Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical
Politics and Religion
Monday Miscellany, 6/22/23

Monday Miscellany, 6/22/23

Last updated on: June 22, 2026 at 4:17 pm by Gene Veith

0 Comments

Monday Miscellany, 6/22/23 2026-06-22T16:17:27-04:00 Gene Veith

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Peace in our time? Getting the human out of government and business. Canada may now consider the Bible as hate speech.

Peace in Our Time?

The U.S. and Iran have signed an agreement to end the war. (See the text here.)

When President Trump attacked Iran, MAGA doves were infuriated, seeing yet another unnecessary war in the Middle East like those President Trump had criticized. Now that President Trump has stopped the war, MAGA hawks are infuriated, claiming that it stops short of victory and leaves Iran better off than before.

(In the old monarchies, people with complaints never blamed the king, just his advisors. Similarly, the anti-war MAGAs blamed the “neoconservative” Secretary of State Rubio, while the pro-war MAGAs blamed the “isolationist” Vice President Vance.)

Meanwhile, media, which has been criticizing Trump’s war, is now criticizing Trump’s peace.

It is true that Iran comes out better than it was before the war, with the sanctions that had crippled its economy being lifted and the $300 billion in “rebuilding” money being offered by the Gulf states.

But the harm to the American and the world economy due to Iran’s shutting down the Strait of Hormuz called for a quick settlement, even on less-than-desirable terms. And if the war was a mistake, it is appropriate to get out of it as soon as possible.

One concern is that America’s failure to decisively defeat Iran will embolden China, which may no longer consider America’s military might a deterrent from assaulting Taiwan. But I think the lesson China will learn, both from the U.S. and Russia, is that despite overwhelming military power, it isn’t so easy for a big nation to conquer a little nation.

Getting the Human Out of Government and Business

Techno-libertarians seek to eliminate government by farming out its functions to technology. For example, societies need a monetary system in order to have a functioning economy. Crypto-currency is an alternative to government-backed money.

AI makes it possible, many of these futurists think, to replace governmental authority. Or other kinds of authority.

There is already an online arbitration service in development called Objection, which allows two people in a dispute to each file evidence and argumentation on their side, whereupon AI will issue a ruling on which side has the better case.

Perhaps AI could operate our judicial system! It could sort out the facts of the case, the relevant laws, who is guilty, who is innocent, and mete out punishment. There would thus be no need of judges, juries, or lawyers. AI would issue rulings with perfect objectivity, immune from the subjective biases and emotions of human beings!

We could also get rid of the human element in the corporate world. Already, Argentina’s president Javier Milei wants to revise his country’s laws to allow for corporations with no human leadership–just AI. He is envisioning businesses in which AI comes up with the ideas, orders what is necessary to implement them, solicits investments, plans the logistics, handles the marketing, hires, fires, and makes all the decisions.

Removing the human element would presumably eliminate many of the mistakes that human C.E.O.s and other executives make.

Sound good? No? What’s wrong with this approach?

Canada May Now Consider the Bible as Hate Speech

Last week, Canada’s legislature gave final approval to the Combating Hate Act (Bill C-9), which abolishes the exemption for religious texts in the country’s hate laws.

Here is an explanation from the Canadian Constitution Foundation, which opposed the bill:

Before Bill C-9, if a person charged with public incitement of hatred, wilful promotion of hatred or wilful promotion of antisemitism could establish that they, “in good faith… expressed or attempted to establish by an argument an opinion on a religious subject or an opinion based on a belief in a religious text,” that would have been a full defence to the charge. This means they would not be convicted. Bill C-9 has removed this defence, putting Canadians at greater risk of charges for religious speech.

The final bill includes a “for greater certainty” clause that purports to protect legitimate religious discussion:

“For greater certainty, nothing in subsection 319(2) or (2.2) of the Criminal Code shall be construed as prohibiting a person from communicating a statement on a matter of public interest, including an educational, religious, political or scientific statement made in the course of a discussion, publication or debate, if they do not wilfully promote hatred against an identifiable group by communicating the statement.”

But, as the Christian Legal Fellowship pointed out, that provision is circular: Religious people do not violate the hate law unless they break the hate law. “Communicating a statement” is allowed, as long as they do not promote hatred “by communicating the statement.”

So is Canada now outlawing quoting the Bible? Not necessarily, but under some circumstances, yes. According to the Canadian Constitutional Foundation,

It is unlikely passages from religious texts read on their own will lead to criminal charges. The Crown would need to believe that the intention of reading the text was to incite hatred, promote hatred or promote antisemitism.

However, with the defence now removed, certain passages from religious texts could now lead to charges depending on the context including when they are read, where they are read, and what other words are used when they are read.

Consider, for example, the Bible passage Leviticus 20:13. It states: “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.” Reading this passage on its own (or writing it) would not likely lead to criminal charges despite removal of the defence. However, depending on context, including what else is said, it may now be possible that speaking this Bible passage would lead to criminal charges. This would depend on whether it is used in a way that can be characterized as extreme vilification or detestation, which may be evidenced by the hallmarks of hate.

Canada's hate speech law

Iran War

Javier Milei

Religious liberty in Canada

techno-libertarians

Trump's peace accord with Iran

Previous Post

June 19, 2026

Dad Jokes

Next Post

June 23, 2026 Blue MAGA

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"Turns out, she wasn’t the right tool for the job."

1another

Luther on Tools

"You may have just given me my next sermon opening line."

1another

Luther on Tools

"So Katie Zacharia lasted only a demiScaramucci as press secretary......"

reg

Luther on Tools

"Apropos to the post on Gen Z a couple days ago: "If you want the ..."

Steve Bauer

Luther on Tools

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category America Apologetics Art baseball Bible Blog Christ Church crime Culture Economics Education Ethics Family Food Football Government History Holidays Holy Week Humor International Islam Language Law Life Issues Literature Media Medicine Movies Music Nature News Personal Philosophy Politics psychology Reformation Religions Sacraments Science sex Social Science Sports technology television terrorism Theology Uncategorized Vocation war

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who built two gold calves, leading Israel into idolatry after the split?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Josiah Solomon Rehoboam Jeroboam

Books by This Author Books by Gene Veith

See All Titles »