The Armageddon Factor - a review

The Armageddon Factor - The Rise of Christian Nationalism in Canada by Marci McDonald

The rantings of the "religious right"  in the USA have mostly been noted with mild and dismissive interest over the past number of years as an aberration that would likely always exist but at least remain on the fringes of our political system.  Most of us have frankly never thought of the so-called "Christian right" (or the religious right in general) as a significant factor north of the 49th parallel.

The author presents a well-researched and exhaustive explanation of why that viewpoint is wildly incorrect and out-of-date.  In fact, there are "evangelical Christians" in the very highest and most powerful levels of government here in Canada, including the PMO, and there is significant evidence that their religious ideology is shaping many decisions, from foreign policy to environmental concerns, specifically the current government's dismissive attitude towards climate change, the gutting of Environment Canada, funding cuts to many advocacy groups, scrapping of the long-form census, attacks against human-rights commissions and the Supreme Court, and so on.  The list is extensive and rather shocking.

In the United States, the Constitution mandates the separation of church and state.  There is no such constitutional protection in Canada.

Part of the strategy to advance their "cause", which is to establish a Christian theocracy in Canada, a government run to biblical standards, at least the standards that the religious right find acceptable, is to demonize anyone who even tangentially questions what they are doing.  They will accuse anyone who objects to their actions as being "anti-Christian bigots".

Astute observers of the American scene will recognize tactics used by Harper and his cohorts as being borrowed from the play-book of the Republican/Tea Party "alliance".  Those tactics: "...poison public debate, reducing legitimate policy disagreements to the crossfire of snide hyperbole and character assassination".  One has to look no further than Cabinet minister Vic Toews' assertion that you are "either with us or with the pornographers" and other Cabinet ministers branding anyone with environmental concerns as being a "terrorist".  This is how the game works, from their point of view.

There is much more to this story; I would encourage anyone with an interest in how democracy continues to unfold in Canada to take the time to read the book.  I don't think it would be any exaggeration to say that you need to know who the enemy is before it's too late.

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