Comments on: U.S. church renounces discovery doctrine

By: Dave Baker

Dave Baker — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:17:24 +0000

It would seem to me that our church leaders should have better things to do than delve into ancient history. The Anglican/Episcopal church is falling apart before our eyes and yet energy is being spent pursuing issues like this that, in the big scheme of things, matter very little to the vast majority of people. Yes, there are many issues which affected our native brothers and sisters that could and should have been handled better. But we can’t change history nor should we feel the need to apologize for or to renounce events that took place over 600 years ago. Instead, the church should be at the forefront of addressing the many lasting injustices so as to promote healing and peace.

By: Stuck in Toronto

Stuck in Toronto — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:48:10 +0000

Kate by today’s standards you are quite correct. Actually we declared war to stop German Imperialism. I remember as a boy my Vet father speaking with pride (not racism) of how quickly Canada “rounded up” every “Jap” in Canada – the context at that time was the term was applied to an enemy (mindset) not to a race or citizenry. It may be relevant to note that Germany did not declare war against us, as Japan had. Also I believe there was a considerable time difference between German and Japanize immigration.

By: Kate

Kate — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 21:25:09 +0000

nor at the time was it wrong to do what we did to our Japanese citizenry.

I would argue with that. People who were born in Canada were interned only on the basis of the colour of their skin and who their parents were. How many German Canadians were interned simply because they had German names or German parents? Precious few, because Germans are white. It was racism, pure and simple. If that sort of racism wasn’t wrong in 1933, why did we go to war against Hitler in the first place?

By: Stuck in Toronto

Stuck in Toronto — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 22:31:39 +0000

In the days of Imperial British Governance we “Canadians” had a pretty clear mindset as to the way things were. In today’s “Enlightened” and Multicultural Canada we see things very differently. We recognize as “injustice” and apologize for things done in an entirely different mindset. At that time this mindset was not wrong nor at the time was it wrong to do what we did to our Japanese citizenry. To apologize without bringing about change is to clearly be operating without sufficient – mindset.

By: John Taylor

John Taylor — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:50:56 +0000

It is rather redundant for any organization to start up a band wagon when the horses have left the stable. As my people came over before there were any white women they married natives. The first legislature of Manitoba was populated with Metis including my Grandfather who was the first Minister of Agriculture. I think that by not intergrating the native population into the mainstream of society and by placing them on reserves to live as wards of the state we certainly did them a disservice. Our society does keep changing for instance there isn’t one of my family on the the old family farm as we have moved on, but we’ve tried to keep the natives in a system that doesn’t work. We all definately need Jesus, especially most of our Bishops

By: Stuck in Toronto

Stuck in Toronto — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:19:05 +0000

Wow! Talk about speaking out of both sides of the mouth.
They just keep digging their hole deeper and deeper. I wonder what it will eventually become?
Dear foolish people, This world was populated based on colonial imperialistic and militaristic behaviour. May I suggest that you give yourself and the world back to it’s creator and stop creating red-herrings that do nothing but advance losseafurs agenda.
As for our Native Peoples interested in politics – find Jesus, you find Love, adopt this and you discover the way to true freedom, Peace and happiness.

By: John K

John K — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:08:17 +0000

Here’s the real hypocrisy, in my opinion. The whole, “white man’s burden,” of which this doctrine of discovery was a part, stemmed from a kind of racial and cultural snobbery, where white Europeans considered themselves superior to the “pagan” occupants of the lands and continents they were, “discovering.”

But what do we see now in the Anglican Church, where the feelings and opinions of the occupants of those same lands, and the aboriginal occupants of our own, the vast majority of whom are opposed to the same sex agenda, are ignored and completely discounted by the North American ‘progressives’?

The liberal west is still saying, “We know better than you backward savages.”

By: Toral

Toral — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:39:32 +0000

When will the ACoC back up its words with actions and deed all its property back to native people? If they have “renounced” the evil doctrine of discovery, must they not now disgorge the fruits of that doctrine? Would we think much of the repentance of a robber if he insisted on retaining the stolen goods?