Post 220--Easter Bunnies and Secular Emptyness

I keep writing against secularism and you keep reading the stuff. I am grateful to you.  This issue is not a mere hobby horse on my part; this is serious stuff.  Our reading today is basically a story of the emptyness of secularism, but also its intolerance and its insistence on imposing itself, forcing itself upon Christians. Probably not as much on Muslims and other religions. For some reason a shield of protection has grown up around these religions so that secularists tend to keep a distance.

Today is a story about an Ontario social worker trying to shut down the foster home of a Christian couple who did not fully or enthusiastically support the myth and practice of the Easter bunny.  Now Easter is a most holy feast the celebrates the resurrection of Christ. Since the resurrection probably cannot ever be touched or proven by science, secularists deny the resurrection.  It beats me how they come to that conclusion, at least how they come to that conclusion on basis of science!  But so they believe!  Yes, do not misunderstand them: they are believers, as fully as Hindus, Sikhs and the rest of us. It is secularists' belief that makes them deny the resurrection, not science.

I am sorry that the format is too wide for this frame. I don't know how to fix that. But you can access both ends of the line by using the Home and End keys.  If one of you knows how to fix such problems, please contact me at  <  boerjf@hotmail.com >.

Well, let me not waste your time on my rants. Read the story by John Carpay himself. He is one of the very few lawyers for whom I have any use or respect as lawyers. I am trying hard to respect them as persons.

Easter Bunny ruling an affirmation of the freedom of conscience, religion, expression

Foster parents had a right not to be compelled to speak, John Carpay writes

 Mar 18, 2018 by John Carpay Hamilton Spectator

The Baars had refused CAS demands to proactively tell the two young girls in their care that the Easter Bunny is real. - Hamilton Spectator file photo

Government agencies have been reminded that they must respect the constitutional rights of foster parents. This month, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice rebuked the Children's Aid Society of Hamilton (CAS) for having closed down the foster home of Frances and Derek Baars. The Baars had refused CAS demands to proactively tell the two young girls in their care that the Easter Bunny is real.

The Court's recitation of the facts is almost surreal. CAS accepted the Baars as foster parents, knowing full-well that this Christian couple does not promote the cultural traditions of Santa and the Easter Bunny, as they would not lie to children. Two young girls, then four and three, were placed with Frances and Derek in December of 2015. The girls' biological mother communicated with the Baars by way of a journal, and thanked the Baars for having provided a good and happy Christmas for her girls. She made no mention of Santa Claus. But social worker Tracey Lindsay upbraided Frances and Derek for not having taken a photo of the girls with Santa. Ms. Lindsay then began to demand that Frances and Derek celebrate Easter by actively telling the young girls that the Easter Bunny is real. The Baars tried to compromise with Ms. Lindsay, informing her they intended have a hunt for chocolate eggs, buy the girls new dresses, and refrain from saying anything at all about a large imaginary rabbit.

CAS was stubbornly focused in its intention to control the minds and mouths of the Baars. CAS refused the Baars' offer to have the girls stay with another family over Easter. CAS refused the Baars' offer to keep their foster home open for infants, who are too young to appreciate or process information about mythical beings. CAS refused the Baars' offer to foster only children coming from religious or cultural backgrounds that do not celebrate Santa or the Easter Bunny.

The removal of the young girls from the care of Frances and Derek, on only one day's notice, was heart-breaking. The Court accepted the testimony of social worker Kathleen Kufeldt, that sudden removal of the girls from their environment would be traumatizing, and detrimental to the girls' best interests. The girls' own mother had expressed nothing but satisfaction with the loving care that her daughters were receiving from Frances and Derek.

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  Requirement to say Easter Bunny is real violated Hamilton foster parent’s charter rights: court

When cross-examined on her affidavit, Ms. Lindsay readily admitted that the girls were loved, cared for, protected, clothed, sheltered and well looked after. In court, CAS argued that the Baars lacked the capacity to meet the children's cultural needs. But neither Santa nor the Easter Bunny was a high priority for the girls' biological mother. No law requires foster parents to uphold the pet fancies of social workers.

The Court also took a dim view of Ms. Lindsay's hostility in questioning the Baars about same-sex marriage, and expressing fears that the Baars would mistreat or disrespect same-sex couples. The Court rejected Ms. Lindsay's claim that these questions and comments were somehow necessary or relevant. The Court noted that "there is potentially further evidence of an underlying animus" in the actions of CAS toward the Baars.

CAS violated the Baars' Charter-protected freedom of conscience and religion, by attempting to coerce Frances and Derek to violate their religious beliefs, as a condition of continuing to serve as foster parents. Further, the requirement to say something that the Baars did not believe (that the Easter Bunny is real) is compelled speech, which violates Charter-protected freedom of expression.

The court's denunciation of compelled speech is especially relevant to the Canada Summer Jobs program "attestation" in support of abortion being legal, and Ontario's Law Society now requiring lawyers to express their agreement with "equity, diversity and inclusion." This court ruling will help protect Canadians' freedom of conscience, religion, and expression. It will also help protect religious foster parents and religious adoptive parents, by preventing social workers like Tracey Lindsay from closing good homes to needy children. Last but not least, vulnerable children will benefit from having more foster homes become available.

(Here's the URL for this article:  https://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/8336010-easter-bunny-ruling-an-affirmation-of-the-freedom-of-conscience-religion-expression/

Lawyer John Carpay is president of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (www.jccf.ca) which represented Frances and Derek Baars in their court action against the Hamilton Children's Aid Society.