Ontario radio show to discuss fragrance-free policy in churches

Posted on Jul 03, 2009 by Susie Collins in Blog, Disability Rights, Guest Bloggers, MCS

Those of us disabled by Multiple Chemical Sensitivities are unable to attend many public places, including church.

Post by guest blogger Bonita Poulin.

bonita On Saturday, July 4, radio talk show host Drew Marshall will we covering the topic of scent-free churches. His website describes the segment like this:

Should Canadian churches be perfume free?

We had a lady contact us from St.John’s, Newfoundland, who feels that “the Church is guilty of systemically excluding Christians because of certain illnesses and disabilities.” She says that no other media is willing to tackle this topic and wants to know if we will. Well, by golly we’re gonna tackle it. Do you think that all churches should be perfume free? Now there’s a good politically correct Canadian predicament, isn’t it??

Here is what I wrote to him in response:

“I found your comment about scent-free churches being a “politically correct Canadian predicament” insulting! This has nothing to do with political correctness but everything to do with the need to accommodate disabilities and disabled people having the same rights and freedoms as anyone else. Those of us who are disabled by Multiple Chemical Sensitivities are unable to attend many public places, including church, because of all the hazardous chemicals present, including the fragranced products on others. If you don’t think these products are hazardous, check out this study: Fragranced consumer products and undisclosed ingredients

“People with MCS have been poisoned by chemical exposures and as a result have damaged detox pathways leaving us vulnerable to even the slightest exposure. The Canadian Human Rights Commission has stated that MCSers must be accommodated and yet we are not! Personally I am an atheist, so this particular issue does not affect me, but when our rights are being trampled, I feel compelled to speak out!”

Let’s let Drew Marshall know this is NOT a Canadian “Politically Correct” issue. This is life and death for some of us.

The MCS show is on Saturday, 1:00 -5:00 EST. You can listen to live streaming radio on Internet or the Radio JOY 1250, it should be good reception in Ontario.

To call into the Live Radio Show of Drew Marshall, dial (905) 338-1250 on Saturday, July 4th, from 1:00 to 5:00 pm EST, to make your views known about Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and scent-free policies in churches.

Is the Church “SENSITIVE ENOUGH” about this issue?

Link to The Drew Marshall Show website.

~~~

Bonita Poulin is an activist in the MCS community and is the Canadian coordinator for MCS-Global, an organization dedicated to MCS awareness based in Australia.

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Tags: MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

9 Responses to “Ontario radio show to discuss fragrance-free policy in churches”

linda

03. Jul, 2009

Well said, Bonita!

Reply to this comment
Jasmine

03. Jul, 2009

Great response!

Reply to this comment
Susie Collins

03. Jul, 2009

Brava, Bonita!

Here are four related posts on the problems of fragrance in churches:

http://www.thecanaryreport.org/index.php?s=mormon

Reply to this comment
Leslie

04. Jul, 2009

I dont even want to go to church but I find that there’s alot of injustice when it comes to trying to be a church goer, who has disabilities. Church is the most smelly perfumed, shampoo’d , bleached place ever – like being on a airplane…
As someone with MCS that part sucks. But also with Celiac Sprue (gluten autoimmune disease), did ya know some churches won’t let children get First Communion unless they eat a real wheat waffer like jesus did in the bible story – so peeps with Celiac can’t participate in some holy sacarments. Lame-o. I am double doozy out on the church thing.

Reply to this comment
Susie Collins

05. Jul, 2009

Leslie, GADS, I had no idea the Catholic church was that strict about the wafer. It’s sad when strict belief systems result in exclusion rather than inclusion.

Reply to this comment
Amanda Strader

07. Jul, 2009

This issue has grieved me for a very, very long time. I’m a committed Christian, who loves the people of God, yet finds church attendance impossible at times. I have had to avoid church altogether during several seasons of my MCS illness. But there have been more times than not, where I have had to get up and leave in the middle of a service once a lovely person has seated herself next to me in all her chemically applied glory.

Mostly, I think this issue is due mainly to ignorance in the congregation. What the church should do is respond in a loving way, as would Christ, protecting and caring for it’s weakest members.

Practically, there ought to at least be a secured, well-ventilated/filtered room for chemically injured people to attend services safely. The ultimate act of love would be for the entire congregation to defer (to their own benefit, as well!) from all chemical cosmetics, toiletries, hair products, scented laundry products, permanent markers and highlighters. (To name a few offending agents present in church, not to mention the burning and extinguishing of petroleum based candles.)

Partaking of communion is, especially, an important ordinance that anyone with allergies and sensitivities should not be excluded from. This sacred act of worship should include elements safe for all the people of a particular congregation. Organic rice cracker wafers can be a simple and loving solution provided for the gluten intolerant and the allergic. Sulfite free, organic 100% grape juice is also a thoughtful blessing for the suffering.

Loving-kindness and mercy, hallmarks of the church, ought to include thoughtful attention to the needs of it’s chemically challenged members- to the benefit of the entire congregation.

Reply to this comment
Susie Collins

07. Jul, 2009

Amanda, thank you for your very thoughtful and spot-on comment. You make a most important point that gets to the very foundation upon which all public policy should be based: The very weakest members of society should be protected first and foremost. That is indeed nothing less than a manifestation of love, for which all churches should be providing leadership.

Reply to this comment
IhabFarag

27. Aug, 2009

Thank you all for these comments. I just found this website. I have both Celiac Sprue and MCS. It is great to know there are other people who share my feelings. Both Celiac Sprue and MCS are not well understood by the general public especially MCS. I too often went to church only to find out that I have to stand by the outside door to get fresh air and avoid the strong smell. The situation sometimes get more compounded by the smell of the carpet cleaner that was sprayed on the carpet, or the strong disinfectant used liberally in the bathrooms. One day hopefully we will have chemical-free fragrance-free churches.

Reply to this comment
Susie Collins

27. Aug, 2009

Aloha Ihab, welcome to The Canary Report. I’m happy you’ve found us. You’ll find a lot of kindred spirits here who understand what you are going through.

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