Brandon woman rebuked by her church for criticizing city

Last Updated: Wednesday, August 23, 2006 | 8:13 AM CT

CBC News

A Brandon, Man., resident has been asked by her church to keep her criticism of city officials to herself, or worship somewhere else.

Deborah Boschman wrote a letter to the Brandon Sun newspaper recently, entitled "City Needs New Ideas."

In the letter, she was critical of Mayor Dave Burgess and city councillors for not doing more to draw new residents and visitors to the city. She suggested Brandon build a waterslide or family theme park to draw in visitors.

But on Aug. 15, nearly a week after her letter was published, Boschman received a letter from her Pentecostal church, the Bethel Christian Assembly.

In that letter, the pastor, Mike Davis, wrote that he read Boschman's letter with "embarrassment" and claimed she had "dishonoured the mayor and city councillors."

He added that her beliefs do not match those of his church, and suggested she go to another church.

Calls letter 'scary precedent'

The church's letter made Boschman bewildered and angry.

"There were women in the Bible who speak up," she told CBC News on Tuesday. "We have examples: Deborah was a judge, Esther, Ruth. Why can't I have a voice? Why do I have to clear it with my church before I voice my private public opinion?"

Boschman said she did apologize to Burgess for specifically criticizing him in her letter. She added just wanted to express her concerns about the city, in the hopes of making it better.

"I didn't feel I was doing anything wrong," she said. "I just think that this is a fairly scary precedent."

Curtis Brown, the Sun's editorial page editor, said Tuesday he had never heard of someone being asked to look for another church after writing a letter to the editor.

"We certainly encourage people to express themselves; we think it's their right to do so," he said.

And Burgess said he did not take offence to Boschman's comments.

"Certainly I don't mind criticism or critiquing, challenging, whatever," he said Tuesday. "That's all part of the game in politics."

Davis declined an interview with CBC News.

Meanwhile, Boschman said she may take the pastor up on his suggestion to find somewhere else to worship.