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Spiritual warfare becoming more visible at Canadian universities

While big companies like Google and Walmart are quickly abandoning their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, a new study reveals just how committed Canada’s largest universities are to this woke agenda.

The Aristotle Foundation studied approximately 50 academic job postings from the largest public university in each province, and found that 98 percent of the 489 postings included DEI requirements or strategies to fill their positions.

DEI policies flow out of the critical theory worldview, which has become the dominant worldview influencing secular Canadian institutions, including schools and universities. Their goal is to raise up groups which they deem to have been disadvantaged or “oppressed,” including LGBTQ+, visible minorities, and women, while putting down the “oppressors,” especially heterosexuals, Caucasians, and males.

Just as Christian schools and universities want to ensure that their teachers and staff uphold their Christian values, these public universities are increasingly becoming open about their own doctrinal commitments. For example, a current job posting from the department of physics at the University of New Brunswick states:

“…only applicants who self-identify as members of gender equity deserving groups (including cisgender women, transgender women, transgender men, two-spirit, and non-binary) and/or as racialized individuals will be considered for this opportunity.”

Satan and his forces are constantly deceiving. They use positive words like diversity, inclusion, and equity, but then make them mean almost the opposite – a weapon for discrimination and against equal opportunity. In contrast, God calls on us to do unto others as we would want done to us (Matt. 7:12). If we took this to heart, we would indeed care for the oppressed, while also offering a position to the person most qualified for it, so they in turn can be a blessing to others.

It’s not all bad news, though. Just south of the border, we can see how God can reverse slides, with high-profile universities in the USA that push DEI initiatives having their funding cut or paused by the Trump administration. Harvard alone received funding cuts and freezes of over $3 billion, and they responded with a lawsuit. To that, a White House spokesperson said: "taxpayer funds are a privilege, and Harvard fails to meet the basic conditions required to access that privilege."

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Poilievre answers a fool according to his folly

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has once again demonstrated how to expose foolishness with a simple question. When asked by a news anchor about President Trump’s executive order declaring that the United States will only recognize the two sexes of male and female, and whether he would do the same as Prime Minister, Poilievre responded with a simple question: “Do you have any other genders that you want to name?” After an awkward pause by the anchor, followed by repeating the question, Poilievre stated “I’m not aware of any other genders than men and women. If you have any other that you want me to consider, you are welcome to tell me right now.” After more stumbling, the anchor proceeded with a third attempt by moving on to a related question on the same topic. But instead of looking evasive or frustrated, Poilievre simply pivoted the conversation. Citing some devastating statistics about the topics he wanted to discuss – housing prices, poverty, and crime – he explained “I find it to be a strange priority to spend time talking about this.” The tactic of asking a simple question, as Poilievre did in this instance, lines up with what Solomon teaches in Proverbs 26:4-5. This passage presents two instructions that, at first glance, seem to contradict each other. “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.” Taken together, these verses make it evident that there is a time to answer and a time to not answer. Discerning the difference requires wisdom. In his interaction with this news anchor Poilievre answered in such a way as to quickly reveal who the fool is. So, Christians should take a page from Poilievre’s book when we’re being pressured by fools. Answering a question with a question might go against our instinct to try to be as helpful as we can. However, while a genuine questioner does deserve a good answer, what Scripture is teaching us is that we shouldn’t treat someone who is foolish or downright wicked as if they have any interest in actually hearing truth. We have to understand they are simply looking to cause harm. Our LORD exemplified this questions-as-answers approach best. There are a whopping 305 examples of where Jesus made His point by asking questions. We can learn from Poilievere, but where we’ll differ is that, instead of stepping over the fool to talk to the listening audience about what is popular, we can follow Christ’s example and step over the fool to pivot the conversation to a humble but confident explanation of God’s good design for sexuality. That’s what anyone listening in the audience really needs to hear. Picture credit: screenshot of January 22 CTV News interview....

