The BCHA issued the following press release after premier Christy Clark admitting to basing some of her decisions on the Bible.
Premier Clark’s recent comments alarm secularists
Comments by BC Premier Christy Clark have members of the BC Humanist Association concerned that the separation of church and state may be eroded in Canada’s least religious province.
On a recent episode of 100 Huntley Street, an evangelical Christian talk show, Clark – a “devout Anglican” –stated that she bases some of her decisions on what she learns in the Bible.
The BC Humanists, a non-partisan charity, fear that by basing policy decisions on the Bible, the premier may exclude the views of roughly half of the province that does not identify as Christian, and may follow policies based on faith rather than pragmatic reality.
“Policies should be formed in the best interests of all the people of the province and based on the best available evidence,” says Ian Bushfield, Executive Director of the BC Humanists. “The Bible is of great literary value, but lacks the critical analysis necessary to deal with today’s exceptional challenges.”
Since 1984, the BC Humanist Association has represented atheists, agnostics, and secular humanists across the province. Its vision is a secular society based on the universal values of reason and compassion.