ARPA Condemned in the BC Legislature

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On October 6th, for almost an hour, British Columbia MLAs debated the “views and policies of [the] Association for Reformed Political Action.”

The debate was over a motion tabled by the NDP: “That this House condemns the intolerant views of the Association for Reformed Political Action (ARPA), including its harmful discrimination against transgender people, its belief that homosexuality is ‘immoral’ and its explicit policy goal of restricting abortion access in British Columbia.”

The NDP’s motive for the motion seemed to be to condemn the opposition for attending ARPA’s MLA reception at the BC legislature back in April. However, the debate never talked about the two issues that we specifically raised at that reception: medical gender transitioning for minors and euthanasia.

Several NDP, Green, and independent MLAs rose to condemn ARPA’s positions on gender identity, sexual orientation, same-sex marriage, conversion therapy, abortion, IVF, and surrogacy.  They argued that ARPA’s views violate various rights and freedoms and run counter to principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and tolerance. Now, it goes without saying that ARPA – and all Christians – are in favour of all of these things when viewed in a proper way. In fact, a recognition of rights and the practice of tolerance only really arose in the Christian West.

What this debate exposed is what happens when these things are unmoored from their Christian anchors and made our ultimate political goals. If the expansion of freedom becomes the most important aim of politics, then medical transitioning for minors makes sense. If diversity is the legislature’s most sacred value, then opposition to gay marriage is indeed out of place.

But orthodox Christians know all of these values – rights and freedoms, equity and tolerance – are not the ultimate basis for morality or justice. Rather, the ultimate basis for just laws is God’s revelation to us in His Word and creation. The condemning MLAs spent a whole lot of time talking about rights in this hour of debate. But they spent virtually no time talking about what is right. They refused to acknowledge how removing the breasts of a fourteen-year-old girl in the name of “gender-affirming care” might not be in her best interest. They refused to recognize that providing euthanasia to the mentally ill might be a step too far. They refused to contemplate whether pre-born children at 35 weeks of age deserve any protections in law.

Instead, MLAs voted 48-3 to condemn ARPA’s “intolerant” views. (The text of the motion uses “intolerant”, but the word “hateful” was bandied about the most.) The entire NDP and Green caucuses, along with independent Elenore Sturko, voted to condemn ARPA. The two MLAs from OneBC and another independent Jordan Kealy voted against the motion and spoke up to defend us. None of the Conservative MLAs opted to be present for the vote as the lone Conservative speaker to the motion accused of the motion of being a “political trap.”

All of this reminds us of the words of Jesus in John 15:18-21: “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.”

If we were of the world – if we supported medical gender transitioning, same-sex marriage, or abortion on demand, or kept silent about them all – these MLAs would not have condemned us. We stand publicly for what God reveals to be true. God says that He created two sexes? That’s how it is. He designed marriage to be between one man and one woman for life? That’s our definition too. God created human life to begin at conception and commands us not to murder? Then abortion is wrong. Recognizing and honouring these truths is good for everyone.

Our motivation for raising these issues is one of love. Earlier in John 15, Christ says, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”

And that’s what we intend to do. We endeavour to love our fellow citizens. This includes not just the fellow brothers and sisters in Christ that Jesus has in mind here, but all people, as Jesus taught in the Parable of the Good Samaritan. We engage in this work because we love pre-born children. We love children who are confused about their gender. And we love the same-sex couple next door. And yes, we love the MLAs who voted to condemn us. For, as John wrote later, “we love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

And so, “we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). Our commitment to you is that we will continue to be honest, patient, and hopeful, knowing the battle is the Lord’s.

But we could still use your help in responding to all of this. Please take a moment to reach out with respect and love to your MLA and voice your support for ARPA. Encourage them not to be afraid to discuss the issues that desperately need our government’s attention – issues like medical transitioning for minors, euthanasia for those with a mental illness, or SOGI in schools – but to boldly hold the government to account.