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Saturday Selections – Jan. 18, 2025

Click on the titles to go to the linked articles... Motorized machines in your cells? Yes there are! Kinesin are "motorized transport machines" that transport materials around the cell to their proper locations – that's why they are known as the "the workhorses of the cell." Oops, I locked my wife in the chicken coop! This is Ray Comfort with the most original plug for a gospel tract that I've ever read. Why true charity can only blossom under capitalism This article starts with some $10 words, but makes the point that: "If a pickpocket robs Peter to pay Paul, the pickpocket is not being charitable. And neither is Peter, because he had no choice in the matter." It is not care if the government does it – it is compulsion. And if the government has to do it because no one else will, that only shows the extent of that uncaringness. As a single man, I felt little pressure to get married. I wish I had. (10 minute read) Not all are called to marriage. But in a culture that hates marriage, marriage needs its defenders... and nudgers. Also important here is the idea that Christians can defend one thing without then becoming guilty of denigrating the other – ie. that marriage is being defended does not mean that those who are single are necessarily being attacked or shamed. Some singles are being called out, but only those who are being passive about it. Life passes us by – we bury our talents (Matthew 25:14-30) – when we don't make choices. 10 fantastic books to understand Genesis The producer of the documentary Is Genesis History? has 10 books to recommend for doing a deep dive. Buy dirt (4 min) A celebration of family, marriage, hard work, and blowing up your TV. And dirt. That too. ...

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Saturday Selections – Dec. 28, 2024

Click on the headings below to go to the linked articles... Scientist discovers “Cellular origami” This is insane: these cells can expand from just 40 microns long to 1,500 microns in length in an instant. That's the equivalent of a 6-foot-tall guy suddenly stretching from the baseline on the end of one basketball court to then, without moving, dunk the ball, not even on the opposite net, but twice that distance to the practice hoop 200 feet away. Click on the heading above to read the article or the video below to see this cell stretch. Hospitality: another command that's good for us Hospitality can still be intimidating, but this article assures us that "with practice, you’ll grow more comfortable with your guests, and there are tips and tricks that make it easier." Vetting kids’ entertainment isn’t a one-and-done As Brett McCracken highlights, there really are no kids' shows that you can rely on to stay safely propaganda-free. How divorce never ends A child of divorce on why divorce should be a last resort: "...divorce will affect your kids for the rest of their lives, well into adulthood. They will have split holidays and summers. They will have stepparents. Their kids will have step-grandparents. Whatever inheritance they would have been entitled to is often being divvied up with other spouses and their kids. More important than the money, however, is the attention they’ll never get because their parents are dating or remarrying or whatever. They will only be with one parent half of the year — if they’re lucky: we only saw my dad twice a year. They will have to choose who gets Christmas, forever. Or they will be bouncing around at holiday time with their kids, just like the old days." Where did the Flood's water go? Some critical questions get asked and answered so often they become "a PRATT. That is, A Point Refuted A Thousand Times." This is one of those. Interestingly enough, the unbelieving world has their own flood questions to answer. Why you should use the Socratic method when you witness (7 min) Ray Comfort shows the importance of questions when talking and witnessing to folks in the world. ...

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Saturday Selections – Dec. 21, 2024

The perfection of beauty Even if rap isn't a favorite musical genre, you may well be impressed by this, from Blair Linne, wife of Reformed rapper Shai Linne, with her introduction to his Attributes of God album.... It's amazing what happens when you repeat pro-aborts' arguments back to them In this exchange between a pro-lifer and a passerby, we see that we don't all have to be brilliant debaters to stand up for the unborn. The pro-choice side is horrible, so sometimes the best argument can simply be to get them to plainly state their position. And they may well be shocked at what they hear themselves say. Pastoral Q&A: How often should I confess my sins? "You could also simply take the two great commandments and ask: how did I fare in loving God with all my being and my neighbour as myself? Or you could think in terms of sins of omission and commission. Where did I fail to do what God commands today (sinning by omission)? Where did I directly contravene what God positively commands (sinning by commission)?" Does biblical submission of a wife position her to be abused by her husband? The biblical doctrine of male headship in marriage is being denounced as simply a means for abusive men to dominate and abuse women. But that's not true. You are your body "It’s odd that after years of being accused by atheists and materialists of being trapped in our spiritual fantasies and ignoring the real world, Christians now find themselves as the ones saying that the physical world – especially the human body – matters, is real, and is of utmost significance. But here we are. If Christ came in the likeness of men, if He promised to redeem humanity, and if our humanity includes the body, then our bodies really do matter." Russ Tamblyn’s unforgettable “Shovel Dance” (3 min) This is an absolute must-see (even if the movie it is from is not). ...

