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Saturday Selections – Oct. 25, 2025

Easiest way to save 175,000 Europeans a year

“Every year, around 1,300 Americans die from extreme heat. But in Europe, which has about double the population, 175,000 people die from extreme heat.” Why this huge difference? “…strict environmental regulations to help combat climate change…”

Christians are being encouraged – in the name of biblical stewardship – to sign on for the climate catastrophic agenda. It can be hard to know what to do, since the science is beyond most of us. But you can gauge the fruit of that agenda. Here we see how those trying to save the planet aren’t saving the people on it. So that’s not an agenda we should sign up for.

Ontario school taught third graders how to “get into drag”

We send our kids to Christians schools not, first of all, to shelter them, but rather to teach them to see the world as it really is – as God created it and sustains it.

But government schools are a danger we should shelter our kids from. Public schools indoctrinate children to see the world as it isn't – to see it as completely disconnected from God. And that's not enough for the government, as this report shows: they also want children to question their gender, and feel guilt, not for their sins but for their skin color.

Parents disrobe to make their point

The trans agenda has schools across this continent telling girls they need to be okay with boys in girls' locker rooms, changing in front of them, and watching them change. What we have here is adults refusing to protect girls.

So, in what seems to becoming a trend, three parents have gone to school board meetings and, while arguing against this ridiculous policy, disrobed to their underwear or bathing suit. In the first case, in September, the board shut down the meeting, too uncomfortable to continue, and isn't that exactly the point that mother, Beth Bourne, was trying to make? If the board can't take such discomfort, why are they subjecting girls to it? Then, in October, a couple of women did the same, undressing to their underwear, to make the same point.

Awkward? Certainly. But is it a sinful way to make a point? After all, God calls us to modesty (1 Tim. 2:9–10). But He has also used immodesty to make a point, having Isaiah walk around naked (or in no more than his underwear) for three years (Is. 20:2-4). God also calls on us to defend our children and take the hit for them (2 Cor. 12:14, 1 Thess. 2:7-9), modeled most clearly in what God had done for us (John 10:11). The school was set on humiliating children, and these parents were willing to be humiliated instead.

Neither school seems to have listened. We can only hope these brave parents will also have the sense to pull their kids out.

Too hot to be old (10 min. read)

There are moons, and planets, and even a former planet, that are way too hot to be 4.6 billion years old. Our solar system gives evidence of being a young one after all.

Conservative Anglicans have been liberated

The appointment of a female Archbishop of Canterbury has prompted conservative churches to formally split away.

Why girls are more susceptible to transgender indoctrination

Our kids, girls or guys, need to know that their teen struggles are common – at some point in their teens, everyone feels like a friendless loner who has something deeply wrong with them.

They need to know hear that from their parents so they don't start looking for answers on the Internet or elsewhere where they could hear their problem is that they were born in the wrong body. They need to hear from us that yes, they might be broken... as we all are. Thankfully, we can turn to God in our brokenness and in repentance, and He will be a Father to the lonely.

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Saturday Selections – Oct. 4, 2025

Bahnsen vs. Hitchens, the Rap Battle Here's AI put to its weirdest and most wonderful –the late Reformed apologist Greg Bahnsen taking on the late atheist apologist Christopher Hitchens. Were dragon stories really dinosaur encounters? Short answer: it sure would seem so! Where do human rights come from, senator? A US senator thought that it was akin to being a fundamentalist Muslim to think that human rights come from God. They come from the state, he insisted. But if they come from the state, how could the state ever violate them? How could we ever complain about any state abusing human rights? Health-care costs for typical Canadian family will reach over $19,000 this year That we don't pay for healthcare directly doesn't mean we don't pay for healthcare. It means, at the very least, that tax dollars that go for that care aren't used for anything else. And the hidden costs of our socialized healthcare system also mean it is really hard for us to tell if we're getting value for our money. Canadian government pushing hate speech law again "Hatred is a real sin. But government and law enforcement cannot discern the degree of hatred in one’s heart, though they can judge and punish the things they do. "That’s why existing prohibitions in the Criminal Code focus on prohibiting particular actions, not emotions or motivations. While Christians should condemn hateful thoughts, words, and gestures, the government cannot regulate the heart." The dangerous logic of Moral Subjectivism "If right and wrong are things outside of ourselves which we can't change, we need to align our behavior with what's right. But if it's the other way around, and morality is just a thing I get to make up, well, I can act however I want." "Huh... that's basically the same as not having a moral system..." **** This video is worth watching for what it gets right, like the above. But where it falls short is in what it settles for – that agreeing there is some sort of objective moral standard outside ourselves is all that's really important. The problem is, ideologies and religions can hold to an objective truth that includes the notion that "conversion by the sword" is a legitimate means of persuasion. So, for example, it isn't enough that an ISIS jihadist thinks a moral standard exists outside himself, he isn't about debate and dialogue. This sort of short-sightedness is what happens when we appeal to the fruits of Christianity without actually holding to the Root of it, Christ Himself. Civil discourse is a fruit of the only real objective standard that exists, God's morality, which teaches us: God has no interest in merely outward observance (Is. 1:13), discouraging any attempts at compelled belief. to treat others as we would like to be treated (Matt. 7:12), prompting civil discourse. to love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-4), prompting civil discourse. it is good to hear both sides (Prov. 18:17), which encourages hearing out things you might disagree with. we are all made in the Image of God (Gen. 9:6), and that hate is the equivalent of murder (Matt. 5:21-22), which both, again, encourage civil discourse. So not just any objective moral standard will do. Civil discourse is a fruit of Christianity, and as we are seeing, a nation that turns from Him will slowly but surely start losing the fruit of the Christian faith, including civility. ...

