Ecclesiastical Crime

Posted on September 19, 2026 by Skid

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The term “Ecclesiastical Crime” originally referred to the buying and selling of Church offices, or personal salvation, and covered violations like heresy and schism by church officials. Today, it is specifically used for misappropriation of donation monies. A recent study by the Princeton Theological Seminary estimated that over $62 billion USA dollars are stolen from churches, para churches and secular organizations all over the world. These donations by “Christian” believers alone are lost through a web of money-laundering, embezzlement, and fraud. It is equally widespread among Churches, Synagogues, Temples, Mandirs and other cult compounds.

Often a church or para-church will set up an arms-length secular charity that will collect donations for “community care” programs like homelessness, If the private business is also offering pastoral care and spiritual guidance to their customers, you know that a para-church is involved. Donated funds can disappear anywhere – private purchases, political donations, bribery schemes, the possibilities are endless. While making donors feel all warm and fuzzy about their charitable donations that are supposed to assist local support services and global relief initiatives, the monies collected are rarely accounted for properly.

According to the data assembled by my research assistant Claire Ayigh, the collection plate is most frequently tipped into pockets that “support the personal luxury, private business ventures and lifestyle inflation of the internal perpetrators, as well as complex cover-ups to hide the thefts from auditors.” If there is a religious component involved, these “scam churches or institutional ‘pulpit predators’ exploit the mercy, empathy, and deep faith of their parishioners by weaponizing sacred concepts to extract wealth, compliance and unquestioning devotion.”

The recent case uncovered by the police in an operation called Project Great One, led to fraud charges against the pastor of the Vaughan/Woodbridge branch of The Miracle Arena for All Nations (MAFAN) whose leader, (and Honorary Doctor of Divinity) Prophet Kofi Danso, stated that Pastor Issac Oppong has now been dismissed from the para-church.

In a time of great financial insecurity, societal upheaval, and global chaos, it becomes much easier to prey on the kindness of a community. To quote the Hunger Games President Snow, “Hope is the only thing stronger than fear.” And like fear, hope can paralyze us into inaction. We hope, and hope that’s enough. Pierce Brown, wrote in his science fiction series the Red Rising Saga, “Hope is an opiate, not a plan.”

We need a really, really good plan to get safely out of this current age of madness. So let’s be very careful about where we put our energies and our empathies and our donations for community care and global relief. The scam artists smell blood in the water and they are circling.

It’s time to get our feet back on solid ground. The way I see it.

***

NOTE: Prophet Kofi Danso’s honorary doctoral degree in divinity was awarded by the Canadian Christian Theological Seminary in Calgary, Alberta.

Ontario Nature Youth Summit 2026

Posted on September 16, 2026 by Skid

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This past weekend, from September 11 to 13, 2026, Ontario Nature (ON) held its 15th annual Youth Leadership Summit at the supernaturally beautiful Tawingo Outdoor Centre in Huntsville, Ontario. Originally known as the Summit for the Environment, Ontario Nature’s annual event is now called the Youth Summit for Mother Earth and incorporates a deep respect for indigenous teachings, cultures, and the sovereignty of our First Peoples in North America.

The ages of the attending youth range from 14 to 20, and the program is run “by youth, for youth” … BUT … they welcome Elders into their young circle of passion and enthusiasm with respect. I had been invited as a guest speaker and workshop leader at the first Summit held at Cedar Glen YMCA fifteen years ago. The event disappeared from my radar during Covid when they lost their new site at Geneva Park YMCA on Lake Simcoe.

Then a notice popped up on my email this spring that there was going to be a Summit at Camp Tawingo. They were back! And it turned out, so was I. Under the leadership of Christine Ambre and her Ontario Nature Youth Council leaders, the three days were an inspirational blend of indigenous wisdoms and ceremonies, up close looks at wetlands and insects and herptiles and birds, the macro world of nature photography, the impacts of climate change, and the power of finding and using your voice. “I have seen the truth, I am speaking the truth.”

The youth represented a cross-section of Ontario’s cultural diversity from across the province and it was remarkable to see, once again, how complete strangers could become a community in only three days. Our wise elders, Chris and Jackie. kept us tuned into the rhythm of the land and water, and respect for Mother Earth.

As it did fifteen years ago, when I was honoured to help Sarah Hedges launch the first ON Youth Leadership Summit at Cedar Glen YMCA, this Summit re-inspired all of my ecological engines. The Tawingo Outdoor Centre staff, in the halo of Jack Pearse, original founder, and his legacy, welcomed everyone with open hearts. This Youth Council is the voice of a healthy future for Ontario ecosystems and communities. They know exactly what the adults voting for their futures are leaving them. They don’t like lies, they don’t like media spin, and they want real change, meaningful positive action.

The goodbyes were both joyful and tearful as the buses left Tawingo.

In my own notes I wrote, “Who will protect Ontario from our own government. from bills that eliminate environmental protections? We don’t need more jails, the Trump threat is overplayed, and the greed for development is obvious. We need more environmental education in our school systems and more opportunities for youth to engage in experimental learning in a natural setting. Our Ontario government is misusing taxpayer dollars to promote an agenda few of us want.”

