04 Jan 06

We are taking a brief hiatus until Friday, 13 January. Emergency updates may appear.

01 Jan 06

We wish all a happy and blessed 2006.

24 Dec 05  No, we do not celebrate Christmas.....

We wish all a safe holiday.


14 Dec 05   Move Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Antarctica

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday the Holocaust is a "myth" that Europeans have used to create a Jewish state in the heart of the Islamic world.

"Today, they have created a myth in the name of Holocaust and consider it to be above God, religion and the prophets," Ahmadinejad told a crowd of thousands in the southeastern city of Zahedan.

"This is our proposal: give a part of your own land in Europe, the United States, Canada or Alaska to them (Jews) so that the Jews can establish their country," he said.


13 Dec 05 AGC Moderator sharply admonishes  USA Ambassador to Canada

Details to follow
Read speech here. A speech writen by G.W. Bush. A bully and  braggart. Send a message to the Ambassador.



09 Dec 05 AGC encourages  Islamic dialogue in Iraq hostage resolution

AGC believes that dialogue with the Muslim community should be commonplace, not crisis  driven.

07 Dec 05 Moderator fears blood bath for Sunnis Saturday if Iraq hostages not released

The AGC moderator said today that he worries  if no face saving way is found for the hostages to be released and if they are killed, "a Shia  backlash may result, causing great harm among the Sunni people."


06 Dec 05  RCC Canadian Bishop wants election debate on special rights for  churches


Calgary RCC  Bishop Fred Henry says federal laws banning partisan attacks from the pulpit won't muzzle him during the election if the need to speak out arises. Henry said if any of the parties take aim at the religious community's freedom of expression, he won't stand idle. "If somebody does make some outrageous, stupid comment, I'm liable to be there, Elections Act or no Elections Act, if there's a misinterpretation of the separation of church and state," said the outspoken Henry. He also slammed the section of the Act placing limits on religious leaders' speaking out on political matters. "It needs to be revised - it's used very much to muzzle people like me," said Henry. He then went on to compliment Conservative Leader Stephen Harper's vow earlier this week to hold a free vote that could re-open the same-sex marriage debate if he forms the next government.


AGC General-Secretary Paul Ryan says:

"Fred Henry wants to open a debate on the 'special rights' he and churches enjoy . We welcome and encourage  a discussion on the tax exempt status of churches in Canada. Of course, if  Mr. Henry wishes to speak publicly, he need only renounce his special status and be taxed like any citizen or corporation. Calgarians are not fooled. They know Fred Henry is  all bluff and bluster.  His moral outrage is so strong, he even accept tax dollars from married same sex couples who pay taxes like all other citizens. Yes,  'Bishop' Fred Henry is a man of clear, consistent conviction. "

Fred Henry can send a fax to our number at the bottom of the page. If not, we expect Fred Henry to be a very, very quiet person during the course of the Canadian election. We like Fred Henry, we really do. But notice how quiet these people become when their cars, cigars and cognac paid by tax dollars are placed in jeopardy.  Fred Henry should pray harder for Harper.  Next time we will remove his tax exempt status with Revenue Canada.


05 Dec 05  Christian Peacemakers are pacifists.  They are to be released. Period.

05 Dec 05  AGC moderator says people of Iraq will decide fate of hostage takers.

"Good  people who have lived a good life can die a good death. Threats are meaningless and do not impress." The moderator  also said, "These American backed groups need to understand the truth will come out. We are to believe that a Sunni group  could only kidnap Pacifists opposed to the war? This proves they are American backed and not a genuine force of liberation."


18 Nov 05 AGC: Vatican dispute with Israel on tax exemption easily fixed says AGC

The Vaticanist State wants to resolve a stand-off over the taxation of Church property in Israel by not paying taxes. The AGC which has upheld a position of not supporting the tax exemption schemes around the world, is following this case closely. AGC moderator said today he is ready to ask the Council of Elders to propose to the Annual General Meeting an offer to the State of Israel the willingness of the AGC to assume the tax burden of the Roman Church. "We would certainly support Israel should it which to seize those properties for non payment of taxes, and on full payment by the AGC, transfer them to our jurisdiction.  We pay, the Romans pray, just that simple."

While acknowledging this was an unlikely scenario, the moderator addressed the real issues involved in this lingering dispute. "The Church of Rome has an absolute moral obligation to make full payments owed without a special exemption. We would argue given the past history of this organization, it should be making reparations until the end of time. Israel has many more important things to deal with and it cannot be expected to deal with some ecclesiastical malcontents who have not had their way.  Perhaps if the Vatican were to open its Holocaust-era archives to independent scholars approved by Israel  so that the truth of the Vatican's role during the attempted extermination of the Jews can once and for all be examined by historians, this might be helpful to all parties."



