This letter from Victor, while speaking specifically of Canada, would also generally apply to the United States, as you will see.
Greetings in the Lord Jesus Christ, Leslie (and husband),
As you may remember, I am Jonathan Hafichuk’s father. I believe you are on The Issues of Life mailing list. I also recall having a phone conversation with you on spiritual matters.
If you have been reading our correspondence, which is sent out about two or three times a week, you will find that we have been addressing many things in Christendom that are not right or true, but which many have been taught as Biblical or truly of Christ. We are “contending for the faith once delivered unto the saints.” There is an ungodly mixture of pagan doctrines, philosophies, carnal beliefs, superstitions and plain silly notions along with true doctrines and beliefs which are Biblical, and together there is much confusion. It is a mixture of flesh and spirit.
Now we know that God cannot tolerate such mixture. In the days of Noah, for example, the “sons of God [not “angels,” as we know them, but believers…Jesus plainly said that angels neither marry nor are given in marriage, Mt. 22:30] went into the daughters of men.” Believers were yoked with unbelievers, creating a powerful and violent world that God had to destroy. This theory of the angels coming down to earth and procreating with mankind is just another of the evil speculations shared among Christians, making God a liar. Not only did Jesus teach otherwise, but also why would “good angels” do such a thing to begin with? It is not a simple and innocent matter because it is a lie, contrary to God, and lies ever lead to death. Concerning mixture, or half-heartedness, Jesus said to the church at Laodicea:
“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;’ and don’t know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked; I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent” (Revelation 3:15-19).
Lukewarm water is a mixture, a mixture of cold and hot, representing a mixture of false and true, good and evil. Another illustration of “lukewarm” would be in terms of light. A light can be placed in an elevated place, brightly shining so that it serves effectively for all to see clearly, it can be hidden or snuffed out, or it can be set lower, or partially covered so that, while it promises to reveal, it does a poor job, frustrating those who hope to see clearly. Jesus was in effect saying, “Either light the light and use it properly, or let there be darkness…none of this in between stuff.”
The reason I write you today, Leslie, is because I would like to respond to a note you sent in reply to Jonathan last year concerning Canada and prayer. Jonathan wrote:
“Some people think that it is a great honor to be a Canadian. Others think like I do. They just don’t care. One country isn’t any better than any other. Maybe that is being Canadian.
A Canadian is someone born in Canada or who immigrated here. Because most Canadians immigrated here at some time, they maintain some part of their cultural heritage. Multiculturalism is important because most Canadians have come from somewhere else.
Canadians are peacekeepers throughout the world and not just in a military way. Peace, democracy, and human rights are important values that Canadians believe in.“
You then replied to Jonathan:
“I’m sorry that you don’t care about being Canadian. I feel very Blessed (your caps) to be a Canadian. I feel Blessed to have many ancestors of our country who were Christian. I feel Blessed when top prayer warriors see Canada as a Nation of Peace for the world.
Yes, we, (Canadians) have a long way to go before we are right with God. I am a prayer warrior of the nation. I often see the good and the bad. Through all this, God has given me a true love of Canada.“
My reply to Jonathan’s letter and to yours:
True appreciation can only come by way of contrast. Obviously, not having been exposed to other national circumstances, Jonathan is not appreciative of what we do have, in contrast to that of other countries, in every continent in the world, except perhaps Australia. Even Europe has been ravaged with many horrible wars since Canada was formed, though Canada was involved. What about right here in North America? Mexico has been a poverty and disease-stricken nation, with wars, tyranny, rampant crime, and corruption. The greatest nation in the world, the US, but a few miles from us personally, has gone through the American Revolution, the Civil War, Korea, Viet Nam, Afghanistan, and presently Iraq, with a hint of more to come. Americans have been attacked on their home turf at Pearl Harbor and New York, as recently as 9/11. Other than with Korea, Canada has been spared all this.
Plagues and environmental disasters too have taken heavy tolls on other nations, while Canada has been relatively spared. In terms of governments, murderous tyrants and despots have ruled many countries in South America, Asia, India, and Eastern Europe. Poverty and living in fear, desperation and confusion have been the predominant conditions for billions of peoples throughout the world. The cause of these horrific conditions has been godless philosophies and religions, with idolatry and the breaking of every law of God. Those who have had even some semblance of Judeo-Christian values have been blessed, as you say, to the degree that they have lived by them.
