blackbird

Places of worship have historically been exempt from property taxes. They would still pay for the utilities such as heat and water. Churches are in general considered a benefit and contribute to law and order in a civilized society.

Actually that is not factual at all. Churches are not profit-making businesses first of all. The money that churches receive come from the members when they put their donations in the collection plate. That money was donated by ordinary citizens who already paid income taxes on it. So the donations churches receive have already been taxed. When you go to buy something or donate to any cause, you don't pay income taxes on that money twice. You already paid income taxes on it. The money is not used for any nefarious purpose. The money is used to pay for the purchase of the church property, the upkeep of the building, the heat, and utilities and the salary of the minister. Part of the income might also go to charities in many cases. The accounting records are maintained, all regulations are followed, and in many churches, annual meetings are held with the financial statement given to every member. "Churches in Canada are generally exempt from federal, provincial and municipal taxes. This is due to the special status of churches in Canada as “place of public religious worship”. There are a few exceptions to this rule, including property taxes, which are levied on all non-residential properties. However, the vast majority of tax obligations for churches fall outside of these categories. This doesn’t mean that churches don’t pay taxes – they do. But it does mean that their tax burden is relatively minimal compared to other types of businesses. In fact, according to the 2017 Canadian Tax Profile report, the top five tax contributors to churches were income tax (27%), property tax (21%), sales tax (13%), GST/HST (10%) and import duties (5%)." Are Churches Taxed In Canada (churchreaders.com) Churches do not receive taxpayer subsidies. That is pure nonsense. An exemption from certain taxes is not the same as a subsidy which is a cash payment.

Considering that the Vatican is a political-religious corporation and possibly the wealthiest corporation in the world, why do Canadians have to foot the bill for the last Pope's visit to Canada? The book The Vatican Billions by Avro Manhattan, which is free to read online if you find the right website, describes how they accumulated massive wealth including real estate around the world. Yet when they travelled to Canada on a purely Roman church visit, the taxpayers of Canada are expected to pick up the tab of $35 million dollars. This was a visit for the business of the Catholic church and should have been paid for by them. It would have been an insignificant cost out of their finances. No other churches leadership or organizations that visit Canada get that kind of treatment. Considering their history I don't really think Canadians should be doing this. I would also say since many PMs and Canadian government members, particularly Liberals are metaphorically card-carrying members of the Roman church, it would appear there is an obvious conflict of interest involved in forcing Canadian taxpayers to pay for these trips. This fact plus the fact of the Vatican's enormous wealth would underline why it is outrageous that Canadian taxpayers should pay for this. This book online is a stunning exposition of Vatican's wealth and how it was achieved. The Vatican Billions : Two thousand years of wealth accumulation from Caesar to the Space Age , Avro Manhattan (1983), fullbook : Avro Manhattan : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Closing Roxham Road will make absolutely no difference because all the illegal migrants crossing there will simply be able to cross at regular border crossings and will be welcomed with open arms. Canada is a post national state and now belongs to the U.N. and the third world.

Former NDP leader Mulcair said Canada brought in one million immigrants and refugees last year and said that was a GOOD THING. No wonder our health care system is so badly strained. No wonder there is a housing crisis. It is a fact, Canada had a health care crisis for years now. This mass migration into Canada has just made the shortages that much worse. Governments like NDP and Liberal don't care because it just means more votes for their parties.

You actually think the leaks from CSIS are false? I guess you believe the whole story about Chinese interference is false.

Someone asked me how fast light travels. I said I think about 300,000 km per second. This means if stars are light years away, that distance is mind-boggling. That means the distance light travels between stars to reach earth is unimaginable. When you think about the existence of light, gravity, and the radio frequency spectrum, atoms, molecules, and all the complex laws of physics that govern it all, it should not be hard to believe it required an intelligent-designer to create it all. A Creator whose spirit is present everywhere, yet He is separate and apart from the universe He created. It should be obvious to any rational person that the things did not just appear out of nowhere. They required an infinitely powerful designer-Creator we call God. So it is reasonable that this God created the universe for his purposes and we likewise were created for a purpose. To claim it is all just some kind of cosmic accident that came into existence by itself is illogical in the extreme. So if we accept that God is and did create everything, then of course it makes sense that he would communicate with mankind with the Holy Scriptures, and that he would send his Son to die on a cross for mankind because he loves mankind so much. It all comes together and make sense to anyone who considers it a bit. The only reason people don't see it is because of their blindness. This blindness is caused by sin. Unless God opens their mind and lifts this blindness, they will not see it. That is why the Bible says salvation is by grace through faith. God does not send a bolt of lightning to change someone's mind. He has given us two things that point us to who he is: 1. The creation which is all around us if we take the time to consider it and accept that it is his creation. 2. His written revelation, in English, the King James Bible. Romans chapter one describes this situation. "19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. {in them: or, to them} 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: {so…: or, that they may be} 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen." Romans 1:19-25 KJV

Trudeau was asked by an interviewer whether or what he knew about the Chinese interference during the last two elections and he refused to answer. He basically shifted the subject elsewhere rather than answer the question. He infers he can't answer because of "national security". You can be sure Katie Telford will not answer these questions in committee either and will use the same lame excuse. The whole thing is an exercise in futility. Nobody can get any straight answers from the Liberals or their bureaucrats.