12 Nov 05  Moderator says  French Republic needs  to listen to people, to reality

"This is not a racial thing or an immigrant thing or an Islamic thing...it's a justice thing"  Equality, Liberty, Justice for all...this is what the Republic stands for. Failing the precepts and principles of the Revolution fails the Republic itself.  The moderator went on to say " France , the most beloved of nations has an historic opportunity to  declare, to the Nation, to  Europe and to  the World....justice shall reign...that we will make things right."

En route from the United States to Europe, the moderator went on to say that the best way to preserve the secular character of France and preserve its spiritual splendor was for the President and the National Assembly to  protect the rights of all citizens of France. "If illegal immigrants exist and this is offensive to the People, then remove them by peaceful means. But the time  is coming when the West must face the reality of non-white, non Christian influence and immigration.

12 Nov 05  Moderator  speaks on Palestine/Israel

A statement from the moderator  was  clear, the Arab League, the EU and the UN need to to guarantee  an independent Palestine State that in association with all Arab states accepts the existence of Israel and ensures  its security. Anything less is not acceptable.

12 Nov 05  Moderator says Arab League, UN should replace US troops

In comments today, the AGC moderator said U.S. forces in Iraq should be replaced by troops from the Arab League under a joint mandate with the United Nations.

11 Nov 05  Remember 11am  Minutes of Silence for  Departed Soldiers

This year we part from a 10 year custom  of  closing the website  for one hour on the 11 November with the main page black save for a red poppy and single candle. The site will remain the same. Instead of the two minutes of silence, good Christians are asked to mark a minimum of 5 minutes in silent reflection.

10 Nov 05  Moderator to attend services for War dead in US and Canada

AGC moderator James Crawley to attend memorial services for Remembrance Day in Canada and Veteran's Day in the United States prior to his trip to France, Germany, Belgium, Holland and the United Kingdom.  This will be followed with visits to selected countries in  Africa and the Middle East.

10 Oct 05  Elders to evaluate public disaster  aid program

As mega-disasters are expected with greater frequency the Council of Elders will deliver their recommendations to the AGM in March, 2006.

04 Oct 05  AGC affirms safe place for RCC priests, politicians

Come Home from Rome...details to be webposted


24 Sep 05  AGC endorses D.C. rally against war

10:00AM All-Day Peace & Justice Festival Begins,
Washington Monument Grounds
11:30AM Rally at Ellipse
12:30PM March steps off
3:00PM "Operation Ceasefire" Concert featuring Cindy Sheehan

 See external link here for more information.

23 Sep 05 Response to U.S. secular political questions


Roberts Nomination, Impeachment of G.W.Bush
Strangely, we have received a high number of requests asking our position on certain secular issues such as the nomination of Judge  John G. Roberts to replace William H. Rehnquist as chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court or soliciting our support for the impeachment of G.W. Bush.  John Patrick Riordan, Bishop of Boston and New England issued the following response on behalf of the Council of Elders:



"Our position has been consistent.

G.W. Bush is an illegitimate occupant of the U.S. presidency, holding, in our honest opinion given by GODly discernment,  no legal or moral authority.  As an illegitimate office holder, he cannot  be impeached, make lawful appointments,  issue lawful orders,  or sign legislation into law. 

Therefore, legislators and all Americans of good conscience  should oppose on those grounds,  through constructive civil disobedience and passive resistance, any  actions by G.W. Bush without prejudice to the merits or lack thereof of any candidate or nominee  or legislation .

'A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit' Mt. 7.18'"


20 Sep 05  Famed Nazi Hunter, Holocaust Survivor Dies

A Holocaust survivor who became famous for tracking down Nazis and fighting anti-Semitism and prejudice has died.

Simon Wiesenthal was 96. Officials at the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles said the man who who helped find one-time SS leader Adolf Eichmann and the policeman who arrested Anne Frank died in his sleep Tuesday in Vienna, Austria.

Wiesenthal was an architect before World War II and lost 89 relatives in the Holocaust. He spent more than 50 years hunting Nazi war criminals, publicizing neo-Nazism and racism and remembering the Jewish experience as a lesson for humanity.

He said that through his work, some 1,100 Nazi war criminals were brought to justice. Wiesenthal generally preached that the past must never be forgotten.