However, Leslie, I have some things I would like to discuss with you. First, you say “many top prayer warriors see Canada as a Nation of Peace for the world.” I get the impression that these persons of whom you speak see something special about Canada in comparison to other nations in terms of bringing peace elsewhere. Many falsely believe, if not teach, that Canada is a “Christian” nation. Many Americans believe the same about their country. There can be nothing further from the truth, unless, of course, your definition of “Christian” differs from mine. While I cannot argue with the abundance of riches, peace, relative freedom and safety we have had here, it grieves me to see what is happening in Canada. Let me point some of these out to you:
1) During WW2, Canada, by official policy, barred Jews from immigrating, though they desperately needed sanctuary. There were shiploads of desperate Jewish refugees turned away that were later exterminated by the Germans. This is a grievous sin for which Canada is held accountable. It has never acknowledged or confessed its wrong in this matter.
2) Canada has legalized the murder of the unborn. How many thousands die that way?
3) Canada’s official church, the United Church, is a humanistic and watered-down social club where anything goes, not that other churches are much different. It married its first homosexual couple in 1975, and has since then commonly ordained homosexual and lesbian ministers, thus, in essence, saying that God represents sexual perversion. Other denominations have followed. They have now also sanctioned homosexual “marriage.”
4) “Gay pride” parades are a regular occurrence now, with throngs coming to view and entertain themselves with the vileness of it all. What should be found utterly abhorrent is now “acceptable,” “fair” and “understandable.” Furthermore, we have people believing and telling us it is God’s will, that we should “love,” and not criticize or be “homophobic” or prejudiced, that “Jesus loves them.” Joe Clark, someone somewhat respected in Canadian politics for ethics and honesty, attends the parade as a dignitary. Politicians, openly “gay,” receive ready recognition and acceptance, if not praise. Even the Conservatives, reputed to have more of a “Christian” composition of members, stand for nothing. Steven Harper shuts down one of his caucus, Larry Spencer, for speaking out against homosexuality.
5) The Supreme Court of Canada brings down decision after decision against godly values. Even lower courts are now condemning the Bible as “hate literature,” denying freedom of religion and speech to all those who profess Biblical faith.
6) Notorious organizations find Canada a haven for carrying out their operations in drugs, fraud, prostitution, kidnapping, and every other crime one can think of. There are several Asian and East Indian gangs, Russian, Romanian, Bulgarian as well as Italian mafias, Hell’s Angels (with social popularity and acceptance), you name them. Americans are finding the lax crime laws of prevention and punishment in Canada very frustrating, and are asserting their rights at the border to protect themselves.
7) We have had Catholic prime ministers for how long now, all lawyers from Quebec, all corrupt, and cynical of justice and equity, having no respect whatsoever for the taxpayers and citizens of this country. They do not even respect their own church and leadership, as with this same-sex marriage issue, which they support.
8) Our educational system teaches humanism, atheism, evolution, gay rights, yoga, Transcendental Meditation, New Age philosophy (Eastern mysticism, devilry and idolatry), social and religious ecumenism (unity and harmony without God).
9) When I was a kid, rare was the violence toward teachers. Today, with all sort of weapons, including guns, we know teachers that are afraid to even report abuse, under threat of retaliation. Teachers have responsibility without authority and without safety.
10) Day cares are everywhere now, with children having no parents when they need them most because both parents are working. Why are two parents working? Because in many cases, they cannot afford not to do so. Or there is only one parent to begin with. We have many “single moms,” an affectionate term applied to people who sleep with each other out of wedlock in many of these cases, having illegitimate children, and collecting welfare. Now there is the cry for a national program to bring about more daycare, declaring a great need for it, while Canadian society has little appreciation for faithful parents who stay at home to nurture children, as they ought.
11) The Charter of Rights is creating a nation of spoiled brats who have all the rights and little responsibility.
12) Corruption in government goes unchecked and unpunished, wasting billions of dollars, while the governments in power laugh and scoff, thus teaching by example that crime pays.
