NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
A small fundamentalist church in the United States has cast a stone at the devolution process in the NWT.
Members of the Church of the Holy South protest against 'devilution' in Dayton, Tenn.
- photo courtesy of Tennessee Talkin' |
The Church of the Holy South in Dayton, Tenn., is objecting to devolution on what it believes to be religious grounds.
However, it appears the church's concerns are the result of a misunderstanding.
"No right-living Christian person can support such an unholy thing as devilution," said Pastor I.B. Wholley, when contacted by News/North.
When offered an explanation of what devolution actually means, the pastor refused to listen to any "devil talk" and abruptly ended a brief telephone interview.
"Y'all should be seeking godlution, not devilution," said Wholley, before offering a blessing to the News/North reporter and hanging up.
It appears the church somehow heard about devolution on Facebook.
There have already been fiery sermons against 'devilution' at the church and members have also staged a small but noisy protest on the sidewalks of Dayton. The church is made up of about two dozen members, mostly cousins.
Bubba Gomme, editor of the Tennessee Talkin' newspaper in Dayton, said The Church of the Holy South is well known in Tennessee for its strident views against anything that
even hints of the devil. "Those people are nuts, but don't quote me on that," he said.
Gomme said it is not well-known but it was because of years of letter writing by church members that the major league baseball team Tampa Bay Devil Rays changed its name to just the Rays.
The church has now set its aim on the New Jersey Devils of the NHL.
Gomme also noted church members do not seem to have a good understanding of other countries, noting, for example, that they believe that God in Canada is known by the name 'Ottawa.'
While it might be easy to dismiss the concerns of the Church of the Holy South, the political system in the U.S. appears to be taking notice.
State Senator John B. Goode has raised concerns at the state house in Nashville.
Even though the senator knows that the word is 'devolution' and not 'devilution,' he is still not sure what it means and is therefore very concerned. "It sounds too much like evolution to me," said Goode.
Despite the nascent opposition movement in the U.S., it doesn't appear the territorial government is worried that it could grow into a serious challenge to devolution.
When contacted, a GNWT spokesperson dismissed the opposition to devolution/devilution, saying, "That sounds like an April Fool's Day joke."
Which of course it is. APRIL FOOLS!