Our youth want honesty and integrity and genuine caring for their future, not greed for the next developer’s donation. To Paraphrase the Tina Turner song, “They don’t need another hero, they don’t need to know the way home. All they want is life beyond our Thunderdome.” And they want to be the positive agents of change.

As one of the Tawingo staff wrote to me in a book inscription, “We can make a difference, you and I ,,, we can make a difference if we try. Drop a pebble in the water, just a splash, and it’s gone. But there are half a hundred ripples circling on and on and on.”

Making the world a more beautiful place, one pebble at a time, The way I see it.

Skid Crease, Caledon

*****

NOTE; The primary mission of Ontario Nature is to protect wild species and wild spaces through conservation, education, and public engagement. The Youth Summit for Mother Earth is just a part of the wide range of youth programs organized by ON, as well as their myriad programs for all ages.

Kakistrocracy

Posted on September 3, 2026 by Skid

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The word “kakistocracy” was introduced to the English lexicon in the seventeenth century and used during the English Civil War between King Charles I and Oliver Cromwell. it means: “Government by the worst. least qualified and most unscrupulous people.” Isn’t it ironic that another King Charles now sits on the English throne as kakistocracy reigns supreme in his lost colony of the Republic of America.

Basically, in modern times, “kakistocracy” could refer to the advisers and government of the USA under President Donald J. Trump, including, but not limited to: J.D. Vance, Pete Hegseth, Howard Lutnick, Susie Wiles, Stephen Miller, Pete Navarro, Dan Scavino, Will Scharf, and Elon Musk. Missing on leave, but not forgotten, is the shameless Caroline Leavitt, the President’s pure white Christo-fascist Stepford clone Press Secretary. The President’s delusions now pass through Steven Cheung, his Director of Communications.

It is only when we see Canada’s current Prime Minister, the calm, intelligent, respectful and courageous Mark Carney stand up to the bullies that we can clearly understand the idiocy that has infected USA politics. In response to the latest tantrum thrown by the USA government into their current trade war with the world, Carney responded, “When the Americans stop doing memes, stop throwing shade, stop trying to be tough and start being serious about having those discussions, we can have those discussions.”

Let’s hope the midterm elections in the USA shift the control of their destiny back to an intelligent democracy loving population and away from the kakistrophic maggats. If not, we’re going to need a Canadian population truly ready to put their elbows up to protect the world. In defence of the Global Commons – from Lake Ontario to the Gulf of Mexico. from Gaza to Cuba to Venezuela.

This comic reality show has become a horror movie and we need to change the channel Immediately.

The way I see it.

***

Skid Crease, Caledon

Children in Nature

Posted on September 1, 2026 by Skid

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For two decades, I have conducted a program called “Children in the Woods” for Ontario Nature. Ontario Nature launched its first Earth Summit for Youth in 2010 at Cedar Glen YMCA Centre in York Region. The Summit moved from the Cedar Glen site to many years on the wonderful Lake Simcoe location at Geneva Park near Orillia until Covid hit. The Youth Summit for Mother Earth has risen like a Phoenix and found a new nest at renowned Camp Tawingo in Huntsville.

This year I will be delivering the same program, “Children in the Woods” to a new generation of youth leaders at Camp Tawingo. Whether it is woods, fields, ponds, rivers or lakes, like Lake Ontario, these youth are on fire to protect their present and future. Theirs is the passion that encouraged me to continue to keep speaking out for environmental policy sanity at a point when I was about to throw in the towel.

I had launched Global Perspectives: The Periwinkle Project in 1989 as a response to the messages of Our Common Future to pursue a path of sustainable development, and the World Meteorological Organization warnings about accelerating climate change. It was an appeal to educational institutions to make Environmental Literacy a key component of the 21st Century curriculum. Research real problems, search for real solutions.

The Ontario Teachers Federation had just approved a ten point agenda for the inclusion of environmental and social justice issues as a mandatory part of the school curriculum. Then came Mike Harris and his Common Nonsense campaign. This racist, eco-illiterate Premier dismantled all of the curriculum we had put in place to educate students to prepare for their future. His chief-of-staff, Guy Giorno, responding to a complaint that all critical thinking skills were being removed from the curriculum, allegedly said, “It is not our job to nurture critical thinkers; it is out job to train productive consumers!”

The Harris government dismantled all of their Environment Ministry staff who had been a fabulous education resource for schools seeking solid fact-based information for their projects. My contact at the Ministry was labelled a “hostile employee” for continuing to provide me with inside information until her dismissal.

I was more than angry – we were just beginning to raise awareness and turn the tide and we elected a colonial troglodyte to lead us. My wife said, “Don’t water the rocks.” I put all my slide shows and presentations away and went into my cave. And then I got a call from Ontario Nature to present at their First Annual Youth Leadership Summit. Cedar Glen was right around the corner from our home in Caledon. I remember thinking, “Once more into the breach dear friends, once more.”