13) Medicare is going bankrupt fast. Health Canada, the department of government originally purposed to protect Canadians, is in the pockets of multinational pharmaceutical corporations that are killing thousands of Canadians and making money doing so.
14) The medical establishment persecutes alternative health care (healthy, effective, and safe ways of ministering health to people) while it continues to poison, maim and kill many people, with impunity, answering to nobody. It is truly a case of the brutal serial killer sitting in judgment, charging, convicting, and condemning drivers for parking meter violations.
15) Illegal drugs are killing many, but legal drugs are killing as many if not more. They are poisoning people everywhere for the love of money, in the name of health. Ralph Nader, in addressing some of the problems and consumer hazards with our North American systems, blatantly told the public that doctors kill 800,000 people a year. KILL! He did not mince words. He was not speaking of incidents that could not be helped, but of incidents that were due to carelessness, ineptitude and criminal negligence. What about all the tragedies caused by drug complications, lack of service and facilities, and the more innocent causes, which are responsible for many more deaths?
16) Corporations like Monsanto and Cargill, giants now larger, richer, and more powerful than many nations in the world, are poisoning our environment and us with toxic chemicals and genetically modified organisms that compromise the very basics of life in terms of food and agriculture. The courts recently found in favor of Monsanto, who has contaminated our environment, and against Percy Schmeiser, a farmer who cannot grow his own crops because genetic modification effectively cancels that option. That leaves farmers at the mercy of corporations for food supply. Food supply is being taken over, slowly but surely, yet not so slowly.
17) The food supply is now utterly polluted with toxic chemicals, additives, artificial flavorings and colorings, irradiation, pesticides, artificial fertilizers, you name it, and people are dying like flies. One in three will now get cancer, when it was one in ten thousand a generation ago.
18) While two thirds of the world goes hungry, Canada’s biggest food problem is gluttony, accompanied with obesity. Youth are developing cancer, arthritis, allergies, mental syndromes and even diabetes! It is death and hell for many.
19) In a nation where one would think we could have plenty of wholesome water, it is quite otherwise. The bottled water industry is skyrocketing, yet with corrupt laws, it is providing nothing better. People are dying from the water. When it is treated, it is done so with nerve toxins like fluoride and poisons like chlorine and chloramine, though there are better ways available of doing things.
20) Canada federally, the provinces and municipalities, except for Alberta, are all in great debt, yet resources are wasted and mismanaged in significant ways. Just think of the Auditor-General’s last three reports. What has been done with her discoveries and condemnation of major corruption and mismanagement? Not a thing.
21) What has been happening to the pension funds of many people? They have been invested in the stock markets, people are losing their savings, and fat cats and crooks in position of advantage take the winnings and leave the investors with bankruptcies, broken retirements and heartache. What does the government do? Nothing. It is there doing the same.
22) Disparity between rich and poor grows greater every day. Now monopolies are permitted to consolidate any market they wish, one way or another, “by hook or by crook.” Large corporations are buying out competition, raising prices and profits, executives take home salaries of several millions per year, while we are running into people at the grassroots in the work force who can barely afford to feed their children and pay their rent and utilities. All this in the wealthiest province in Canada, where outsiders say it is much better than anywhere else! What is it like elsewhere?
23) Anything goes in the bars and on television now.
24) Anything goes in churches in the Name of Christ…theatrics, entertainment, fundraising gimmicks, professional performers, Satanism, New Age philosophy, homosexuality, adultery, fornication, and blatant fraud.
25) Try, just try to call people to repentance, to worshiping the Lord Jesus Christ in Spirit and in truth. The reactions are incredulity, anger, hatred, indignation, scorn, and ridicule, all these coming from “fine, upstanding, responsible, godly, church-going citizens” of this “great and wonderful country” of ours. People are religious, hard, cold, proud, stubborn, haters of God while professing faith in Him.
26) Some refer to Canada as a “Christian” nation. While that may have a degree of legitimacy nominally, relative to nations, for example, that are Muslim or Hindu, Canada, essentially, is far from Christian. For example, when have you heard prayer or the mention of God in either the House of Commons or the Senate? When was the last time you saw any reference to God or the Bible in any governmental documents? What is the anthem all about? Truly, while they demand allegiance and duty to flag and country, and praise Canada, they preach another god while asking God to keep it for them. They teach idolatry and rebellion. That is what the anthem is truly all about, when you prayerfully consider it. Consider also the formal decorum. Is that not religious? We call it secular formality, but is it not “sacred,” and religious in nature, to those who partake? Canada is anything but Christian.
