Living In A Hostile World Series

Stephen Boissoin, is the director of the Alberta Youth Outreach Foundations “Cave” youth centre initiatives. In 2002, he was investigating funding opportunities for his ministry on the Alberta Human Rights Commission’s website. “To my disbelief” he states, “I came across a page that highlighted an initiative that the A.H.R.C. funded. This initiative stated that the gist of its agenda was to teach that homosexuality was “Normal, Necessary, Acceptable and Productive”. Boissoin says he “absolutely disagreed with this untruthful, dangerous and scientifically baseless agenda” and that he also “felt that as a taxpayer, and indirect funder of this initiative through my tax dollars, I had a right to communicate my opinion (Give a reason for the hope that was in him) which is reflective of my religious beliefs. In an attempt to do so, I decided to share my opinion at large by submitting letters to the editor in newspapers.

He wrote to the Red Deer Advocate in 2002 to complain about the presence of literature about homosexuality in school libraries. He wrote: "From kindergarten class on, our children, your grandchildren are being strategically targeted, psychologically abused and brainwashed by homosexual and pro-homosexual educators," "Your children are being warped into believing that same-sex families are acceptable." In that letter Boissoin called into question gay-rights curriculums permeating the province’s educational system. He said: “Children as young as five and six years of age are being subjected to psychologically and physiologically damaging pro-homosexual literature and guidance in the public school system; all under the fraudulent guise of equal rights”.

Darren Lund, an assistant professor at the University of Calgary, whose intense interest is advancing “social justice” causes submitted a complaint to the Alberta Human Rights commission charging that Boissoin contravened the Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Act in the area of “Publications and Notices” on the grounds of “sexual Orientation.”

A three day hearing was convened this week before the commission. Should Boissoin lose the hearing he will be forced to pay $5000 to Darren Lund personally, and another $2000 to the pro-gay rights group EGALE Canada. An officer of the Human Rights Commission indicated that in publishing his letter, Boissoin had gone against the “position” of the commission.

Mr. Boissoin said that if he is found guilty, and not able to direct the fine to groups like Exodus International, which works with homosexuals attempting to leave the gay lifestyle, or an AIDS/HIV hospice, he will have no problem going to jail but will not apologize for what he wrote.

When people consider the work of Apologetics, they confuse the word with its contemporary connotation of being sorry. It almost sounds like one is sorry for professing Christianity.

For many, in the presentation of their “faith” sorry is usually one of the first words out. Sorry for past atrocities in the name of religion, and sorry for those who hold to exclusivist views of Christianity.

What is your reaction to the Boissoin story? Does this surprise you? You may be shocked to hear that this is a more and more common experience. It is open season on Christians and many of the herd don’t even notice the shots.

1 Peter 3: 13-17 speaks to all who would live godly lives in the midst of a hostile, ungodly culture.

The apostle Peter gives five principles believers need to embrace to equip and defend themselves against the threats of an unbelieving, hostile world: 1) a passion for goodness, 2) a willingness to suffer—for wrong and for right, 3) a devotion to Christ, 4) a readiness to defend the faith, 5) and a pure conscience.

1) A PASSION FOR GOODNESS (3:13)

1 Peter 3:13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? (ESV)

Peter’s rhetorical question shows that it is unusual for most people, even those hostile to Christianity, to harm believers who are zealous for what is good.

Zealous means “intensity” or “enthusiasm” and describes a person with great zeal for a specific cause.

Good refers generally to a life characterized by generosity, unselfishness, kindness, and thoughtfulness toward others (cf. Pss. 37:3; 125:4; Prov. 3:27; 11:23; 2 Cor. 9:8; Gal. 6:9–10; Eph. 2:10; Col. 1:10; 1 Thess. 5:15; 1 Tim. 6:18; Titus 1:8; 2:7, 14; 3:14; Heb. 13:16; James 3:13, 17; 3 John 11). Such a lifestyle has a way of restraining the hand of even the most ardent foe of the gospel (cf. 2:12; Matt. 5:16; Rom. 12:20–21).

As a General Truth:

Proverbs 16:7 [7]When a man’s ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

-With the same intensity and zeal for which we see fans cheering today for the final FIFA under 20 World Cup today, so too, Christians are to be zealous for good works.

-being zealous for what is good produces a godly life