By Hilary White
TORONTO, October 15, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Toronto's Vision Television network that bills itself as the voice of religious believers in Canada, has angered Canadian Catholics again by its not-so-subtle promotion of abortion and hostility towards Catholicism. Dave LeRoss of Toronto wrote to the network saying he was "shocked and disgusted" when, after he watched the broadcast of the Daily Mass at eight am, that programme was immediately followed by a 30 minute interview with Canada's most notorious abortionist, Dr. Henry Morgentaler.
On Vision's own in-house programme, "Credo", first produced in 2002, Dr. Morgentaler talks about his family's experiences in the Holocaust, but mostly focuses on his defence of his abortion business and advocacy. Dr. Morgentaler is the public face of Canada's abortion movement. Credo's purpose is described by Vision as, "First person singular on Vision TV's CREDO, famous Canadians recall the experiences that tested their beliefs."
In his email to the network, forwarded to LifeSiteNews.com, LeRoss accuses Vision of placing the Morgentaler interview to immediately follow the Daily Mass broadcast as an act of deliberate provocation to their large Catholic audience.
LeRoss writes, "Why is Vision, a supposedly faith-based TV network, creating these programs?"
Given that the Daily Mass is, by the network's own admission, Vision's highest-rated programme, and that the network receives nearly $750,000 per year from Canadian Catholics, Le Ross asks, "Is there no concern for the sensitivities of those who regularly watch Vision?.. Why are they attacking the sensibilities of their audience that has just come from watching Mass?"
Vision's hostility to traditional Catholic teaching is notorious, especially among the faithful who have had dealings with them over the years. The network was taken to task even in the mainstream media earlier this year for its consistent attacks on Catholicism and traditional Judaism. Following the broadcast of an anti-Semitic lecture by a radical Islamist imam, the National Post ran an editorial accusing Vision of a persistently extreme left political bias and heavily relativistic approach to religion.
In August this year, prominent Catholic philosopher, Dr. Peter Kreeft, told LifeSiteNews.com that the kind of relativism endorsed by Vision is by its nature "fundamentally opposed" to religious belief. This was supported by Fr. Paul McDonald, a Catholic pastor, lecturer and director of vocations for the diocese of St. Catherines Ontario, who told LifeSiteNews.com, that Vision's syncretistic approach, while proposing the popular idea of "tolerance", leads necessarily to anti-religious bigotry.
Vision TV's Syncretism "Fundamentally Opposed" to Religious Faith
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/aug/07080708.html
Vision TV Blasted for Jihadist Anti-Semitic Programs and "Relativism"
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/jul/07072407.html
No Apologies from Vision TV for Years of Anti-Traditional Christian Programming
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/jul/07072504.html
Catholic-Supported Canadian TV Station Attacking Church Yet Again
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/feb/06020203.html
Vision TV Moving toward More Openly Anti-Catholic Bias
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/jan/06010905.html
To express concerns:
National Catholic Broadcasting Council
21 Dunlop Street
Richmond Hill, Ontario
Canada, L4C 2M6
Toll Free: 1-888-383-6277
Local: 905-884-6899
Fax: 905-884-5164
E-mail: b-mcmanus@rogers.com
Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops
10 St. Mary St., Suite 800
Toronto, Ontario M4Y 1P9
Phone: (416) 923-1423
Fax: (416) 923-1509
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"In Cordibus Jesu et Mariae"
