Canadian Mennonite
Volume 11, No. 19
October 1, 2007


Viewpoints

Readers Write

We welcome your comments and publish most letters sent by subscribers intended for publication. Respecting our theology of the priesthood of all believers and of the importance of the faith community discernment process, this section is a largely open forum for the sharing of views. Letters are the opinion of the writer only—publication does not mean endorsement by the magazine or the church. Letters should be brief and address issues rather than individuals.

Please send letters to be considered for publication to letters@canadianmennonite.org or by postal mail or fax, marked “Attn: Letter to the Editor” (our address is on page 3). Letters should include the author’s contact information and mailing address. Letters are edited for length, style and adherence to editorial guidelines.

Withholding war taxes to avoid complicity in murder charges

My reluctance to pay taxes that will be used by the Government of Canada to pay soldiers to kill was recently strengthened by the actions of the RCMP. On July 8, the RCMP laid charges of first degree murder against two young men who had given James Roszko a ride back to his farm in Mayerthorpe, Alta., where Roszko murdered four police officers on March 3, 2005. The two young men are charged with being accomplices to the crime. If these two young men are accomplices to the murder of the four police officers, am I an accomplice to the murder of innocents by the Canadian Armed Forces?

On March 13, 1993, the Canadian Armed Forces tortured and murdered Shidane Arone in Somalia. A few days earlier, on March 4, soldiers in the Canadian Airborne Regiment in Somalia murdered Abdi and Ahmed Aruush in cold blood. My taxes supported the Canadian Forces in the commission of these three murders. Since then, members of the Canadian Forces have committed many other illegal acts, including documented cases of rape and sexual assault, violence against women and children on Canadian Forces bases, and the criminal cover-up of some of these crimes. Moreover, crimes by members of the armed forces continue.

On Jan. 26, Prime Minister Stephen Harper apologized to Maher Arar for the illegal actions of the RCMP and CSIS that led to his rendition and torture. This apology was made on behalf of the people of Canada. With this apology, Harper acknowledged the crimes committed by the RCMP and CSIS, and compensated Arar with $10.5 million for the torture he had endured as a result of the criminal actions of the RCMP and CSIS acting on behalf of the people of Canada.

My tax money was used to commit these crimes and, thus, I am complicit in the crimes of the Canadian Forces, the RCMP and CSIS.

When he was sworn in as Prime Minister on Jan. 26, 2006, Harper made a solemn pledge to uphold the rule of law. Former prime ministers Martin and Chrétien made similar commitments. These commitments are consistent with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which states, “Canada is founded on principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law.”

On April 28, 2003, I wrote John Manley, then finance minister, and asked him to assure me that my taxes would be used only in ways that are consistent with the rule of law. I cited the Somali murders and other crimes of the Canadian Forces, and asked for assurance that none of my taxes would be used to support such criminal activities. Since then, I have written to Manley’s successors, seeking assurance that my taxes would be used only to support activities that are consistent with the rule of law, and that none of my taxes would be used to pay for crimes committed by the Canadian Forces. Neither Manley, nor his successors, have provided such assurance.

In April 2007, in the absence of this assurance, I withheld $844.60 from my 2006 taxes payable (I forwarded this money to the Canadian Peace Tax Fund administered by Conscience Canada), and asked finance minister Jim Flaherty to submit the question of me being complicit in the crimes committed by the Canadian Forces to a court of law. I want a court to give me the assurance that the Government of Canada has refused to provide. I want to be assured that the Government of Canada is upholding the rule of law, and that I am not complicit in the crimes committed by the Canadian Forces when I pay my taxes. I am still waiting for a reply.

Dave Hubert, Edmonton

Repeat a lie often enough it will sound like truth

In the “Monuments in stone and film” article (July 30, 2007, page 14), Peter Letkemann writes of the communist propagandists of the early part of the last century: “Of course, the films were all lies, but the leaders knew that if a story is told powerfully enough and repeated often enough, people will believe.”

How true this is, but it is not only related to the communist regime. I cannot help but think of examples in our present situations:

And what about the sermons and teachings going on in the churches? Most of the time, next to no evidence is given, but ministers keep on repeating the same things.

So not only do the “bad” communists use this tool, but our governments, local politicians and church leaders use it no less.

