At 10:40 p.m. on a Thursday night, my radio show co-host, Greg Glatz, and I walked into SilverCity Polo Park to take in Bill Maher's rant against religion, a mockumentary called Religulous. I brought a mic and recorder so we could interview moviegoers on the way out.

In an interview with CBC's "The Hour" during opening week, Maher expressed his intentions for the film: "My hope is that people will walk out of the movie and say, 'Religion is silly!'"

So going in I was quite aware of how the edits would go, and Maher delivered as I expected. There was little editorial integrity in the ways people were set up to look foolish; there was little logic in Maher's extreme use of literalism to interpret all sacred texts and experiences; and Maher made sure the majority of his subjects were no intellectual match for his quick wit. Needless to say, most people aware of Maher's manner and past enterprises would assume that the religiously faithful would not willingly subject themselves to this kind of derision.

You might be surprised to know that I walked away from the movie feeling refreshed. First of all, I realized that proper confidence in God is different than certainty. It seemed that Maher's subjects felt they had to offer certainty on all issues in order to make their faith tenable. That very quickly got them into spaces beyond their mortal capacities. The reminder that my faith in God can manage doubt was refreshing.

Second, the invitation to live my faith authentically where word and deed are coherent came through loud and clear. Saying one thing and doing another is a quick and easy target for laughable hypocrisy.

And third, it was refreshing to be reminded that facing rather than fearing derision can serve as a doorway. I went to see the movie gladly, and I came out spiritually refreshed and even happier than when I went in, and that is anything but a ridiculous religious experience.

To hear what moviegoers said on the way out of SilverCity that night, click here.

Murray Stiller is our guest tonight, Sept 28, on the radio show. Is it possible to satirize religion, Christianity in particular, in good faith? Join the conversation 9-11pm CST at http://www.cjob.com or 680AM in Manitoba.

An email from a GodTalk listener gave me a heads-up this week about the following headline... Church makes ludicrous apology to Charles Darwin... Seems political correctness is popularizing apologizing...

(Photo credits: Daily Mail Online UK, Darwin on the left, Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams on the right)

The article includes the details of this week's website apology from the Church of England as follows...

"The Church of England owes you an apology for misunderstanding you and, by getting our first reaction wrong, encouraging others to misunderstand you still," Rev. Malcolm Brown writes on a church Web site marking next year's 150th anniversary of the publication of Darwin's On the Origin of Species.

While not an official apology from the Church of England, it definitely feels like an apology nonetheless.

This whole episode got me thinking about the origins of apologies and what they're actually good for. Apologies at their best express regret and ask pardon for a fault or offense. So here's what I'm thinking, if we are now going to take responsibility for misunderstanding, how about we begin by expressing regret and asking pardon from God for ignoring His care, His compassion, His good earth, the good people He's created and the forgiveness He offers. Now that's an apology worth making official.

As far as apologizing to Darwin, we'll talk about that on the radio show Sunday night.

When I saw the headlines of the past 2 days about the protests of the Westboro Baptist Church coming to Canada, I knew I wanted to respond. A grieving family shouldn't have to deal with these kinds of added grief, sadly the nature of public media makes it almost impossible to avoid them. My deep sympathy goes out to all involved.

It's not the first time the Westboro Baptist Church from Kansas has been in the news for threatening to dishonor the living who are mourning the dead and, unfortunately, it won't be the last. Their message to their northerly neighbours is that "God is punishing Canada" as evidenced in the tragic death of Tim Mclean, a Greyhound bus passenger. While Westboro's proposed protest does a lot to promote their media notoriety it does nothing to promote the cause of God in the world.

This disturbance has come about because the people of Westboro Baptist have confused the difference between God and humanity - God is God and they are not. I offer here a few simple clarifications in case anyone else finds themselves at some point caught in the same confusion.

#1 About humans: "To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8) Always act in ways that make things right, offer undeserved favor to others at all times, humbly acknowledge and accept that you are a creation. #2 About God: "The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love." (Psalm 145) #3 About judgements: There is a day when God will make final assessments, and they will be wholly true and right. (II Timothy 4:1)

So while Westboro continues to establish its punishing reputation, God continues to offer compassion.

Last week I had the privilege of spending 5 days in Montreal. On Friday afternoon, a guided tour took us literally into the shadow of the Olympic Stadium, affectionately known as "the big O", and to the poorest French-Canadian neighbourhood in Canada. Standing in a backlane with one of the townhouse occupants, he described the spiritual dynamics in these surroundings. He had moved into this neighbourhood a couple years ago with the interest of creating a better community. The comment which has left me pondering the Canadian religious landscape and my role in it is when my newfound friend said, "We do not say the words 'God' or 'Jesus' in public because we care about our neighbours too much." Given Quebec's religious history in the 20th century and people's living memory of it, their disdain and disappointment in some of what has happened has brought the culture to a point where terms that used to signify some of the most sacred practices have become words that are now used to curse each other. So words like 'God' and 'Jesus' are used as insults rather than blessings. I left Montreal with a question. How am I living out my spiritual life in the neighbourhood? Does it lead to cursing?