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Saturday Selections – Sept 27, 2025

Voddie Baucham (1969-2025) spoke to Christian Nationalism shortly before his passing This past week, Voddie Baucham passed away at the age of 56. A Reformed Baptist pastor, he was known for his powerful preaching, and his willingness to speak to cultural hot button topics. In one of his last public events he appeared on the Founders podcast to advocate for a form of "discipleship of the nations" that he knew would make some Christians nervous. He never used the term "Christian Nationalism" – probably because the term has so many conflicting definitions – but could have, speaking to the need for government to submit to God. Some Christians (and unbelievers too) mistakenly presume that a call for such submission is a call for the government to be ruled by the Church. But no one (not even Douglas Wilson) is advocating for an ecclesiocracy. Starting at the 24-minute mark in the video below, Baucham explained why these nervous Christian have made that mistake – it's because they've adopted the world's understanding of government as the holder of all power. They then presume that when any Christians talk about transforming culture they must be after the governmental levers of power. Not so, Baucham explains. What he was advocating for instead is akin to the public Christian witness ARPA Canada helps us offer in the political square, and the discipleship we receive via our Christian families, our Christian schools, and via the Bible studies and regular preaching in our churches. We can see the Holy Spirit already working through these means, and we should pray that His work will continue to be transformative, not just for us, but for millions and billions more in both our nation and our world! Click the link for WORLD magazine's Baucham obituary. Take the tech exit: it's not too late to get your kids off their smartphones "...nearly one-third of parents regret giving their child a smartphone or access to social media when they did. Only 1% say they wished had provided these devices sooner. Take the tech exit. Your kids may not thank you now, but they probably will later on." Is this a Turning Point for the West? "Sunday’s memorial service for Charlie Kirk may have been the largest evangelistic event in human history. Not every speaker at the event was in tune with the Gospel, but those who were stated it clearly and boldly...." What the reaction of Canadian leftists to Charlie Kirk’s murder tells us "...there is something different knowing that these journalists, professors, teachers, and others saw an incredibly graphic video of a young father getting shot in the neck and collapsing as blood gushed from the wound, and that their first reaction was glee – because he believed and said the very things that we believe and say. There is something jarring about knowing that if this happened to a Canadian pastor, or pro-life activist, or parental rights advocate, they would also rejoice..." Jordan Peterson’s Achilles Heel "The latest viral video of Peterson was not a video of him standing up to insanity but faltering over his faith. A live debate by YouTube channel, Jubilee, where Peterson took on more than 20 atheists was called, "1 Christian vs 20 Atheists," but only a few hours later it was retitled "Peterson vs 20 Atheists." Why? Because Peterson refused to be called a Christian by one of his interlocutors..." Thousands of Methodist churches reject sexual license Over 4,600 congregations worldwide have departed the United Methodist Church (UMC), most of them joining the Global Methodist Church, over the UMC embracing same-sex marriage and LGBTQ clergy, and the UMC questioning biblical authority. I didn't know anything about this, but how wonderful it is to hear what God is stirring up here. What's curious is the Christian reporter's refusal to pick a side, sharing the story as if this is all just a matter of a difference of opinion over what kind of ice cream flavor they prefer. ...