Arno Penner, Abbotsford, B.C.

Afterlife can’t be ignored in the ‘here and now’

The contrast between pages 12 and 13 of the Aug. 20, 2007, issue could hardly be more striking.

Phil Wagler put together some excellent thoughts about the farce of being a Christian “expert” and the higher calling of being a slave of Christ. A very interesting piece that points me in a fresh direction I hadn’t thought of.

Then I pan over to page 13 and Aiden Enns’ “New Order Voice,” and I can barely get through a couple paragraphs without wondering how this got into your magazine. In the first paragraph Enns is asked if he believes in heaven and hell. Now, most essays raise a question at the start, discuss it in the middle and come to some sort of conclusion. In this column, though, the question is raised and then virtually ignored. Enns doesn’t “worry about the afterlife” because there’s already so much suffering on earth, or “hell on earth” as he calls it. It seems like he’s saying that the “hell on earth” makes hell in the afterlife irrelevant, which doesn’t make sense.

Instead, he wanders off to a worthy but unrelated topic of oppression before trying to come back with this gem: “With all the despair in this world, I find it escapist to simply rely on an other-worldly hope in heaven.” But heaven is not some fairyland. Heaven is where God is and, even though we need him now, I don’t see the harm in longing to be unfettered by sin with God in heaven.

Enns also states, “How we respond, I believe, determines the extent of our salvation.” Does he believe that salvation comes in fractions?

Lawrence Wiebe, Rosemary, Alta.

From Our Leaders

Should the church invest in nuclear energy?

ed janzen

An Alberta company has announced that it wants to build a nuclear power plant with two reactors to help that booming province’s energy needs. If this plant gets the green light, it will certainly renew the debate about the advisability of generating electrical power through nuclear means.

Right now, nuclear plants operate in Ontario, but other provinces are running out of options as they harness their smaller rivers and lakes to supplement the large hydro-electric power dams which generate most of our current power. It is unclear whether these sources can meet the targets for energy consumption, which seem to be constantly rising.

At Mennonite Church Canada’s Support Services Council, we have a very practical interest in this topic. We are responsible for investing the money of pastors, church staff and others who belong to our pension plan. We have many options in which our members can invest, but our core option—and the one in which most of the $34 million is invested—is a socially responsible fund, which invests only in companies that have a socially responsible product or service.

Arguments can be made for using nuclear energy. It is much cleaner than coal-fired plants currently in use. Geo-thermal and solar technology are not at the stage where they will be the answer in the near future. Some experts say nuclear plants are the only viable way society will meet its energy needs.

It should be noted that if a hydro dam were ever to give way, it would also be disastrous.

Lost in all these arguments, of course, is the need for the world to reduce its energy demands, and we should all be working towards that—but the feasibility of radically reducing energy needs is also not practical in the near future.

The greatest fears are nuclear accidents and storage. Archie Harms, who taught nuclear physics for many years at McMaster University and was a consultant for the United Nations, told me that great strides have been made to minimize risks in this technology. (It should be noted that if a hydro dam was ever to give way, it would also be disastrous.) At this time, my learned friend still urges caution in considering nuclear power.

But the record of nuclear plants is still good. Chernobyl occurred at a shoddy, poorly run reactor, and Three Mile Island might almost be considered a success, since no one was killed or even hurt. There have been about a half-dozen accidents since 1990, one of which caused two deaths in Japan in 1999.

From a pension plan investment perspective, I think I have made up my mind. It will take only one nuclear incident to plunge that investment steeply downward, and that is probably too great a risk for the hard-earned pensions of our pastors and church workers. However, the Pension Committee will have the final say. We would be interested in hearing from the constituency, particularly pension plan members, on this issue. E-mail your responses to edjanzen@shaw.ca.

Ed Janzen is MC Canada’s Support Services Council chair.

God, Money and Me

Failing to plan

Mike strathdee

Most of us put off preparing for worst-case scenarios. But changes in what health care and financial institutions require of clients means that there are many good reasons to get our affairs in order—for the sake of those we love, if nothing else.

People generally don’t realize the need to have valid Powers of Attorney for Health Care (known in some provinces as advanced/health care directives, living wills or proxy directives) in place, so someone can advocate for them if they can’t speak for themselves.

