Letter to the Editor by Pastor Tom Newton : Municipalities will obey ban on prayers APRIL 23, 2015

Yes, the High Court of the Land has spoken, and many gladly obey. Another nail in the coffin of religious freedom and expression!

I am not surprised at the High Court’s decision here, seeing its track record on past ungodly actions: abortion, same sex marriage, physician-assisted suicide, and many others. The trend is more secular humanism (paganism) and less God (His worship, His Bible, His standards). Yes, I understand we are in a post-Christian era now. No need to deny that, but it is worse: we are in fact reverting back (falling, apostatizing) to the time before the introduction of Christianity after the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (A.D. 33). In our rebellion, we have successfully kicked off most of the influence of Christianity and are now going back to heathenism, paganism, and barbarism. Rank idolatry!

I know that many of the rank and file applaud the Court’s action, but “following a multitude to do evil” is still wrong in the eyes of God, and shall in consequence reap further judgment upon us from the Most High God. God judges a rebellious nation in many ways. First He abandons the nation to “fools” – those who are in authority to direct, manage, and oversee the social, political, and economic affairs of the nation, provinces, and all municipalities. Once the “fools” are in charge, there is a rapid digression to further abandonment of all morals, civility, and common decency. God abandons those that abandon Him – His worship, His Bible, His salvation, His standards, even the avenue of prayer! I know that the common response to all this is, “who cares”, but we will care when God starts to overthrow a nation such as ours has become by the enemy within and the enemy without.

So why pray? Let’s use the example of our local municipalities. Prayer at the opening of a civic meeting is called an invocation. It is an acknowledgment in a form of a prayer for God’s assistance, His help, His wisdom in the matters that are before the civic members. In our day and age, such invocations are mainly religious formalities, asked by various religious groups. In Iowa recently, a Wicca priestess even did the invocation. Someone might say, “Good, let’s get rid of the religious formalities”, but what is going to replace it–a moment of silent mediation? How about an invocation to the god of reason, or the god of money and prosperity, or the god of pleasure? How about an invocation to self? (Another name for secular humanism is self-worship.)

Look at the mess the Liberals have made of Ontario: beer tax, carbon tax, selling of Hydro One, scandals after scandals, and, yes, let’s not forget the New Ontario sex-ed. program. I would venture to say we need all the “prayers” we can get. Do we have to go far from home? Just look at Cornwall, South Stormont, and see the evidence and the aftermath of the devastation of the “fools” being in charge of the ship. Even our Prime Minister has invoked the frowns of the Most High God with his weak knee action against abortion, and same-sex marriage. Prime Minster, with all due respects, are you pro-life, pro-family, pro-God? Inaction and lip service is worse than Nero playing his fiddle while Rome burned.

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour” (1Timothy 2:1 -3). May the Great God of Heaven have mercy upon our wretched souls, for His glory, and for His honour. Amen!

Pastor Tom Newton

Calvary Baptist Church, Cornwall, On.