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Charlie Kirk’s funeral spreads the Gospel

On Sunday, September 21, an estimated 100,000 people gathered inside State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, for the funeral of Charlie Kirk, with an overflow crowd outside also in the tens of thousands. Kirk, just 31 years old, was an extremely popular and influential Christian leader, especially among young people; he was assassinated on September 10 while debating with “those who disagreed with him” in front of a large group of students and onlookers on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Turning Point USA, the organization founded by Kirk, stated that over 100 million people streamed portions of the service or watched it on cable or other broadcast services. More remarkable than the size of the audience was the message they heard. Speakers included powerful politicians, sitting White House cabinet members, President Donald Trump, ministers of the Gospel, friends of Charlie Kirk, coworkers, and, touchingly, his wife Erika. Almost without exception, each orator brought the Gospel message to the millions of ears listening, often with Scriptural exegesis and explanation, all pointing to Jesus Christ as the answer to all of mankind’s problems. Apologist Frank Turek, a mentor to Kirk who was with Charlie on stage when he was shot, told the crowd: “I want you to know that Charlie right now is in heaven, not because he was a great husband and father, not because he saved millions of kids out of darkness on college campuses, not because he changed minds and chased votes to save the country, not because he sacrificed himself for his Savior. Charlie Kirk is in heaven because his Savior sacrificed himself for Charlie Kirk.” The Vice President J.D. Vance, a close friend of Kirk, said, “I always felt a little uncomfortable talking about my faith in public, as much as I loved the Lord, and as much as it was an important part of my life. I have talked more about Jesus Christ in the past two weeks than I have my entire time in public!” Vance also reminded the audience that “It is better to be persecuted for your faith than to deny the kingship of Christ.” He quoted John 16:33: “I have said these things to you that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart, I have overcome the world.” Even the President’s son, Donald Junior, who quipped that Charlie knew way more about the Bible than he did, took the Scriptures seriously in speaking about the martyrdom of Stephen in the book of Acts, pointing to the vision of Jesus standing, not sitting, at the right hand of God the Father to welcome Stephen into Heaven. Secretary of State Marco Rubio summarized the essentials of the Gospel, focusing on our sin, our salvation in Jesus Christ (through His historical and actual life, death, and resurrection), and our service and thankfulness to God for our salvation. Does that sound at all familiar to Reformed Christians? Other notable speakers with Gospel messages included podcaster Tucker Carlson, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Some of the praise heaped on Kirk bordered on deification (and sounded out of place), and President Trump could not bring himself to follow the example of forgiveness of our political foes, as illustrated by widow Erika Kirk, who publicly forgave her husband’s murderer. But overall, the nearly five-hour event was a remarkable witness to millions of the power of the Gospel message – only our Lord Jesus can redeem us from the mess of fallen mankind. If you’ve only seen clips or highlights of the funeral service, it is worthwhile to watch the whole event: you can find the complete stream below, ...

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Saturday Selections – Sept 20, 2025

