Results tagged “religion”

For many, this falls under the category of "Duh," but for others, it runs counter to their faith: a definitive report released today at a Toronto convention of the American Psychological Association has declared that controversial "ex-gay" therapy doesn't work. Also known as reparative therapy, the treatment is based on the view that homosexuality and bisexuality are learned disorders; not innate orientations. The APA de-categorized homosexuality as a mental disorder in 1975, and has long-criticized reparative therapy, cautioning that it usually occurs among people who "have strongly conservative religious views." Today's report [PDF], officially endorsed during a conference at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, was based on exhaustive research from eighty-three studies performed since 1960.

As the Star's Susan Delacourt featured this morning, Stephen Harper may have just exposed himself to a Biblical deluge of Catholic fury. Or not—it depends how serious of an issue the tasty, trans-substantiated body of your Lord and Saviour is.

Can a commercial printer invoke religion in order to refuse services?

They're here. After Halifax's transit system rejected them, citing "a message that could be controversial and upsetting to people," and Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna, and London all followed suit, Toronto is officially this country's first city to host bus ads saying: "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."

If you haven’t heard yet, there’s a life stance war a’ brewing within Toronto’s ad spaces. In about two weeks, TTC buses will be adorned with a pro-atheist message that reads, “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.”

It's almost as though the world's atheists want their opinions acknowledged or something. After news broke a week and a half ago that a group called the Freethought Association of Canada was planning to bring bus ads to Toronto that read "There is probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life," a campaign wholly copied from the godless Brits, those ads are one step closer to turning up on the side of your favourite TTC vehicle.

According to its website, Mount Pleasant Road Baptist Church promises to share with its parishioners, via John 10:10, "a delight that God is in the business of bringing order, beauty and joy to people who have suffered from the chaos of this world." Joy, or at least a mischievous sense of humour, is evident on a sign hanging on the Belsize Drive side of the church, where officials could have placed a standard "no parking" sign.

This stupid. [via BlogUT]

High Park Toboggan Runs, ca. 1906-1910. City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1244, Item 438."

Toronto Life has stepped in it again.

Is the didgeridoo the new cheap guitar? That could be the case among Toronto’s street musicians, as evidenced by these shots at Kensington Market’s monthly Pedestrian Sunday and, yesterday, on the corner of Yonge and Dundas streets across from Dundas Square. You can pair it with almost any other instrument, though a sitar seems a rather eclectic choice, or make it the basis for a one-man band. You can even put three of them together for the ultimate Pipes of Pan (eat your heart out, Zamfir!). Almost guaranteed to draw a crowd.

God works in mysterious ways. Rather than manifesting Himself and, say, ending world hunger, killing the devil, or giving us all the ability to fly, He has taken a significantly more Dennis the Menace-y route to salvation, blasting the Virgin Mary into a tree in a backyard near Danforth Avenue and Birchmount Road.

Kenny Hotz of Kenny vs. Spenny pisses people off like it's his job. Well, actually, it is his job. He's seen downtown scantily clad more often than not. He's known to hit on much, much older women. He's fed his best friend acid while he had an octopus on his head. And yesterday he went for the biggest-hitting blow in the books, advertising his asshole ways to the masses―with mile-high blasphemy in the sky.

Every Saturday morning, Historicist looks back at the events, places, and characters—good and bad—that have shaped Toronto into the city we know today.

Photo of Ben Stein by Patrick Metzger.

For the forty-sixth year, St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church brought together the community of Little Italy with a procession marking Good Friday. Torontoist was there, capturing some of the faces of the neighbourhood event.

Seriously?

City councillor, unintentional humourist, and Torontoist favourite Councillor Rob Ford has grabbed himself some headlines again. He refuses to apologize for his comments on Wednesday, "the Oriental people, they're slowly taking over...they're hard, hard workers," because his sweeping generalization was intended as "a compliment." However, a spokesperson for the Canadian Council of Lazy Asians has said that the remarks were "deeply offensive."

Say, who's that dude with the pitchfork selecting the next queen of Toronto's tourism industry? Hmmm, could it be...SATAN?!!!

Rarely does a Toronto murder get such visceral international attention.

Benny Hinn arrives in Toronto this weekend. True story: when I was a kid I used to look in the TV listings, see the listing for "Benny Hinn," and wonder why the TV guide was misspelling "Benny Hill." (Da da da DEE DEE da da da da, da da da da da da da da, da da DEE DEE da daaaaaa.)

It's that time of year again, when punks (and punk wannabes) dust off their Doc Martens, ply up their mohawks, master their moshing, and make their way to Park Place in Barrie for Vans Warped Tour.

Looking to check out some live music this week? Here's your listing of what's happening around the city between August 7-13.

Yesterday, our PM with the same initials admits he needs to focus more on specific issues for the upcoming year. In contrast, Ontario Health Minister George Smitherman admits nothing.