The evidence for Jesus' resurrection is overwhelming just in this quote alone. " An eyewitness is more reliable than secondhand testimony or hearsay A majority of the texts for the New Testament were written by eyewitnesses. The writers are careful to tell the reader that they were not convinced that Jesus was God at first, but only believed after they saw Him alive after His brutal crucifixion. Various writers make clear and specific statements that what they are writing is truthful and they are not lying: 2 Peter 1:16-18: “We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes when he received honor and glory from God the Father (on the high mountain).” 1 John 1:1-3: “We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” 1 John 4:14 “Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.” " 20 The belief that Jesus had risen from the dead was considered insanity by the Roman Emperors. Should they allow this mental illness to spread throughout the provinces of the empire, Roman Emperors believed this insanity would destroy the very fabric of Roman society. Records in the Roman archives present us with letters between governors and emperors, describing the resurrection of Jesus and how dangerous it was to the Roman way of life. In response to this threat, ten Roman emperors executed over five million Christians during the first 250 years of Christianity.[5b]" This is something I never knew myself. Mind boggling history. 3 Eyewitness Statements About Jesus In The New Testament – Robert Clifton Robinson

Part of the article says "She noted their support for bills to deprive transgender people of gender affirming medical care, bans on using public bathrooms, and targeting of live performances by trans individuals." So nobody is calling for genocide against trans people. They are advocating reducing the public promotion of trans ideology, reducing gender affirming medical care which is harmful, and grooming of young people and others with the trans ideology. That's all it is.

"One of the assertions made by critics of the New Testament, is the idea that what is written in the Synoptic Gospels, was penned long after Jesus appeared on earth. Atheists often write that men who never saw Jesus, created the narratives about Jesus, late in the first century. These adversaries of the New Testament say these men were not eyewitnesses, and a majority of the things attributed to Jesus—He never said or did. The problem with these statements, is that the actual 24,593 extant manuscript copies of the New Testament from the historical record, documents that these men saw and heard what they chronicle. The entire New Testament is a compilation of 27 letters that record 203 instances of eyewitness testimony in the 260 chapters of the New Testament." 203 Eyewitness Statements About Jesus In The New Testament – Robert Clifton Robinson

Have heard no reports on the news about anybody calling for genocide. Pure hyperbole.

Strong in the sense of strong in liberalism, which is destroying the west. Just ask Trudeau. Anyone who disagrees with him is a "flat earther".

Just wondering, what religious affiliation are you? Quebec was founded by Roman church people and the majority of Quebec today is still affiliated with Romanism, although the province has changed a lot. There are other religions and many non-practicing RCs and many diverse beliefs. I have read some books on Quebec and Romanism, probably more than most people in western Canada. I have read The White and the Gold by Thomas B. Costain, an excellent history of Quebec from the beginning. Also read the book Fifty Year in the Church of Rome by former priest from Quebec in the early 1800s and his following book, Forty Years in the Church of Christ. I am presently studying the large book, Roman Catholicism by Lorraine Boettner, an excellent book examining the belief system in great detail and comparing it with the Bible and Protestant beliefs. So I know a little about it. I would say Quebec, like most countries, is a secular state but has been heavily influenced by Jesuits who founded their early schools and some of the present day universities, RC schools. These of course influenced politicians and many others. Many hold strong liberal views, which is why they oppose capital punishment more than the other provinces of Canada. These liberals views were heavily influenced by Romanism and Jesuit education and political development over the years.

No it's not fiction. There are many articles that go into this subject in depth. You can Google and find them. I would encourage you to read some of them, but especially read the King James Bible New Testament yourself. "203 Eyewitness Statements About Jesus In The New Testament The Writers of the New Testament Say They Are Eyewitnesses If we conduct a personal investigation concerning the Canonical Gospels of the New Testament, we quickly discern that we are reading testimony from men who were present when Jesus said and did the things recorded in these texts. These men state repeatedly that they saw and heard Jesus and there is no ambiguity in what they meant: Paul: 1 Corinthians 9:1: “Am I not an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus our Lord with my own eyes? Peter: 1 Peter 1:16: “We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes.” John: 1 John 1:1:”We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands.” James, Paul, all the Apostles: 1 Corinthians 15:7: “Then Jesus was seen alive by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.” Mary Magdalene: John 20:18: “Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Peter: Acts 5:29-32: “But Peter and the apostles replied… We are witnesses of these things…” John: 1 John 1:2-3: “This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us." 203 Eyewitness Statements About Jesus In The New Testament – Robert Clifton Robinson

I met an 81 year old Christian lady in the waiting area of the hospital recently who told me she had five family members who she thought went to hell. Doesn't sound like annihilation is a choice. The soul lives on after death.

