Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix responded Thursday to what appears to be a growing gulf between themselves and some members of the faith community concerning the messaging coming out of their COVID-19 briefings.
Reverend Aaron Dyck, of Gateway Baptist Church, has written an open letter to Dix in which he wrote he feels 91裸聊视频渃ompelled as a faith leader to request that people of faith be given the respect that is so overtly presented to every other particular group in this great province.
91裸聊视频淭he constant condescension by Dr. Henry, purporting to tell us 91裸聊视频榳hat faith is91裸聊视频� and the endless patronization 91裸聊视频� as if the government 91裸聊视频榰nderstands91裸聊视频� anything at all about what constitutes faith itself, let alone its practice 91裸聊视频� has long past worn thin,91裸聊视频� the reverend wrote.
Henry91裸聊视频檚 response to this Thursday was that she thinks people sometimes 91裸聊视频渢ake what I say and twist it to make their own ideas about it.
91裸聊视频淚 have repeatedly said that I have taken advice and have had the privilege of speaking to many faith leaders in the last few months and I appreciate their advice immensely,91裸聊视频� she told the Now-Leader.
Henry said she91裸聊视频檚 learned a 91裸聊视频渢remendous amount91裸聊视频� from faith leaders and has said on occasion what she91裸聊视频檚 been told about beliefs and about faith. 91裸聊视频淎nd I do absolutely believe that we need our faith leaders in crises like these, more than ever before, and I really want to give my thanks and praise to the many, many leaders out there who have sent me their advice, their thinking, their thoughts, and the fact that they do understand we need to take measures to protect those that we care most about in our community right now.91裸聊视频�
Henry said she doesn91裸聊视频檛 purport to know everybody91裸聊视频檚 ideas about faith, but knows there are 91裸聊视频済reat leaders91裸聊视频� in that community who are 91裸聊视频渟tepping up every day and supporting the people they care about in their congregations and doing it in a safe way, and I just want salute them 91裸聊视频� they have my gratitude, and my admiration.91裸聊视频�
In his letter to Dix, the reverend wrote, 91裸聊视频淕ood sir, I beg you: at the risk of alienating permanently the approximately two million British Columbians who practise religion, at least stop pretending that there is somehow a virtual replacement for thousands of years of physical, incarnational ministry. Tell us this is wrong. Tell us this is not OK. Tell us this is, in fact, an evil, however necessary, and stop with the platitudes. We are in your corner, but cannot for much longer be told this 91裸聊视频渋sn91裸聊视频檛 a big deal91裸聊视频� when it comes to practising a faith more than a dozen times older than the nation of Canada itself.91裸聊视频�
What faith leaders would appreciate, Dyck told Dix, is 91裸聊视频渟ome respect for what you have taken from us, the cost to our people, and an acknowledgment that nothing replaces what we have laid down in order to support you and your efforts.91裸聊视频�
The health minister91裸聊视频檚 response to the reverend is that the provincial government, since the outset of the pandemic, has listened to and reached out to hundreds of faith leaders across B.C. He admitted his idea of faith is not necessarily shared by everyone, but added that 91裸聊视频淚 can tell Reverend Dyck that at our church, that we91裸聊视频檝e lost a lot of loved ones this year, including our minister, and the loss of being able to come together on Sunday has been profound for members of that congregation just as they have been for congregations around B.C.91裸聊视频�
Dix said he91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频渙verwhelmingly91裸聊视频� inspired by the work done by faith communities of all faiths and all denominations to support people in their communities during this difficult time.
91裸聊视频淎ll I can say is it91裸聊视频檚 not condescension, it91裸聊视频檚 gratitude that we feel for the support we get in our community, wherever we find it,91裸聊视频� Dix told the Now-Leader. 91裸聊视频淎nd for many people, that91裸聊视频檚 in communities of faith. So, we91裸聊视频檙e with you and we91裸聊视频檙e asking you to join us in helping in this period to help heal, heal ourselves physically, and protect ourselves and our good health, and also stay healed and stay better as a community.
91裸聊视频淚 think Dr. Henry has been unbelievably respectful,91裸聊视频� Dix said in her defence. 91裸聊视频淚 so admire her approach when she talks about kindness, which is at the core I think of many faiths91裸聊视频� views as well. She lives that every day and I91裸聊视频檓 so, so proud to stand with her and I just so disagree with the criticism that came in the letter.91裸聊视频�
tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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