I once had correspondence with Preston Manning, who professes faith in Christ. I asked him why there is no testimony of Christ in the House of Commons. He replied that it is a secular institution, and therefore parliament forbids them to bring forth their spiritual or religious convictions, particularly in testifying of the Lord Jesus Christ. He also said that as a political leader of a party (then the Reform Party), he was not permitted to declare his spiritual convictions, that he had to honor those in the party of all persuasions, seeing it was secular and not religious. The Reform Party was the closest of all national parties that had any following to having what we call Christian values, yet the mouth of the leader itself is sealed in what you deem to be a “Christian” nation.
I could go on and on, with details, and you could tell me that I ought to read Philippians 4:8 and praise the Lord. Well, as a lifestyle, we are thankful for what God had done and is doing for us, Leslie. He has greatly blessed us, has delivered us, and has kept us from the world and all its corruption. We do praise and thank Him every day. We marvel at what is happening and how He is protecting us in spite of all these things. Every time we turn around, we are discovering that He has addressed these matters, and kept us long before we knew what He was doing.
What I DO want to tell you today is that there is only virtue with God, and not with any man or any nation. While we can be thankful to live in Canada, we can be thankful to be anywhere when God is for us. If against us, we are doomed in the best of places, at the best of times.
You say you are a prayer warrior. You speak of “top prayer warriors.” How would you know? It is not true, Leslie. It is all a religious power trip. You people need to come out of religiosity and see what is already here, never mind what is coming. You say, “We have a long way to go” as though there was progress. Canada is rotting, and not becoming a virtuous vehicle for the salvation of the world. While “prophets” of prayer and “preachers of God” are saying, “Peace, peace,” doom not only approaches, but takes its toll on every side as we speak.
Surveys indicate that the majority of people “believe in God.” They may be religious, but they are not repentant. They profess faith, “praise the Lord,” scratch one another’s backs, tickle one another’s ears, smile, hug, dress up and go to church on the Sun god’s day. They entertain themselves, salve their consciences with hymn singing and meager offerings, mouth some formal prayers, memorize the odd verse in Scripture, disregard the Sabbath, eat anything they please, preach many doctrines that are pagan in both origin and concept, and there is no worship of God in spirit and in truth. What do the Scriptures have to say about those preaching, prophesying and promising peace? Here it is, very applicable to this day and place:
“They have also healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14).
I think that you, and others with you, Leslie, are in effect saying, “Peace, peace! Canada has a long way to go, but it will be peace, and an instrument of peace to the world.” Canada has rejected the Prince of Peace, big time. How then can there be peace? In addition, the worst of it is that it is those who name His Name that are the worst offenders, doubling their sins because they profess to love and to worship Him. I see horrible consequences every day among professing believers.
The consequences pile up, daily, with many dying of both legal and illegal drugs, “medicine,” corporate tyranny, traffic fatalities, addictions of all kinds, gang murders, government intervention and programs, AIDS, abortion, school shootings, patricide, matricide, fratricide, suicide, every “cide,” rebellion caused by absence of parents, never mind absence of parental care and love…the list goes on and on. Many things we witness today we did not have when I was a kid. In one generation, I see lawlessness and chaos, and sickness and disease such as we have never known in Canada.
Canada is a heathen nation. If not, it has far more of which to be ashamed than if it were not a heathen nation.
Let me tell you and your husband something, Leslie: There is death and hell to pay, and we have barely begun to pay it. Never mind your boast of being “a prayer warrior.” Repent of your sins, shut up about it, humble yourself before God, seek His ways and turn from your wicked and religious ways, and at least you will save yourselves, never mind presuming to save the country. God will take it from there. I leave you with Scripture that speaks of a better country, one you seem to be rather careless about:
“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and embraced them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. If indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had enough time to return. But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them” (Hebrews 11:13-16).
Contending for the faith once delivered to the saints,
Victor Hafichuk