07 Sep 05  Katrina: Good Christians give nearly $500,000

To date, good Christians worldwide have donated nearly $500,000. We urge you to assist people harmed by the Hurricane Katrina, USA. Local USA assemblies have released  supplies for the use of relief groups as may be warranted up to one-fourth of stock on hand.

Go to these external links to help:  Salvation Army, World Vision.

31 Aug 05  Good Christians safe thanks to PEM Program

No good Christians were harmed in the USA from Katrina thanks to the Pre Emptive Move Program of two years ago when good Christians were relocated.  PEM information appeared on the pre-hacked website.

28 Aug 05  All RCC assets in USA can be sold to settle suits

A federal bankruptcy judge ruled yesterday that all the parish churches, parochial schools, and other property of the Catholic Diocese of Spokane can be liquidated to pay victims of clergy sexual abuse. The decision, expected to have ramifications for dioceses across the nation, is a major defeat for Spokane Bishop William Skylstad, who had argued that he did not control individual parishes and thus they were not available to cover settlement costs. Skylstad, head of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, had argued that only about $10 million worth of real estate and other assets directly under his control were available to settle lawsuits. The cases forced the Spokane Diocese to declare bankruptcy in December


19 Aug 05  Brother Cal makes his point on U.S. wars and Bush

Speaking last night in Waco, Texas, Brother Caleb said  continued  opposition to  U.S. military ventures in Iraq  offered a "moral badge of courage" to those that participate.

"This is an illegal war from an illegitimate president that is simply immoral," said Caleb. He  then led the meeting of about 100 people in a rousing sermon to support Cindy Sheehan  and "Camp Casey" 4 miles from the compound of G. W. Bush.

19 Aug 05  Moderator praises Israel on Gaza withdrawal

AGC moderator James Crawley released the following statement on the Israeli withdrawal from occupied Gaza:

"The government of Israel has once again proven its  commitment to peace and the rule of law in the unilateral withdrawal from Gaza.

How many countries , how many peoples in the world would send thousands of unarmed police and soldiers to resolve such a matter?  Who can recall when such an event has happened in the past?

As pacifists, we applaud the courage and sensitive determination of the Israeli Defense Forces and Prime Minister Sharon. It is an inspiration in the face of sincere principled resistance as shown by the Gaza settlers. Israel has offered a model that other nations, other  military and law enforcement officials worldwide should study and emulate.

This is the way of the good Christian, to avoid violence, to maintain the peace, to uphold the good by being good. We exhort all people of good will in all faiths to embrace and encourage this path in all walks of life."

17 Aug 05  Founder of Taizé is murdered

Good Christians worldwide are shocked today at the stabbing to  death of Brother Roger Schultz, founder of the well respected ecumenical Taizé monastic community in eastern France.

According to reports, a 36-year old Romanian woman overpowered and stabbed Brother Roger, 90, three times in the throat during a prayer service in front of some 2,500 pilgrims at Reconciliation Church in Burgundy.

The Taizé community was founded in 1940 after Roger Schutz bought a small house in the village of Taizé, where he began welcoming refugees from World War II.

Roger Schutz was born and raised in Switzerland. He moved to France and founded his community in 1940 at the age of 25. The mission of the community is to help bring about reconciliation and help others grow in the trust of God.

The Taizé community, which is near Macon, about 390 kilometers (240 miles) southeast of Paris, draws tens of thousands of Christian youths from around the world each year for prayer and meditation. It emphasizes the need for all Christians to come together in peace, love and reconciliation.   The community now has more than 100 brothers from various Christian denominations, living in France, Brazil, Senegal and South Korea.

 "Christ of compassion, you enable us to be in communion with those who have gone before us, and who can remain so close to us. We entrust into your hands our Brother Roger. He already contemplates the invisible. In his footsteps, you are preparing us to welcome a radiance of your brightness."

« Toi, le Christ de compassion, tu nous donnes d’être en communion avec ceux qui nous ont précédés, et qui peuvent nous demeurer si proches. Nous remettons entre tes mains notre frère Roger. Déjà il contemple l’invisible. A sa suite, tu nous prépares à accueillir un rayonnement de ta clarté. »

AGC moderator James Crawley released the following statement:

"All good Christians and people of good will have been intensely moved by the extraordinary  spiritual witness lived by Brother Roger of Taizé. More than most,  he sought  to fulfill the command of Jesus Christ that we may  be one.
He was a good man who surely died a good death. We pray for the repose of his perfect  and immortal soul as he returns to GOD."