A recent Royal Bank survey found that only about 48 percent of adult Canadians have wills. A chaplain at a hospital in Kitchener, Ont., says his guess is that as few as 5 percent of the people he works with have a valid power of attorney.

Increased concerns about liability, and the fear of being sued, lead health care professionals to take a hard line on the issue of informed consent to treatment. If a tragedy left you unable to express your wishes, would you want to leave the decisions on treatment in the hands of people who may not know your values?

Here are a few stories about what can go wrong.

A few years ago, a Kitchener lawyer gave an example of the extra stress that can result from a lack of preparation. A woman went to check on her elderly mother, and found her on the kitchen floor, unable to speak coherently. The ambulance was called, but the mother had never granted power of attorney to anyone. The daughter couldn’t prove her mom wanted to go to the hospital, so she was forced to call a cab.

The daughter couldn’t prove her mom wanted to go to the hospital, so she was forced to call a cab.

Inaction in authorizing people to represent us can have serious financial repercussions as well. A man recently told me how his wife, aged 52 and 10 years his junior, had suffered a serious coronary attack five weeks earlier and was in a coma. Her workplace benefits package entitled her to apply for disability coverage, but the insurer was balking at processing an application from a spouse who couldn’t prove he had the right to speak for her. The couple had never considered the possibility that she might be the one to become incapacitated. No power of attorney had been designated.

In another case, a Cambridge, Ont., couple was selling their home when the husband became incapacitated due to an aneurysm. Both names were on the deed, so the husband’s signature was required to complete the transaction. They had never given each other power of attorney, so she was unable to complete the sale quickly. When the deal closed, half of the sale proceeds were sent to the Ontario Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee, to be held in trust for her husband. She had to apply to the courts for official guardianship of her husband, a process that took several months.

It is wise to set in place instructions about who should be in charge if you can’t be.

Ask your area Mennonite Foundation of Canada consultant for a free Estate Planning Guide or for guidance in your decision-making.

Mike Strathdee is a stewardship consultant with Mennonite Foundation of Canada’s Kitchener, Ont., office. For stewardship education, estate and charitable gift planning, contact your nearest MFC office or visit mennofoundation.ca.

family ties

Third step to a good hug

melissa miller

Had any good hugs today? Some of the best hugs come from children who throw themselves with abandon into the embrace, joy pouring out from them.

While I was a student at seminary, I was blessed by the hugs of two young sisters who attended the church where I served as an interim pastor. At the time, I was living apart from my family and didn’t always get my daily quota of hugs. As I stood greeting people each Sunday at church, I eagerly anticipated the arrival of the little “queens of good hugs.” I knew I could count on them to enter through the doors and beeline towards me, showering me with generous, exuberant hugs.

A good hug is as peace-giving as a beautiful sunset, and as satisfyingly sweet as corn on the cob.

With arms wrapped around each other, we share the holy space of intertwined giving and receiving.

In this series on the four steps to a good hug, we come now to the third step—embracing. The goal of the previous steps—opening our arms and then waiting for the other’s response—is the moment of embrace. With arms wrapped around each other, we share the holy space of intertwined giving and receiving.

Theologian Miroslav Volf writes in Exclusion & Embrace, “It takes two pairs of arms for one embrace.… In an embrace a host is a guest and a guest is a host. Though one self may receive or give more than the other, each must enter the space of the other, [and] feel the presence of the other.… Without such reciprocity, there is no embrace.”

In the Christian art world, there is likely no more famous hug than Rembrandt’s portrayal of the father’s loving embrace of his prodigal son, from Jesus’ parable in Luke 15. The history of the painful rupture between the son and his father, and the poignant beauty of their reconciliation, is told in Rembrandt’s detailed painting. One can sense the father’s unconditional love as he stands wrapped with his arms around his tattered son. Such love enabled the father to wait open-armed for the moment of embrace, until his son was prepared to share in the intimacy.

Volf adds that a “soft touch” is necessary in a good hug. The softness indicates respect for each person’s boundaries, remembering that we do not lose ourselves in the other. The touch signals a willingness to connect with, and be changed by, the huggee.