Charlie Kirk one week later The link above heads to Tim Challies' collection of the week's best articles on Charlie Kirk. My favorite was by Barry York on how we should deal with the inevitable clips that will and have surfaced, where Charlie Kirk evidences less patience or less grace than was his norm. I've my own thoughts. I've got liberal social media friends who are happy to cancel Kirk for a stray word... but is it really the stray words they are bothered by? In one of their posts a reference was made to how Charlie Kirk supported the stoning of homosexuals (which Stephen King also claimed and got in trouble for). The Christian response has mostly been to protest how anyone could ever possibly think that. But the better response is, I will suggest, to double down with the Gospel truth that it isn't just homosexuals who stand condemned, but every single one of us – before our just Judge we would all be found guilty of actions that warrant not simply stoning but the lake of fire (Matthew 5:21-22). I think what actually made Kirk offensive to many is how he shared that we are sinners in desperate need of a Savior. That's offensive indeed, both to the world and to the liberal church. It is also a very needed preamble to the good news of the Gospel. Bach's music as the fingerprints of God Defending the Christian faith can sometimes be awfully simple. So here's one simple defense of the faith that amounts to an "argument from beauty." There is the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. Therefore there must be a God. As philosopher Peter Kreeft notes, you either get this one or you don't. But that doesn't make it any less true. IVF may have killed more than 250 million since 1978 "In vitro fertilization is destroying hundreds of millions of human embryonic children, according to a new estimate. This further shows why pro-lifers must be as opposed to IVF as they are to abortion." To put that in some kind of context, the Encyclopædia Britannica estimates the total number of people killed in World War II, including the Jews murdered in the Holocaust, the soldiers on both sides, and the civilians too, as being between 35 million and 60 million. In other words, the IVF deaths you aren't hearing about anywhere may amount to four times the number of those killed in the biggest war ever waged. If books are too indecent to show in the paper or read out loud at meetings, what are they doing in Alberta public schools? Alberta opposition leader Naheed Nenshi has been challenged to read out loud the horrific graphic novels he is defending. Guns and statistics Statistics are said to be one of the three big classes of lies, so it should come as no surprise that government statistics often align quite closely with whatever narrative it is that they are trying to push. The FBI has reported that armed civilians stopped active shooters in just 3.7% of the time over the last 10 years. But a watchdog group says that this low number has a lot to do with how the FBI chose to tabulate the data. They counted things up quite differently, and, if you excluded shootings taking place in "gun-free zones" (where no one other than the shooter was going to have a gun), then 52.5% of these events were stopped by a civilian with a gun. That number has its own spin, but this is an important article to read to really understand the need for taking a Prov. 18:17 approach to statistics. Chris Gordon: a word to young people over the death of Charlie Kirk Too many of us actually saw Charlie Kirk die – the videos of his death, videos of people celebrating his death, videos of nihilists preaching chaos, were streamed all over the Internet. Pastor Chris Gordon begs young people to look away. We are not meant to dwell on this brutality and darkness. Look to Christ instead! Charlie Kirk picture is adapted from one by Gage Skidmore and is used under a CC BY-SA 2.0 license....

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Were the 215 soil abnormalities actually graves? 37% of Canadians think we should just presume so.

Allegations of mass graves outside of Canadian residential schools was one of the top news stories in the world in 2021. Ground-penetrating radar was said to have found evidence of the remains of as many as 215 children on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. But these soil anomalies have not been investigated since, and no exhumation has been done, and consequently, no actual bodies have been found. And today, for many Canadians, the lack of proof is seen as irrelevant. The results from a survey released by Angus Reid this summer revealed that 63% of respondents would only accept the initial claim if further information from exhumation was made available. However, more than a third of respondents will accept these are unmarked graves, even if nothing is done to verify whether these are actually graves. Among indigenous respondents, 44 per cent accepted the claim without more evidence. The numbers who don’t need evidence increases to 56% of young women, aged 18-34. A few years ago, Christian apologist Abdu Murray argued that we have transitioned from a post-modern world to a post-truth world. “Post-Modernism says there’s no such thing as truth, but Post-Truth mindsets say, ‘Truth is important, but only in so far as it feeds and satisfies my feelings and my preferences. So truth exists, but I don’t care unless it happens to conform with what I like.’” How do we engage with a world that acknowledges that truth exists but is happy to ignore it? In his book Saving Truth: Finding Meaning & Clarity in a Post-Truth World, Abdu Murray concludes that “the answer is Jesus – the truth who is personal. He is the Saving Truth.” In other words, Christians must communicate truth, but we must also introduce our neighbours to the person of Jesus – the “way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Christ alone speaks to the head and the heart....

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Saturday Selections – Aug. 30, 2025

