, to speak up.

Note:
The link below shows how the Alberta government ignores Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
http://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/columnists/opinion-strong-arm-of-the-state-cant-overpower-charter-rights-of-albertas-faith-based-schools