Similarly, marriage counsellors sometimes use the metaphor of a pair of tented hands with the fingertips resting firmly on each other. The touching fingertips represent the couple’s connection and “leaning on” each other. The space between the palms represents each individual’s capacity to stand alone. Without connection and dependence, the couple miss out on one of marriage’s strengths and benefits. Too much leaning on each other, and the individuals forget, or lose sight of, their God-given individuality, and their responsibility to care for their selves. A soft touch and the tented hands remind us of the impor-tance of balance in our hugging.

Eventually, the arms of the huggers loosen and the embrace ends. At that point, we move to the final step of a good hug—release.

Melissa Miller (familyties@mts.net) lives in Winnipeg, where she ponders family relationships as a pastor at Springstein (Man.) Mennonite Church, a counsellor and an author.

Young Prophets

We are God’s community

Troy C. Dettwiler

Police tape strangled the central street in St. Jamestown. Cop sirens were still, an eerie aftermath to an incident I was unaware of. The police officers, all the more eerie, simply stood around. Wind didn’t greet me this morning, just a mourning calm.

St. Jamestown is a city block of apartment buildings in downtown Toronto, a school and some small stores. The population sits around 27,000 people. I was working at the 614 St. Jamestown Church, which is a partnership between the Mennonite Church and the Salvation Army. Its vision is based on Isaiah 61:4—restoring dreams and renewing the spirit of the community.

Hearing that a man was shot last night was an unexpected welcome to the 614 office. I heard the words, but only felt them a few hours later. The rest seemed a blur of words—drug dealer, friend, courteous and family.

I sat in front of the computer pulling up reports. For the past three weeks Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) had operated a summer youth program in downtown Toronto. Groups came in, they saw things they never expected and left with a new perspective. The youths renovated spaces and cleaned parks to assist the community. Now my youth group from Elmira (Ont.) Mennonite Church was coming into a murder scene. How would they respond? Should this event be ignored or pushed under the carpet?

No. This is not St. Jamestown. A killing does not define a community; the community defines it.

Some of the reports attempted to show community spirit, but most focused on the death.

The news reports will tell you exactly what happened early that Sunday morning. “Shawn Philip James, 31, was mowed down outside a Bleecker St. apartment building,” wrote Michele Henry in the Toronto Star. A local television news station appeared at the vigil, getting looks from the crowd. Some of the reports from the media following this event attempted to show community spirit, but most focused on the death.

The evening air after work was still and muggy. Around a small basketball court hundreds of friends, family and community members gathered. Some of the faces showed grief, others were laughing. Every look left me in wonder.

Standing in the court, a middle-aged woman began her prayer. With the energy of a stampede, her voice reached the highrise rooftops. The words came with power as she looked to the heavens above. “Praise God,” she proclaimed. The crowd echoed a response. It was an emotional tidal wave through class, belief and colour. The service was full of prayer, love and remembrance.

When the community was offered time to speak, a member of the crowd stepped forward: “We must put down our guns.” It was a plea for peace in the community. The crowd responded with the loudest applause of the entire service. Faces seemed to gain hope.

The service concluded, but I knew something had changed—at least within me. I saw God in a new way. God was there among all those strangers. Love, faith and unity were all in God’s name. I have never experienced such a love that went past so many of those boundaries. Yet, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t understand why it didn’t feel right. Why my work felt meaningless and insignificant.

Then I realized, as I stood with strangers around a basketball court, that I wasn’t the outsider. I was one of them.

The moment I entered St. Jamestown I stereotyped myself. I was the outsider. I didn’t see myself as better than them or smarter or anything other than equal. Yet I didn’t think I was one of them. Events happened inside “their” community. We were helping this community.

After letting go of my own label, my work suddenly meant something. I no longer felt like waking up each morning to repeat a series of tasks. I was helping “my” community.

Being part of God’s community includes everyone. A community shouldn’t just be in the church or the neighbourhood. It needs to extend around the globe. Being equal isn’t good enough, as I found out. We are one. We are God’s people.

Troy C. Dettwiler, 19, lives in Toronto, where he is studying film and television production at Humber College. He has volunteered with MDS in California, Tennessee and Toronto; and with Mennonite Central Committee’s Sharing With Appalachian People in Kentucky, as well as at an MCC Thrift Shop.


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