Great illustrations of the government's limits Big government presumes that its bureaucracy is omnicompetent, able to manage for its citizens the job market, healthcare, education, trash collection, and so much more. And in making much of its own capabilities, it diminishes its citizens – we must be incompetent if we need their active intervention in so much of our lives. So is the government omnicompetent? No, as this video demonstrates with three examples of government programs gone wrong. Were they to acknowledge their limitations, governments would then limit their own fiddling and allow more room for other sorts of "government" – including family government, Church government, and self-government – to take up more responsibility. China slaps tariff on Canadian canola after Canada imposed a tariff on Chinese EVs Canadians who want to "go green" will have to pay more to do it, since our government imposed a 100% tariff on cheap Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) last year. Does that tariff help Canadian EV production? Possibly... but only by hurting Canadian consumers in the pocketbook. And now China has hit Canadian canola with a huge 78% tariff. Might that help China's canola producers? Maybe. But only by hurting Chinese canola consumers. When tariffs beget more tariffs, the only way to stop the cycle is for one country to step back and stop. And that isn't as defeatist as it is made out to be. It is, in fact, a defense of your country's consumers, who will no longer be forced to pay the jacked-up pricing our tariffs create. Yes, ending tariffs could hurt some Canadian producers – those who can't produce goods as inexpensively as countries abroad are able to – but ending tariffs will help our consumers, who will then get more bang for their buck. Ending tariffs will also help any of our producers who use imported products. And, in this case, ending tariffs could have helped our country's canola producers escape a punitive payback by the Chinese government. Media gives big coverage to study that says climate change will cost trillions... ... but didn't give big coverage when the same study started getting questioned. Court backs Calvin U over prof fired for officiating a gay "marriage" A same-sex "marriage" is two people committing, for life, to live in rebellion against God. They are doing so to their own harm, and quite possibly their eternal destruction, should they keep to that commitment. How could this professing Christian have been confused about whether or not he should officiate such a ceremony? It'd be akin to officiating a ceremony where a pair of anorexics made a solemn vow not to eat again – why would anyone do that to them? It's good news, then, to hear that Calvin University took a stand, and the courts backed them. Trump (sort of) says, "The US should be more like Canada" Canada's federal election results have, historically, been beyond questioning. With a scrutineer from each of the major parties overlooking the ballot counts, there have been as many as four tallies to check against each other – the Elections Canada result, but then also the Liberal, Conservative, and NDP counts. But as we move to more mail-in ballots and, municipally, we bring in electronic voting, what we're left with is a system that requires more and more trust from the voters because there is less and less transparency. We have only to look south of the border to see how badly that can go. Now President Trump has made transparency an issue, with his demand for getting rid of electronic voting machines. The Prodigal - Josiah Queen Quite the peppy take on the Prodigal Son... ...

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Why join an ARPA Club?

