Great Canadian Skyline Thread II - Page 386

Acajack · #**7701** Posted **May 31, 2018, 6:09 PM**

It's a great life. Constantly looking for fleas on someone else's head!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YyYW4EuYOw

mistercorporate · #**7702** Posted **May 31, 2018, 6:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

You're a real pro at this!

BTW, prime CCTV moment coming up - I am about to go to the bathroom.

BTW the Mortimer Davis Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, which is also public and part of the Quebec health network, also gets a bit of a break in terms of religious matters for reasons of history and tradition.

That hospital at least admits to being a Jewish hospital, Quebec claims to be secular! It's that dishonest hypocrisy that I take exception to. There's nothing wrong with giving primacy to Christianity in Quebec, just admit it is all.

mistercorporate · #**7703** Posted **May 31, 2018, 6:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

It's a great life. Constantly looking for fleas on someone else's head!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YyYW4EuYOw

Acajack doing Acajack things. Nothing new here, moving along, and leaving space for the rainbow pony express...

esquire · #**7704** Posted **May 31, 2018, 6:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by saffronleaf

How is this an unfounded drive-by?

This has been a recurring issue. Many of the same Quebec politicians trying to erase displays of religion from the public domain (by, for example, banning religious headgear) support maintaining Christian displays.

See, for example, the crucifix overlooking the legislature while they debate erasing religion (read: non-Christian religions) from the public domain: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/nat...bly-amid-bill-62-debate/article36700123/

Or the crucifix in a hospital: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-city-hospital-threat-crucifix-arrest-1.4004482

I personally do not have issues with displays of religion in the public domain (provided that (i) it is not endorsed or displayed or funded by the ostensibly secular government and (ii) it otherwise complies with generally applicable laws on obscenity, hate speech, etc.).

But Quebec's vaunted interpretation of secularism appears to be nothing more than raw tribalism. Beneath all the fancy concepts bandied about, their thinking seems to boil down to: We killed off the natives and established Christianity here as the predominant religion. Christianity must therefore continue to dominate. We will erase other religions from the public domain, while our hospitals and government offices glorify our lord and savior Jesus. We will pretend that this is motivated by lofty ideals of secularism rather than primitive tribalism.

Quebec appears to be taking its lead from Europe, which invented this odd approach to things... to wit, look what's hot off the press today, from the NY Times:

Crosses Go Up in Public Offices. It’s Culture, Bavaria Says, Not Religion.

Quote:

When the order came to hang a cross in the entrance of every state building in Bavaria, the mayor of Deggendorf was not particularly bothered by the religious symbolism.

Crosses are already ubiquitous in Deggendorf, a picture-perfect town on the Danube. There is one in his office and another in the room where town officials perform civil marriages. The fire station has a cross on the wall, as does nearly every classroom in every public school.

“This is about culture, not religion,” said the mayor, Christian Moser, adding that the separation of church and state was “a given.”

Actually, it is, and it isn’t.

Acajack · #**7705** Posted **May 31, 2018, 6:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mistercorporate

That hospital at least admits to being a Jewish hospital, Quebec claims to be secular! It's that dishonest hypocrisy that I take exception to. There's nothing wrong with giving primacy to Christianity in Quebec, just admit it is all.

Uhh... that Jewish hospital is the property of the Quebec government.

Quebec isn't building anything new (and hasn't for a couple of generations) that gives primacy to any religion, either Christianity, Judaism or Taoism.

And does not intend to.

Some public institutions do have a religious legacy, usually in terms of names or imagery.

And 8 of Canada's 13 provincial and territorial flags have at least a cross on them.

WhipperSnapper · #**7706** Posted **May 31, 2018, 6:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-tacular

It was a joke.

Likewise.

Acajack · #**7707** Posted **May 31, 2018, 6:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

Quebec appears to be taking its lead from Europe, which invented this odd approach to things... to wit, look what's hot off the press today, from the NY Times:

Crosses Go Up in Public Offices. It’s Culture, Bavaria Says, Not Religion.

Eek! Are you actually saying that Quebec is being... European?

Does it still count on the SSP Points Chart if it's perceived (by most, anyway) as a negative?

(I am not being sarcastic at you BTW.

)

esquire · #**7708** Posted **May 31, 2018, 6:28 PM**

^ I take no position either way other than to say that when it comes to those issues at least, if it's an issue in Europe (especially in France, and especially in relation to Muslims), then it's an issue in Quebec.

I suppose in some ways it isn't unlike how hot-button social issues in the US are routinely ported over to Canada regardless of how relevant they are, Black Lives Matter being the most obvious recent example.

Acajack · #**7709** Posted **May 31, 2018, 6:46 PM**

Generally speaking, I am not of the view that just because Toronto has a subway station that was named St. Andrew 70 years ago for a church nearby that was built over 100 years ago and that no one sees the need to change it, that this means that we're obligated to agree to every single form of religious accommodation, whether it be Christian or any other religion.

Just because we don't change every "saint" name and chop out the stone crosses in the bas-reliefs of the parliament buildings, doesn't mean we're morally obligated to accept FGM under the guise of religion. (Using an extreme example I know.)

Sorry guys. It doesn't work that way for me.

craner · #**7710** Posted **May 31, 2018, 6:49 PM**

Hello - Canadian Skylines Thread.

esquire · #**7711** Posted **May 31, 2018, 6:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by craner

Hello - Canadian Skylines Thread.

Are we no longer on topic?

Acajack · #**7712** Posted **May 31, 2018, 6:57 PM**

Inch'Allah, guys. Inch'Allah.

suburbanite · #**7713** Posted **May 31, 2018, 6:59 PM**

Tangential is one of the best words to describe the Canada forum, but this is another level.

saffronleaf · #**7714** Posted **May 31, 2018, 7:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

Quebec appears to be taking its lead from Europe, which invented this odd approach to things... to wit, look what's hot off the press today, from the NY Times:

Crosses Go Up in Public Offices. It’s Culture, Bavaria Says, Not Religion.

It's the oldest trick in the book. Many ostensibly secular governments infuse religion (or try to) in the name of 'culture.' And it's almost always right wing nationalists who are frightened by another religion having space in the public domain, rather than principled secularists opposed to all religion in the public domain. Just primitive tribalism.