13 August 05   Website Technical problems (updated 07 Sep)

We are having some hardware problems at the site of our main server. These have prevented  the full range of updated materials as promised. Replacement parts should be available within two weeks.  Please keep in mind, these parts must be delivered by hand from good Christians who travel somewhat slowly...this is simply the way of things.

07 Sep We are advised  replacement parts will arrive  16 October.


28 Jul 05  GCCC in Canada to Alberta Justice Minister: "No!"

Alberta Justice Minister Ron Stevens said Tuesday that the province is prepared to invoke the notwithstanding clause in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to prevent marriage commissioners from being forced to perform same-sex marriages against their religious beliefs.

 The province’s Conservative government plans to introduce a law preventing marriage commissioners from being forced to perform same-sex weddings against their religious beliefs when parliament resumes after the summer recess. The new law would be retroactive to July 20, when the federal parliament enacted the Civil Marriage Act.

According to AGC General-Secretary Paul Ryan, such a proposal is political pandering to a minority special interest group that would introduce chaos within civil government. "Would a fundamentalist Christian or Muslim agent  be entitled to refuse services on the proper grounds that the applicant by virtue of their religious beliefs is living immorally ? Will we see the creation of Christian cantons of civil servants and agents, where only on presentation of evidence of good moral standing can service  be rendered?"

Alberta has a long and dark history of government ordered discrimination against minorities dating back decades. In 1928, five years before the NAZI's  the Sexual Sterilization Act became law in Alberta, repealed in 1972, when the province was told "The Act violates fundamental human rights."

Said Ryan, "We would be the first religious community to raise religious freedom concerns if this was in fact the case. It is not. Agents and civil servants of the State are employed to serve all citizens without exception.  If not, they are free to resign in good conscience.  This conscience clause already exists.

Alberta should drop the pretense of civil equality and declare a "conscience of convenience clause" that all persons of all faiths, in public and private sectors are free, without penalty,  to engage in any form of discrimination or withholding of services their spiritual leader has directed.

The government of Alberta forments disorder and bad government if it persists with such ill advised legislation."

Contact the minister with your concerns:

Alberta Justice Minister, Ron Stevens - MLA Calgary Glenmore
#A210, 1600 - 90 Avenue S.W.
Calgary, AB
T2V 5A8

Constituency Office Phone: (403) 216-5421
Constituency Office Fax: (403) 216-5423
Legislature Office Phone: (780) 427-2339
Legislature Office Fax: (780) 422-6621
E-mail Address: calgary.glenmore@assembly.ab.ca

28 July 05  IRA statement promises bold new direction

Democratic Unionist Party leader the Reverend Ian Paisley greeted the statement with scepticism, saying that the IRA had "reverted to type" after previous "historic" statements.

"We will judge the IRA's bona fides over the next months and years based on its behaviour and activity," he saidd.

The AGC released the following statement:

"We believe the order from the Oglaigh na hEireann IRA) leadership is a clear revocation of violence as an means to achieve change in the affairs of the Irish people. In reading the totality of the statement,  we see both an order to  "dump arms" and  stand down  from armed conflict. As such, we welcome  this historic act and  encourage all parties and peoples to come together in a spirit of absolute transparency; through process and practicality to build  a stronger peace and a stronger people.

We reinterate our long standing position that all para-military groups must stand down, allow independent verification of weapons destruction, cease criminal activity, engage constructively in the peace process for a suitable period of time, declare to their supporters a formal end of hostilities and then disband. "

28 July 05  Council of Elders to issue statement 1 Aug

CORRECTION

Bishop Luigi Locati, a 75-year-old missionary, was shot dead when three armed bandits ambushed him as he walked to his house from the church compound, some 70 metres away.

He was hit twice in the head and died on the spot, according to a watchman at the scene.

Good Christians in Kenya expressed shock and AGC Moderator will send formal  condolences to the Kenyan Episcopal Conference of the RCC.

On July 6th, we finally have the opportunity to stop that shameful statistic.

8 world leaders will be presented with a workable plan to double aid, drop the debt and make the trade laws fair.

But they'll only do it if enough people tell them to.

01 July  Canadians! Have a safe and fun Canada Day holiday!

01 July  Benedict XVI Hopes Papal Primacy Won't Prevent Unity

Benedict XVI hopes that the papal primacy will not be seen as an obstacle but as a support for the full unity of Christian churches and confessions.