One mom shares how signing up has helped her high schoolers stand up for others High school is busy. Course work, extracurriculars, sports, catechism classes, homework, part-time jobs, and decisions about the future make for a full schedule. Amid all this busyness and these big decisions, it would be easy enough for a student to spend too much time looking in at themselves, and not enough time looking out at those around them. But, as we know, God calls us to love our neighbor as ourselves and be a light in this dark world. So, are we encouraging high schoolers to set aside time for something that isn’t about them – their job, their sports team, their education, their future – and instead engage in something that is about others? Engaging in the political sphere to defend the lives, health and wellbeing of others is a great way high schoolers can look outside of themselves and instead love others and be a light to those around them. That’s where ARPA clubs come in. ARPA clubs are groups of students dedicated to engaging with political issues from a Christian perspective and bringing a Biblical witness to their leaders and communities around them. They do activities as a club and try to get their entire school community more politically engaged. Students in an ARPA club are encouraged to sign up for ARPA Leaderboards, an online platform where they can post photos of their political action, and gain points in a friendly competition against other clubs across the country. Here’s what one parent – Meagan Vandermaarel – had to say about her experience as a parent of children in an ARPA club. Naomi: How has being part of an ARPA club benefited your children? Meagan: “In so many ways. This past year three of my children joined the TEACH Home Educators of Brant ARPA school club. “Attending the ARPA Youth Conference is a non-negotiable part of my children’s education plan and provides some great, hands-on civics education. My children come back inspired to make a difference in the community around them, more informed about what is going on locally, as well as form new friendships which continue to grow year by year. “The ARPA Leaderboards competition has provided a great platform for my children to stay informed about what bills and petitions are current, to get in touch with their local MPs in an easy-to-navigate format and stay motivated through friendly rivalry both individually and through their school groups with the weekly Leaderboards rankings.” Sign up for this year’s ARPA Youth Conference at ARPACanada.ca/event/Youth25. LORD willing, these conferences will be held in Hamilton ON, Winnipeg MB, Coaldale AB and Smithers BC this October. Naomi: Why join an ARPA club? Meagan: “It is so important for our youth to not only be aware of what is going on in the world around them, but to be given the tools and information needed so that they in turn can make a difference, even if it’s just in a small way. “Not part of a school club? Not a problem. Just get together with your homeschool group or some friends and form a new club! You just need one parent or teacher volunteer and a few motivated teens to send out emails and plan events. Some of the action items are things like: crochet a baby hat, write a postcard to an MP, host a flag display, write a letter to the editor, visit an old age home, host an ARPA merch day, send an EasyMail letter to your local representative, and lots more!” Naomi: What are the benefits? Meagan: “You will quickly find that your teenagers become well informed and politically minded about current issues. They will not only know the name of their MP but become known to their MP sometimes on a first name basis! They become motivated to make a difference and have others join them in doing so. Some may frown, but the friendly rivalry both individually and between school groups in the ARPA Leaderboards competition can foster some great motivation to get involved and make a difference. School club winners receive a trophy, t-shirts and a pizza party and individual winners are given Amazon gift cards. “Being part of an ARPA club is a great way also to instill a love for one’s country and it gives the students an opportunity in the stage that they are in right now, to not only serve their immediate community but also to make a difference in the nation at large.” Naomi: Any encouraging stories to share? Meagan: “For sure. Two of our children had the privilege of having their ‘Letter to the Editor’ published this past year in newspapers across Canada, raising awareness on elder care and MAiD for the mentally ill. “The Burlington Flag Display was a day to remember as well – heading out before the sun came up to cover the grass with 10,000 pink flags to raise awareness about female selective abortion. “Monday singsongs at the local nursing home were another great memory. The smiles on the elderly residents' faces and the joy a friendly smile and song brought to them was worth every minute. “There were also some encouraging face-to-face conversations while delivering flyers. For my daughter Mia, getting to sit in an MP’s chair at Parliament and attending the God and Government Conference in Ottawa was an experience she will never forget. Winning first place on the ARPA Leaderboards was a definite highlight to end the year off with; I mean who wouldn’t want a pizza party with Ryan and Naomi?” **** Other parents also shared their thoughts with me, saying that their children in an ARPA club: “…had their eyes opened to ways that they could have an impact or a say in how things progress here in Canada. Although it may seem like we are not making any change by putting up lawn signs, delivering flyers, donating to the local pregnancy care center, or visiting seniors in old age homes we are making others more aware of the issues (gender reassignment, euthanasia, abortion), and giving them information that they may never have thought about which in turn may make them discuss the issues with others and have a ripple effect; it was also an avenue by which we could show that we care about our neighbors and love them. Even though it was intimidating at first to meet with our MLA and MP, the students were also encouraged to know that they could share their thoughts with the actual people that are involved in lawmaking and that the MLA/MP was interested in what they had to say.” Another parent shared: “From our perspective, it makes the students more comfortable with not being ashamed to speak out on areas of concern. It also grows their leadership skills in the community and makes them feel that they are active citizens and shining the light of Christ in this dark world.” Whether it's holding a sign, handing out flyers, or speaking to a politician – it all matters. So, to all parents, consider encouraging your high schooler(s) to use their time in school well – not just for their own benefit, but rather to love others well and engage as a Christian light in the political realm. ARPA clubs across Canada kick start action on September 2, 2025. Contact [email protected] if you would like to join or start an ARPA club near you and visit Profiles.ARPACanada.ca/login to join the ARPA Leaderboards competition. Meagan Vandermaarel is the parent volunteer for the TEACH Home Educators of Brant ARPA School Club. She lives in Brantford, Ontario and is married to Brad Vandermaarel. They currently homeschool their five children, three of which are current ARPA club members. Naomi Meerstra is the Grassroots Coordinator for Ontario and Eastern Canada with ARPA Canada....

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Can you track all the ways you’re taxed?

