Did Payette overstep with speech on science?
Re Gov. Gen. was disrespectful to religion, Letters, Nov. 6 I was saddened by Gov. Gen. Julie Payette’s speech to the science policy convention. As I understand it, her role is supposed to be non-controversial and apolitical, as the steward of the government of Canada.
Having listened to her speech, and the disdain with which she delivered it, this causes me concern. She has a right to her personal views but to share them as Governor General is unacceptable. People of faith should not be ridiculed for their beliefs.
If she feels her new role is a platform for her personal causes, then perhaps she should have checked the job description more carefully. First and foremost, she is the Queen’s representative. Can you imagine the Queen speaking of people of faith with such disdain?
As Governor General, Payette represents all Canadians, not just those who think like her. I hope in the future she speaks with respect for all Canadians. Joyce Porter, Oshawa
It seems Gov. Gen. Julie Payette certainly has stirred the pot by denouncing some long-held religious views by a large section of the Canadian population. Letter writer Anser Daud feels offended and somehow thinks his freedom of religion is affected by Payette’s speech.
The Governor General represents the Queen, but that does not mean she should remain mute on topics of the day. Payette was speaking at the prestigious Canadian Science Policy Centre as an invited speaker.
You should not expect a routine, mundane speech at such an occasion. It was the right platform for her to speak openly about her convictions. Science and religion have been at odds with each other for centuries, so there is no reason for anyone to feel offended because Payette expressed her “evidencebased” views, which contradict religious beliefs.
Perhaps her speech will inspire young Canadians to cultivate the habit of learning and forming their views based on scientific data.
Canada is a multicultural and multi-religious country. Each religion has different beliefs and anything you say can be construed as against some theological statement in the holy book of one of them. However, that should not be perceived as an attack on religious freedom.
I am glad Payette is not a stereotypical, ribbon-cutting Governor General and is poised to lead Canada in the 21st century. Ravi Jategaonkar, Brampton
For many decades, the Roman Catholic Church has accepted that life on Earth began through evolution or natural selection. Our brief slogan for teaching children was, “If you want to know what happened, ask a scientist. If you want to explore why it happened — the meaning of life — search the bible and other sources for understanding.”
Literalism/fundamentalism is not accepted by wise believers. I didn’t like Julie Payette’s attitude toward her stereotypical characterization of believers. Noel Cooper, Brechin, Ont.
In their letters, Anser Daud and Kyle Tilley say Julie Payette’s comments are disrespectful. Well, I agree with her. It is religion that is disrespectful of human intelligence and reason, by passing off delusion as fact.
And yes, science and religion are incompatible. Science is based on experimentation, observation and fact. This compares with religion’s “divine intervention” and “God’s will” controlling the world around us. The two positions cannot be further apart. I agree with our Governor General on this one: we need reality in this world, not delusion. James Knott, Mississauga
“Julie Payette said nothing about science or religion that is remotely controversial, much less offensive.” HOWARD A. DOUGHTY RICHMOND HILL
Letter writers offended by Julie Payette’s speech should read the text of her presentation. My synopsis is, “Governor General encourages progressive, kind, human endeavours as solution to man-made problems.”
She gave a secular speech in a secular forum to a secular country. My knowledge of her person and past was limited, but now I find myself full of admiration and respect. Cindy Marie Law, Sarnia, Ont. Re Payette’s small step is one giant leap, Cohn,
Nov. 7 Why should this damsel need defending? And why would Martin Regg Cohen want to keep this pot boiling?
In our enlightened age, we are, for the most part, still allowed to express how we feel. Although that may be qualified by laws on hate speech, sexual harassment or slander, our newly minted Governor General is perfectly entitled to weigh-in on “science vs. superstition,” “Leafs vs. Habs” or any other point of contention between Canadians.
But, out of good sense and the gravity of the office she holds, she might want to think about that before she goes near a microphone.
One of her prime functions is to unite us, not offend us.
If Payette really reflects more transparency and common sense than her predecessors, it would be common-sensical for her to say, “I’m sorry. I could have said that better. In the future, I will.”
We’d forgive her. Kevin Quinn, Owen Sound, Ont.
Martin Regg Cohn misses the point when he defends the Governor General from those who object to her saying: “Can you believe that still today in learned society . . . we are still debating and still questioning whether life was a divine intervention or whether it was coming out of a natural process, let alone, oh my goodness, a random process.”
Those of us who believe in religion and science think that life evolved through a natural process guided by divine intervention.
There is nothing in the major source of my religion, the Hebrew Bible, that contradicts science, unless all of it is taken literally.
The great Jewish philosopher Maimonides is adamant in refuting particularly those who take the Genesis narrative literally and not allegorically, although making clear that most of the biblical content, particularly the normative parts, should be taken as they are.
And nothing in the Jewish religion prevents us from believing in human-caused global warming. Jaime Oksemberg, Toronto
I am in complete agreement with Julie Payette’s comments. It is a well-known and scientifically documented fact that climate change is caused by human interaction, as was summarized in a recent document produced by 13 U.S. federal agencies. She is quite correct in dismissing climate-change conspiracy theories as basically junk science.
As for creationism, I am also in agreement with her criticism, as this is a bogus and dangerous belief that has no grounding in science.
I have never conflated my Christianity with evolution, which was a clearly understood scientific process that had nothing to do with my religious beliefs.
As for Payette’s comments on astrology, she is again quite correct in dismissing this as non-scientific entertainment.
I am looking forward to hearing more controversial comments from our Governor General. Raymond Morrell, Toronto
Perhaps former astronaut/scientist and Governor General Julie Payette should look in the reflecting mirror of one of those telescopes and recognize the faith-based nature of astronomy before critiquing the beliefs of others.
Heavenly bodies, perceived as being in the present, are actually existing in the past — if at all. The sun, for example, is believed to exist at any moment in time, but a period of eight minutes must elapse before certainty. And this delay is magnified into the universe to the point that an inherent faith in existence allows for scientific conclusions.
When science explains what existed before the Big Bang, then Payette might have a case for dissing religious beliefs. Douglas L. Martin, Hamilton, Ont.
What a refreshing Governor General. It’s well past time that someone spoke out about climate-change deniers and those replacing science for outdated religious beliefs. William M. Pomeroy, Norval, Ont.
I was pleased to read Martin Regg Cohn’s support for our Governor General. Julie Payette said nothing about science or religion that is remotely controversial, much less offensive.
I was appalled to read letters criticizing her for offending various religious communities and I was disgusted with Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer’s pandering performance in the House of Commons.
I understand that public discourse on religion, science, politics, social norms and even judicial procedures are fraught (a condition exacerbated by recent trends in the U.S.). It is therefore both redemptive and restorative to read words such as Cohn’s, which remind us of our society’s better, more enlightened and ultimately tonic foundational norms. Howard A. Doughty, Richmond Hill