Quoting No. 13 of the Second Vatican Council's dogmatic constitution on the Church, "Lumen Gentium," Benedict XVI said: "Within the Church particular Churches hold a rightful place; these Churches retain their own traditions, without in any way opposing the primacy of the Chair of Peter, which presides over the whole assembly of charity and protects legitimate differences, while at the same time assuring that such differences do not hinder unity but rather contribute toward it."

Because of this, he hoped that "the Petrine ministry of the Bishop of Rome is not seen as a stumbling block but as a support on the journey toward unity."

The good Christians have consistently upheld the supremacy  of the Universal Church meeting in General Council to elect  and appoint the Bishop of Rome and other historical Apostolic dioceses. Our objection is to the claim of Roman Catholicism that it alone is the inheritor of the Chair of Peter to the exclusion of all others among the fulness of the Body of Christ.
In that context, it is not an obstacle to the unity of the People of GOD.

28 June  Council of Elders meet to resume 5 July

After a two week hiatus on retreat, it was announced today the Council of Elders will resume meeting on Tuesday, 5 July.

28 June  Canada legislates same gender marriage

After years of debate and favorable high court rulings,  the Canadian parliament today passed legislation allowing same gender marriage throughout the nation.

The good Christians in Canada support the law, rejecting the argument it infringes on religious freedom.  More information:  Pro  Con News report

28 June  Maine gay rights law goes to voters in November

Opponents of Maine's newly-enacted gay rights law Tuesday delivered signed petitions aimed at putting the issue to a statewide vote.

The Christian Civic League of Maine announced that it and its allies obtained about 57,000 signatures; if certified, that would surpass the threshold of 50,519 signatures needed to put the measure on the November ballot.

The pending law is similar to previous gay-rights legislation that voters rejected in 1998 and again in 2000. It would prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, education, credit and public accommodations based on sexual orientation.

The good Christians in Maine support the legislation. More information here.

20 June  Council of Elders adjourns for two weeks

After convening a virtually unprecdented session outside of the Annual General Meeting, the Eldership has suspended deliberations and entered into a two week closed retreat. Several decisions were reached and these will be posted by from time to time.

Please see 13 May and 30 May for more background information.


06 June Young white buffalo dies

A rare white buffalo in northern B.C. has died after he developed a fever and stopped eating. "Spirit of the Peace" was only a month and a half old when he died Wednesday in Fort St. John. Owner Karen Blatz says she took him to the vet after his breathing became laboured and he started developing a fever. She says Spirit of the Peace was given a fever reducer and an anti-inflammatory and then brought back home. But Blatz says he was still having trouble breathing. "Later in the day, his temperature started to drop and it started to drop below normal, that's when we realized that he was going to be in trouble, and he stopped breathing about 11 o'clock," she says. Blatz says the birth of a white buffalo is said to be about one in 10 million. Native legend is that the white buffalo is a symbol of hope, rebirth or unity, and peace.

Cdn Govt Caught Funding Anti-Choice Web Site

The publishers of the PolSpy weblog today called on Liza Frulla , Minister of Canadian Heritage, to review the funding relationship between the Publisher’s Assistance Program (PAP) and lifesite.net, a Web site that regularly features articles that can be construed as hostile to those advocating same-sex marriage and abortion. The Interim, an affiliated monthly publication of the Life Site that contains the same disturbing messages as their main Web page, received $47,233 in federal funding through PAP in 2003/2004.

Both the Web site addresses, lifesite.net and theinterim.com, appear to be fronts for the same organization, the Campaign Life Coalition (CLC). Both sites give their street address as 104 Bond Street, Toronto, ON. Co-incidentally (or not), this is also the street address of the CLC. All three sites share the same administrative and technical contact, Steve Jalsevac. It is doubtful that most Canadians are aware that their tax dollars are being used to support the extreme religious positions of the Life Site and the CLC through federal support of The Interim.

Panchen Lama Campaign

26 May 05

On May 17, 1995, the six year old Panchen Lama - one of Tibet's most important spiritual reincarnations - was abducted by Chinese authorities.  Much more active support is required to break China's silence on the Panchen Lama's wellbeing and whereabouts.

In October this year, China will appear before the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva. At this time, China must report on how it is meeting its obligations under the international convention spelling out the rights to which every child is entitled. It was in this forum in 1996 that China first admitted to holding the Panchen Lama!

Please click here to send a Panchen Lama Action Card to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child so that China is made accountable for its crimes against Tibet's Stolen Child.