Each year the Fraser Institute observes a “Tax Freedom Day” – this year it happened on June 8 – that tracks Canadians’ total tax burden when you add up all the municipal, provincial, and federal tax burdens. Across the country, the average Canadian spent up until June 8 earning money to cover their taxes, and it was only June 9 going forward that what they earned was what they could keep. So Canadians need to work nearly half the year just to pay our taxes. The average Canadian family with two or more individuals (i.e., this isn’t tracking individuals living on their own) is said to earn $158,533 a year, and pay $68,266 in taxes, or 43% of their income. This Tax Freedom Day differs from province to province, depending on their tax burden. In Manitoba, it arrives May 17 (37.5% of their income), the very earliest date in Canada, with the latest occurring in Quebec, on June 21 (47%). Do those figures strike you as higher than expected? They did to me, so I dug a bit deeper. The biggest tax we’re all hit with is income tax, but it is far from the only one. The government taxes us all sorts of niggling ways, which has the result of hiding from us the cumulative total. Just consider all the different ways you get taxed when you earn a dollar. The amounts below are based on the Fraser Institute’s purported $158,533 average family income. Payroll taxes: $16,199 – Before you even get your cheque, both you and your employer will have to contribute to the Canada Pension Plan, Employment Insurance, and some provincial Health Taxes. Income taxes: $23,100 – The federal and provincial governments each have their own income tax on the money you take home. Sales taxes: $10,091 – When you spend any of your remaining income, both the federal government, and all provinces except Alberta (and the territories) will charge you a sales tax. Capital gains tax: $6,656 – If you invest your money hoping to make it grow, you’ll be taxed on any gains you make. Property taxes: $2,310 – If you used your money to buy property, then every year you’ll be taxed on that too. Sin taxes: $2,310 – All taxes make things more expensive, but sin taxes are specifically geared to do so, to discourage consumption. They are placed on alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis. Tariffs and fuel could fall under this category too – both are meant to punish consumption – but the Fraser Institute placed them in other categories below. Fuel/vehicle/carbon taxes: $2,267 – There are additional taxes placed on gas, and while the Trudeau carbon tax is now hidden from consumers, it is still applied to industry, which will, of course, have to then pass it on to their consumers. Other miscellaneous taxes: $1,136 – These include import duties (i.e., tariffs), amusement taxes, natural resource fees, etc. and etc. So, that’s how it all adds up. And, to make matters worse, the Fraser Institute figure doesn’t even include what we should call the hidden inflation tax. Over the last 4 years, prices in Canada have risen, cumulatively around 17.5%. If our average Canadian family spent what income remained, that rise in inflation would amount to another $13,000 worth of impact from this “tax” – their $90,267 of remaining income would now have only $77,000 worth of purchasing power, compared to just four years previous. But to a fiscally profligate government that’s piled up a huge debt, inflation can be attractive. It not only deflates the value of the dollar, but deflates the value of the country’s debt too, easing the pressure on the government to curtail their spending. In other words, inflation really is a tax, raising revenue of a sort for the government, at the expense of citizens. And we’re still not done tallying yet, because our governments are planning on spending more than they even collect, which, if that additional sum had to be paid now, would require another $5,500 from our average Canadian. Instead, our federal and provincial governments are borrowing it to a cumulative projected deficit of $84.9 billion in 2025, saddling future generations with repayment, making this a tax on our children. Why so many different and even hidden taxes? Well, if everyone knew just how much we’re paying, would we stand for it? The more important point might simply be the enormous amount. God says that where our treasure is, there our hearts will be also (Matt. 6:21), and the amount of treasure we’re investing in our government – half of everything that families make – shows where Canadians’ hearts are turning. We’ve made a god out of government, and that needs to stop (Ex. 20:3). So next election, when the politicians come knocking, we need to demand less from them. And we need to explain why they don’t need nearly so much money, because, after all, God has called on other levels of government, including the Church, families, and even self-government, to fill so many of the roles that our political leaders have tried to take over....

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Saturday Selections – Aug. 2, 2025

Josiah Queen's Dusty Bibles As a tribute to everyone who participated in RP's just-complete screen-fast challenge, Josiah Queen's newest. Lunar tales: what's going on here? Even kids are confronted with conflict between what the world says about our origins and what God says. "What’s going on here?" That was the question a perplexed fifth grader asked me during a recent church service. She’d been learning about the Moon in her public school science class — and was confused. What she heard in class didn’t align with what I had recently presented to the church...." WiFi companies can track movements in your house In George Orwell's 1984, citizens are monitored in their own homes via a "telescreen" that brings new into the house – the government-approved news – but more importantly, allows them to look through it at you. Today, we're not far off of this same 24/7 oversight. We live in a world where our online presence is being monitored by tech companies, and even the US government's NSA (as whistleblower Edward Snowden disclosed back in 2013). And, now it turns out, you can be monitored when you are offline, in your own house... as a security feature. As one person tweeted: "it blows my mind how many conspiracy theories turn out to be true." We are all late bloomers It can be downright depressing to think of all we could have done and accomplished for the glory of our Lord, if only we hadn't been so slow to respond, or so quick to turn to sin. It's depressing because there is no denying the truth of it. But God forgives. And He most certainly can be glorified too, by us late bloomers. How Jacob Arminius effectively said no one would be saved If you sinned right before you died, you would then be dying unrepentant of that sin. So... would your unrepentant sin send you to hell? Is God's grace dependent on you repenting of every sin? Christless conservatism saves no one Matt Walsh, Donald Trump, and to a more limited extent, Pierre Poilievre have made the case that guys in dresses aren't girls. But... so what? Tearing down one lie without pointing people to the Truth they can actually stand on only leaves them falling for the next lie. The world needs God, which means the world needs God's people to speak as God's people. ...