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Saturday Selections – Dec. 14, 2024

Why you shouldn't lie to your kids about Santa... ...or else this will happen! For more lies check out this follow up. And for a more serious take on why not to lie to your kids about Santa, check out "Yes Virginia, there was a Santa Claus." Responding wisely to pop psychology Much that trades on the name of "Science" is trying to claim for itself that same credibility that we all found in our basic physics and chemistry classes back in high school. Drop that ball and it will fall at a steady 9.8 m/s² every time. But the "science" of evolution is not reproducible like that. And in the field of medicine, the human body is so complex that the same treatment on two different people could result in two very different outcomes. So there's certain science, and then there is a whole realm that shares this same name but which involves guesswork, assumptions, and even philosophy. Christians need to be aware that psychology isn't as measurable as physics –  it isn't that sort of firmer science – and it has, over the decades, had trends that at times were clearly unbiblical, like the 1980s self-esteem trend. Christian counselors that leaned too hard on popular psychology then baptized this trend with the biblical text "love your neighbor as yourself" and put a twist to it, saying self-esteem was important because you can't love your neighbor if you don't love yourself. Which isn't at all what Jesus was saying. This isn't a long article, and it is worth a slow read. Did Pangaea really exist? "Today, we have seven continents scattered across the globe. North America, South America, Africa, Asia, Australia, and Antarctica. But once upon a time, did all of these continents link together to form one single supercontinent?" More scrolling = more marital problems Smartphones are causing problems for our children, but did you know more smartphone usage is also associated with lower marital happiness, a higher inclination toward divorce, and infrequent sex? 5 ways the world would be worse without Christianity ...and number 5 is the big one. The one thing that'll free you from FOMO When you look upward, with a heavenly mindset, you won't be obsessed with FOMO – the Fear Of Missing Out. God is better than anything here, so don't make your life about experiences – make it about Him. ...

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Saturday Selections – Dec. 7, 2024

Click on the titles for the linked articles... I want a hippopotamus for Christmas  If a boy wants a puppy for Christmas and his parents are reluctant, this might be what he should put on the top of his list – then a dog will seem like no big thing! Babies saved by the budget-conscious?  Elon Musk isn't pro-life, but in the name of government efficiency, he may help axe the hundreds of millions that Planned Parenthood gets from the government each year. If God can use a crooked stick to draw a straight line, then yes, He can even use the pro-choice to save babies. Pray that it happens! How the Pill obscures God's truth in creation By divorcing sex from pregnancy, the Pill has obscured one of the most undeniable differences between the genders... and obscuring that difference has led to transgenderism, sexual promiscuity, children out of wedlock, the diminishment of marriage and motherhood, and the elevation of career as a means of finding purpose, meaning, and identity. 101 evidences for a young earth Whether it's elastic tissue from dinosaurs that supposedly died millions of years ago, or folds (not cracks) in strata that is supposed to encompass millions of years, here's all sorts of evidence for the Earth being way younger than the world insists. Preparing our children to suffer well (10-min read) There are things we can do to better prepare our children for the challenges and pains they will inevitably experience. Red Green is an inspiration! For all of us who struggle with home repair projects, Red Green shows us what amazing things a can-do mentality can accomplish. ...

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Saturday Selections – Nov. 16, 2024

