My friend Larry Spencer has written a book about his experiences as an MP in the Canadian Alliance, and how he was treated by the Conservative Party. The book will be available for purchase online at [url=http://www.truthorpolitics.com]http://www.truthorpolitics.com[/url] by the last week of May.

What happened to Larry was pretty straightforward: he told the truth, and was severely punished for it.

Why was he punished? Because his party leadership was—and is—terrified of the media.

I want to convey an important message to fellow-Christians in that party: Scripture tells us that God has not given us a spirit of fear. Therefore, the timidity, bluster and political correctness must be coming from somewhere or someone else. Think about that.

For those who believe in God, and truly trust in His promises, it should be evident that He doesn't need our help or our cleverness to accomplish His plans. What He requires, rather, is our obedience. If we'll do what the old song says—Trust and Obey—He is well able to do all the rest. But if we focus on our own schemes and manipulations, trying by our own cleverness to outwit our adversaries on their own terms, we inevitably become more and more like those we oppose.

Chantal Hébert recently noted in the Toronto Star how much the new Prime Minister has become like his old adversary, Jean Chrétien. That's exactly what happens when we try to play our opponents' game, on their terms, on their turf, and by their rules. We become mirror-images of them.

Larry Spencer, in his new book Sacrificed? Truth Or Politics, reproduces a letter he wrote to the leader of his party (then the Canadian Alliance) when he was kicked out of the caucus for telling the truth. In it, he warns that sacrifices of principle made to gain power will later be eclipsed by sacrifices that must be made to retain power.

That's a powerful, sobering, and important warning—not only to the new Prime Minister, but also to all those who follow him, and to every one of us: Power sought by compromise is like the tar-baby in the children's story Bre'r Rabbit: once you touch it, it will hold you fast in its grip.

Here are a couple of other quotes from Larry Spencer's new book—a book that I think every Canadian (and especially those interested in politics or journalism) must read:

Just as there are certain truths that need to be learned and observed for the protection of our physical bodies, other truths exist for the protection of our spiritual, emotional and psychological welfare… many parents just cop out by taking the stance that their child can simply make up their own mind at some unknown date, far enough into the future as to be of no concern today. Sadly, however, the neglect of the truth in these areas can just as surely damage the developing child, or the future adult. This kind of truth may be more difficult to learn, but is nonetheless just as important to human development and happiness as those of a physical nature.

In another place, Larry Spencer notes:

Controversy often surrounds the so-called moral issues facing a society. This is certainly true in our day. In our quest for personal rights and freedoms, the full ramifications of our decisions and actions are often ignored or even denied. Abortion, promiscuity, divorce, gambling, profanity, drug use and sexual preference issues, as well as many others, are temptingly left up to the exercise of personal choice or preference without regard to the long-term impacts rendered upon ourselves, or others.

Larry also wrote:

The second definition of truth in the Gage dictionary is: “agreeing with a standard.” A standard must exist, and it must be commonly accepted. For centuries, the commonly accepted standard in North America has been broadly referred to as the Judeo-Christian ethic. The origin is found in two sources: Judeo or Jewish thought comes from the Hebrew Bible, or the Old Testament. The Christian ethic and thought comes from both the Old and the New Testaments combined as the Christian Bible.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms opens with this line: “Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law.” It was signed, with this preamble, by Prime Minister Pierre E. Trudeau in 1981.

Keep an eye out this Spring for Larry Spencer’s book, Sacrificed? Truth Or Politics. It’s going to be an important—and thought-provoking—event in Canadian publishing.