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Supreme Court of Canada upholds prostitution law

In an important decision that didn’t get covered by the mainstream media this July, Canada’s highest court made a unanimous decision to uphold key parts of the country’s prostitution laws. The law, passed in 2014, went after the Johns rather than the prostitutes, making it illegal to purchase sex, but not penalizing the selling of it. Why? The goal was to reduce the demand for prostitution while making it possible for those trapped in prostitution to leave without prosecution. Mikhail Kloubakov and Hicham Moustaine worked as drivers for a sex-trafficking business and were charged under sections of the prostitution law relating to procuring people for prostitution and benefitting from the prostitution of others. They appealed this all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada, and also asking the court to declare the entire law to be unconstitutional, which could have left Canada with no restrictions on prostitution. ARPA Canada teamed up with the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) in a joint intervention before the court, arguing that the law be maintained to uphold human dignity and equality, and to expose the harm that results from commodifying sexual intimacy. Lia Milousis, a lawyer who worked on behalf of the EFC and alongside ARPA’s lawyer John Sikkema, expressed gratitude for the decision. As she noted in The Acacia Arc newsletter, “The Court notes that Parliament views profiting from the commodification of another human being’s sexual activity as inherently involving exploitation…. It deferred to Parliament, which I would say and the EFC and ARPA argued, is the correct approach.” The law is also being challenged separately in an Ontario case, which ARPA is also intervening in....

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Saturday Selections – July 19, 2025

One man band This is an amazing performance – one guy sounding like a whole band – on quite the machine! "Scottie Scheffler's take on success in golf: 'What's the point?'" ESPN covers sports, not philosophy, so their article on how the best player in golf doesn't find fulfillment in winning stuck out from their usual fare. But as a secular media organization, they didn't dare ask the question the article raised: if winning golf isn't your reasons for getting up in the morning, what is? I don't know golf, and hadn't heard of Scottie Scheffler before, but I do know how to read between the lines. Scheffler was speaking to how what he spends most of his effort on didn't bringing him but the briefest moments of joy, and that's the sort of thing a depressed guy sitting at a bar might confess to you, or what someone who has found joy elsewhere is happy to admit. Scheffler didn't look like a sad barfly, so I did a bit of digging and discovered he is a professing Christian, and though ESPN's article doesn't share anything about Scheffler's true source of joy, he has been happy to share. They've found a mass dinosaur grave in Alberta... ... and it is seeming very Flood-related. Chip and Joanna feature gay couple on their show After Not the Bee reported on Chip and Joanna Gaines (of Fixer Upper fame) featuring a gay couple on one of their shows, Chip doubled and tripled down on social media, pulling out the most popular verse in the Bible "Do not judge" while ignoring all the rest of what the Bible has to say, including about same-sex relations. Chip called the questions coming his way "hate or vitriol" but as Franklin Graham noted, Chip wasn't acting loving himself. "While we are to love people, we should love them enough to tell them the truth of God’s Word.... His Word is absolute truth. God loves us, and His design for marriage is between one man and one woman. Promoting something that God defines as sin is in itself sin." Whatever happened to villains? With Disney recasting its biggest baddies as simply misunderstood, it's following a trend where there is no real wrong or bad. It's another sort of relativism, it'd seem. Do we want to force our religion on others? When you get hit with an accusation, a knee-jerk temptation can be to deny it. But when it comes to the charge of Christians wanting to force our religion on others, we need to plead guilty.... in part. God has no interest in hypocritical worship, so we should never want to force people to go to Church (see Amos 5:21-24, Is. 1:11–15, etc.). But stopping the murder of unborn babies and the infirm elderly is both biblical, and it is a restriction that should be universally applied. So yes, we do want to "force our religion" on others in the laws we want to make. However, while the you-just-want-to-force-your-religion accusation sticks, it actually applies much more so in the opposite direction, and the secular world has little reason not to violate consciences. That's why they'll try to destroy a Christian baker for not wanting to bake a cake to celebrate a same-sex commitment ceremony or gender "transitions." It doesn't matter if there is another bakery in town that could fill the order, this Christian must be punished. Or maybe you know euthanasia is murder, and want no part of it as a doctor or other health professional. You better refer them to another contract killer who will do the hit, or you could face reprisals. The secular ethos must be imposed. The fact is tolerance – within limits – is only a Christian virtue. The Western world has only the remnants of their Christian heritage to restrain them from "or else" demands and as those remnants fade, their religious demands will increase. ...

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