The positive energy and enthusiasm of the ON leaders and the youth in attendance, reignited the fire in my belly. If they were willing to pick up the torch, I was not going to stop fanning the flames. This is our home, and the care and security of our home should be dominant in the hearts, minds and spirits of every citizen of this planet. We are a miracle. For those of us not living in Gaza or Sudan or Ukraine, where basic needs of survival are dominant, we who live in the fairy tale world of North America should be able to give our energies to something greater than our cell phones and streaming media.

So, now I find myself about to head to Huntsville. In a world governed by Fords and Trumps. They keep us all in a constant state of fear with their taxpayer funded ads of “Protect Ontario”, and “Tariff Terror” messaging. Not quite the encouragement to our youth to fight for environmental literacy, social justice, economic security, and respect for the integrity of creation. Not on our current Ontario provincial government’s agenda due to developer greed. Reduced to the back burner of our federal agenda due to Trump’s Terrible Tariff War. But these youth refuse to give up. So, in my elder years, I will give you whatever you need to never give up.

From another old poker player passing on wisdom:

“You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em,
Know when to fold ‘em,
Know when to walk away,
Know when to run.

You never count your money
When you’re sittin’ at the table.
They’ll be time enough for countin’
When the dealin’s done.’

And remember children, the deck is marked, and the house always wins … unless someone like us cares a whole awful lot. The way I see it.

Skid Crease, Caledon

The Naming Room, a satire

Posted on August 30, 2026 by Skid

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There is a huge room hidden deep underground at the Mar a Lago Golf Resort in Florida. It is the infamous Presidential NAMING ROOM. The Orange House, the new official home and office of the President of the United States, rises above ground shielding the Naming Room from intelligent thought and international law.

On this particular day, the President had summoned his favourite “YES” team of adoring acolytes to redraw a map of the world. The Don called attendance. “J.D.?” ‘Praise be, my Lord,” responded J.D. “Pete?” “Hooah, Commander!” shouted Pete with an enthusiastic fist pump. “Howard?” Silence. “HOWARD?” Howard “Sorry, My Liege, I was just catching up on the latest articles in “Seventeen.”

Marker Pen Pictures | Download Free Images on Unsplash “I have already decided,” stated the President, “to rename the World.” The YES team nodded in rapturous agreement. “We are going to rename Earth “Kallstadt” after my German Grandfather and Grandmother.””Whoa!”” cried Howard. “I thought your family was Swedish.”

The Don snickered, “That’s what we told people to avoid offending our Jewish clients in the real estate industry in New York. Yep, our family has been liars ever since we emigrated here from Germany,”

“I’m uncomfortable with this meeting,” whined Howard.
“Would you be more comfortable if I released the full Epstein flight logs?” The Don snapped. Howard fell silent.

“Next,” said the President, We are going to rename Israel as Jesus Land. I haven’t told Bibi yet.”
“Hooah!” shouted Pete, realizing his born-again ChristoFascist dream had finally come true, but totally unaware of the consequences. Like, that he would be destroying the teachings of peace, love, and groovy.

“OK, and after we rename every water body in the world as Gulf, Ocean, lake, river stream, pond. slough as America,” crowed The Don, ” I have scheduled our invasion of Canada. We will take ungrateful Canada as the 51st State in a secret attack in the spring of 2027!”

There was a stunned silence from the YES team. “Our Lord,” they cried in unison. “but Canada breeds Black Flies in May and June, and Mosquitoes in July and August!” “And then, Our Most Holy, the temperature drops and our camouflage suits are set for deserts and not the multi-coloured northern forests of September and October!”

“What’s worse,” whimpered Caribbean St. James Island loving Lutnick, “the frost starts in November, and winter freeze-up sets in from December until March! Can’t we just get our oil from Venezuela? It’s the same very dirty, thick, heavy crude as from Alberta. And we could claim Cuba as the 51st State and reopen all the Havana Casinos to our billionaire buddies.”

The Don put down his Magic Sharpie, blank map of the world, and opened a new container of phentermine, and paused. “We’ll invade on Memorial Day in May – it will be a celebration of our military might! It will be the BIGGEST SURPRISE INVASION IN THE HISTORY OF PLANET AMERICA!”

Pete fist pumped, J.D. prayed, and Howard wet himself.

***

It took 50 Back Hawk helicopters (and one Golden Eagle helicopter named by Sharpie Executive Order for the President) to evacuate the invading forces. It was a blueberry pollinating, black fly infested day in May, 2027 when another attempt by the Republic of America failed to conquer Canada. A fleet of Swedish-Canadian Gripon jets over the Great Canadian Lakes kept the skies safe for us all. In a strange twist of fate, German made submarines patrolled our coastlines, protecting us from the disease infested USA aircraft carriers and destroyers.

Oh, Canada!

“Give us a Lake to Swim, and a Lake to Row
And call this Lake Ontario!
A lake to swim, a lake to row
Lake Ontari-ari-ario!”

I stood with my mom and watched Marilyn Bell come out of the water in 1954. I was eight years old. She was the first recorded person ever to complete the swim across lamprey eel infested Lake Ontario. This woman stands head and shoulders above the man with the Magic Sharpie. It will always be Lake Ontario – from First People’s history to the best of our colonial heroes. This is our place to stand and grow! The way I see it.

Skid Crease, Caledon

***