Reincarnation is a common belief in some of the eastern religions like Buddhism, and possibly Hinduism, but it is unknown to the Bible. The fact that Jesus Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead and seen by many eye witnesses, I would trust what he said and his apostles and prophets who wrote the New Testament. They never mentioned reincarnation but did say it is appointed for men once to die and after this the judgement. The only two places I know of taught in the Bible are heaven and hell. There is no coming back as some bug or bird from what is written. I hope you can listen to message, The Divine Appointment, which I gave the link for. The Divine Appointment | SermonAudio

This is the most powerful and most important messages I have ever heard in my life. It is a message about death. There are only two possibilities on what happens at death. Either one dies and we are annihilated or as the Bible says "27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:" Hebrews 9:27 KJV Since we don't know the moment of our death, we should consider this. When we get into a car, we may be one second away from death. We don't know. We should never assume anything about how long we have in this world. I would strongly urge everyone to listen to this 41 minute message carefully. Your eternal destiny may depend on it. The Divine Appointment | SermonAudio

The answer is in the Bible. None of them likely have any knowledge of what the Bible says. Like many other people in the world, they don't have much knowledge of what is in the Bible, particularly the New Testament. You say there is no proof of God. The one fact that Jesus Christ rose bodily from the dead after his crucifixion and was seen by many eye witnesses is pretty strong evidence that he is who he said he was, i.e. God. Not only that but the twelve apostles who knew him and most of whom were present with him believed in him strongly after the resurrection and eight of them died as martyrs for their faith. People don't die for a lie. That is pretty strong evidence that what they witnessed was true. Most courts accept the eye witness testimony of a number of people as true. The New Testament is a testimony to the truth of it all. If you haven't studied it, you need to.

No. It is not an imaginary friend or voices in my head. It is the Holy Scriptures that makes it clear if one reads it with an open mind. I don't try and can't stop anyone from disputing it. You proved that. Millions of people would disagree with you. Why fight against something like this? This is one of the preachers who God used to change my life and probably many others. I thank God for him. The Divine Appointment | SermonAudio

A rational person would look into the revelation given to man by God and try to determine whether it is valid or not. Particularly the New Testament. According to the Bible, one has to make the choice of believing and going to heaven or not believing and going to hell. I am not a gifted speaker or trained evangelist and don't know how to put things diplomatically. I assume that's why I get accused of being arrogant. I suppose that is why many early Christians were thrown into the lion's den. Authorities didn't like the message. But the way I see it is if the King James Bible is true and I believe it is, then it means the wisest thing is to learn what the message is and believe it. That way one is insured of going to heaven. If one just assumes it is not true or refuses to read it, he is taking an awful big chance on being wrong. The consequences of that choice are hell for eternity according to what it teaches. Seems like a no-brainer. But nobody is forced to pay attention or believe it. God has given man a brain and the ability to read and understand it. So the ball is in man's court. What he does with the information is up to him. It seems clear to me that the universe didn't just come about by chance. I believe there is a reason for everything and a cause of the universe and mankind being here.

That comparison is called false equivalency. There is no comparison. Islamic extremists are killing people and groups of people every day somewhere in the world. The groups you mentioned don't. Seems like you don't accept the politically incorrect truth. "Boko Haram kills, ‘beheads with chainsaws’ 40 people to derail Nigeria elections. Militants from extremist group Boko Haram attacked several Nigerian towns, torching houses and fatally shooting those who fled before reportedly beheading some of the bodies with chainsaws. The string of terror attacks comes amid the presidential vote." Boko Haram kills, ‘beheads with chainsaws’ 40 people to derail Nigeria elections — RT World News Islam: The Politically Incorrect Truth (thereligionofpeace.com)

LOL

Your problem is you don't know how to discuss something with other people. For you it always has to descend into a mud-slinging contest. Forget it. If you don't want to discuss things rationally, just drop it.

No, I don't think so. I believe Moses wrote Genesis by inspiration from the Holy Spirit of God. What he wrote was a basic explanation of how God created the universe. Nothing complex about it. It is written so the average person could understand it.