Click on the titles to head to the linked articles... How knock-knock jokes are a problem for evolution (14 min) If you found a knock-knock joke carved on a rock in the forest, you'd know that it wasn't the result of natural forces randomly acting over time. And the origin of life is way more complicated than that! This winsome Intelligent Design presentation also highlights 5 problems the evolutionary account can't surmount. (This is worth watching twice!) The porn talk – 9 ways parents can lead children The first might be the biggest: cultivate the conversation – don't avoid it, seek it out. What two unbelievers got right about morality (10-minute read) Tim Keller on how two unbelievers – philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) and historian Tom Holland (1968- ) – still recognize that without God there is no basis for right and wrong. The two-book fallacy... again (15-min read) God revealed Himself to us in one book, the Bible, and in a second volume too, which we could call the "book" of creation (Romans 1:19-20, Ps. 19:1-4). But some Christians buy into evolution because they think that this second book is every bit as clear and authoritative as Scripture. Practically speaking, that has them reinterpreting the Bible in light of what evolutionary scientists say they've discovered in Creation. But in this article, Dr. Lisle rebuts this belief and a particular gentleman who holds to it. He writes “If Shane disagrees with my conclusion that words are far superior in communicating truth than rocks and fossils are, then I would ask him to reply using only rocks and fossils – no words please.” Why do even kids' movies take God's Name in vain? Otherwise-family-friendly fare will routinely throw out an abuse of God's Name. Nobody blurts out Mohammad or Allah. No one drops an f-bomb. So why God's Name, so often? The folks at the Christian film review site MovieGuide.org offer their best explanation. The bee-apocalypse: there's always another scare Environmental groups have their apocalyptic bent, and reporters have their own "if it bleeds it leads" motivations, so when they pitch doom and gloom, we shouldn't just swallow their warnings. John Stossel is, of course, not free of his own biases, so caution is needed in ingesting his conclusions here too. But what he highlights that you probably didn't hear about before, is the human cost that comes with the pesticide bans that were pushed. In our fallen world, there is no perfect, negative-free solution – there are always tradeoffs – so we need to hear about the other side, which is on offer here (Prov. 18:17). ...

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Married = less likely to be depressed

Want to reduce your chances of being depressed? Get married! Well, maybe not so fast, but a recent study in Nature Human Behaviour did find that married and cohabitating couples are less likely to be depressed. They looked at more than 100,000 participants across the USA, the UK, Mexico, Ireland, Korea, China, and Indonesia, and found that those who did not live with a partner had a higher chance of depression, a finding that researchers suggest might be due to more social support, more access to economic resources, and the positive influence of spouses on each other. As marriage is declining in our society, this study offers a clue into why depression rates have simultaneously been climbing. It’s not surprising that healthy relationships are beneficial for mental health, but the number of Canadians in these close relationships is declining. Data from Cardus’s Canadian Marriage Map show a steady decrease in the percentage of married couples from 1981-2021. While the percentage of common-law relationships has grown during the same period, the overall percentage of people in either married or common-law relationships has declined slightly as well. In particular, the data shows a steady rise in Canadians aged 20-34 who are not married or common-law, demonstrating younger Canadians are less likely to be experiencing the benefits of these close relationships. As Christians, we might be uncomfortable that the Nature Human Behaviour study lumped cohabitating couples in with married couples, but we can still see here that even “marriage-like” relationships demonstrate the great blessings that God built into the institution of marriage. These relationships still point to why God created marriage as a good thing. Just as Adam knew that being alone in the garden was not quite right, many people also experience that doing life alone is difficult. Unfortunately, so many nowadays are hesitant to enter into this commitment, often as a result of the troubled relationships they see around them. Here Christians can take a role in inviting others to witness the radical vulnerability and respect that a God-directed marriage can demonstrate....

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Is it job creation if government is doing most of the hiring?

COVID brought with it huge government expenditures, and the end of the crisis didn’t end the growth of government. Over the four years of 2019-2023, there was a steep increase in new government jobs, contrasted with relatively little growth in the private sector. Data compiled by the Fraser Institute reveals that new jobs created by the country’s federal and provincial governments increased by 13 percent, more than three times greater than the 3.6 percent increase in private sector jobs. But it is the contrast between the provinces that is the most striking. Alberta and Nova Scotia, run by conservative governments, both had a greater percentage of growth in the private sector. Compare this with BC, where under the NDP, government jobs grew by 22% compared to just 0.5% for the private sector. In their report “Economic Recovery in Canada before and after COVID,” the Fraser Institute compared the data with five previous recessions and slowdowns and found that “none of those recoveries were nearly as reliant on job creation in the government sector.” Governments have always been interested in growing – 3,000 years ago the Lord warned Israel that the king they were demanding would want all sorts of servants (1 Sam. 8:11-18) – and times of hardship are often used to justify larger government reach. Checks and balances, including elections, are a crucial part of restraining a government. Unfortunately, in recent elections, the public has been rewarding parties who pledge to increase government debt rather than rein it in....

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