On Sunday night, GodTalk's Melissa McEachern exercised her splendid investigative skills at the Red River Exhibition fairgrounds. The GodTalk team went on a hunch that the name of God was perhaps in vogue on the fairgrounds. I'll keep this short, but I must say that the findings were remarkable. I figured we were onto something when we put this investigation together, but the response rate and findings leave me convinced that spiritual life is alive and well in Canada. To hear the live audio click here.

Sunday, June 8 On Air Editorial - click here for audio and caller reaction!

He feared his reputation would be damaged because he was mistakenly pulled over, frisked and searched. Fresh ie has very good reason to believe his reputation is at stake in what happened on Wednesday afternoon on the corner of Ellice and Donald. After three days of intense media scrutiny, front page headlines of "rapper wronged", "fresh ie accuses cops of racial profiling" and interviews on all of Winnipeg's media outlets... these ARE days when reputations are made or marred.

As I opened the press release sent to my inbox early Thursday morning from Fresh IE's publicist I found myself wishing I was not reading what was there. The press release and ensuing media frenzy is a missed opportunity of the grandest proportions for Fresh IE. The press release stated that Fresh ie found the police's apology on the scene both "repulsive and unacceptable"! and concludes by saying that he "will be examining his legal options in the next few days in regards to this unfortunate incident". That's what the press release said, but here's what it could have said.

It could have stated that Christian rapper and inner-city youth minister was mistakenly apprehended on Wednesday afternoon by Winnipeg police. That he was clearly shaken by the unfortunate incident, but wants to thank the Winnipeg Police Service for their ongoing efforts in putting their lives at risk for the sake of all citizens. It could have stated, that just the day before he had joined with many of Winnipeg's pastors and ministers in praying specifically for the Police Service. It could have stated that while many who find themselves on the unfortunate side of injustice and mistaken identity may quickly seek out legal counsel, Fresh's own personal experience and message to aboriginal youth across our nation is that of a loving and merciful God who does not treat us as we deserve. So rather than pursue legal condemnation, Fresh will pursue gracious commendation.

Make no mistake, reputations were definitely at stake on Wednesday afternoon when the cruisers pulled in. But Fresh ie's reputation has nothing to do with police dispatchers, it has everything to do with what was said and done when the police left.

In terms of reputation, Fresh has now joined the ranks of those who in the face of tragic circumstances call for justice at any cost. That's what he won in the media scrum. And what did he lose? He lost the priceless reputation of being forever known as the inner-city Christian youth minister who in the face of mistaken identity offered a grace so unusual it can only be credited to something God would do.

Faced with injustice, do you call for justice or offer mercy? Now it's your call.

Father Raymond J. De Souza suggested this week in his National Post column that 'open' secularism won't help Quebec. I agree. It also won't help the rest of Canada. The difficulty with the Bouchard-Taylor Report on reasonable accomodation of minorities in Quebec is that it includes both freedom of conscience and religion and neutrality of the State in its definition of open secularism. How can you both foster religious expression and be neutral to it? What the report ends up doing is suggesting that some civil servants should avoid wearing religious symbols at work in deference to neutrality while other public spaces like schools should continue promoting particular religious expression. It all gets a bit complicated, to say the least.

This conversation brings me back to one of my core beliefs about living together in Canada. The best and most productive conversations are those that genuinely engage real convictions. Nobody lives a "neutral" life. So let's start talking about our convictions and stop acting as if only some people have them.

I'm writing this blog in my van, parked on Main Street between appointments. The free wireless Internet connection from the adjacent Chinese "all you can eat for $8.25" Buffet lets me effortlessly create and publish my thoughts. There's a surreal sense about this experience in small-town Manitoba. Literally millions of Chinese in Sichuan province are without cuisine and a whole lot more today as a result of a devastating 7.9 magnitude earthquake earlier this week. The fact is that advancements in technology have privileged me with the ability to communicate with you and also allow me to be aware of far more in God's world than I know what to do with.

An email this week from a GodTalk listener asked the question again, is God in control?! It's a good question, and it comes up at least as often as our wireless and cable networks let us know that 10's of thousands have died yet again in a cyclone, earthquake or famine. The question wouldn't be so difficult if I was God, but of course I'm not, so the question gets posed to me because I have the supposed audacity to believe that capital "g" God actually exists. To believe in gods is fairly easy - anyone can believe in a non-authoritative entity of their own making. But to believe in "G"od is a whole other matter. My response to the listener's question is this: Let's ask another question - do you find God to be trustworthy? I may not be able to understand everything that goes on in this world and I may not be able to understand the ways of a Creator, but do I find the living God trustworthy? In other words, can I "hang in there" with God because of what I have come to know, even when some things don't make mortal sense to me?

I have a humble confidence in capital "g" God, far more confidence than believing in a god of my own making.

Saturday, May 3 at 7pm, Greg "the rocknroll preacher" Glatz will play lead guitar with the Royal Unruh Band in an effort to support inner-city kids through Urban Potential. Winnipeg personalities Larry Updike and Brian Barkley from CJOB's morning show will host the event.

Every Sunday night I sit in the newsroom for an hour before our show and listen to the police scanner blurting out the sad, sordid and sickening story of life in the city. What makes it onto the news is more of the same.

I invite you to click on the photograph to see a different story. A story of potential, promise and possibility. Patty Boge (offthepagephotography) took the photos. She has done what few do - humanize rather than humiliate those who live in our inner cities. Look at the photos, look at them carefully...then tell me about who lives in our inner city.