Credit:Illustration: Andrew Dyson
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THE LORD’S PRAYER
Understand its meaning, then decide when to recite it
Re “Gone Almighty: Council halts Christian prayer” (The Age, 9/3). As a Christian minister, I believe the Lord’s Prayer is both beautiful and dangerous. The words bring comfort and they ought to come with a warning label.
There is a sense in which our political institutions recite the Lord’s Prayer as an acknowledgment to the positive influence Christianity has had on our society. At the same time, I am not keen to see our political and council representatives heaping more coals on their heads by speaking words that condemn them before an authority who stands above their own station.
After all, when Jesus says, “your kingdom come” it is a petition for divine judgment. My suggestion is, let’s first understand the meaning of Jesus’ prayer and then decide whether councils and parliament should recite it.
Murray Campbell, senior minister, Mentone Baptist Church
Seeking a meaningful secular affirmation
Your editorial (The Age, 10/3) rightly endorses a replacement for the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer in parliament and council meetings. Whether in our daily lives, on special occasions, or in official settings, a moment taken to reflect, show gratitude or pledge commitment can bring us together and strengthen resolve.
A secular affirmation should be easy to implement. Why, even Miss Helena, on the 1970s’ children’s television show Romper Room, was able to express gratitude at refreshment time with the delightful, non-denominational: “For our family, our friends and food, we say thank you”. Bonus points for the alliteration.
Kirsten Fox, Alphington
The growth of more fervent ‘religious’ rituals
A prominent law firm is acting pro bono to stop the City of Boroondara reciting a Christian prayer before its regular meetings. This came as a result of a councillor who complained he felt under “very real pressure” to participate in “religious rituals” at each council meeting. Among the reasons quoted by lawyer Jennifer Kanis are that people should have “freedom of thought, religion, belief and opportunity”.
Are there any lawyers out there who are willing to act pro bono for those of us feel we are being pressured to participate in even more fervent “religious” rituals such as Welcome to Country every time we attend a meeting, enter an entertainment venue or board an airliner? Or, for that matter, being forced to celebrate some form of “pride” at sporting events and even now, increasingly, in our traditional places of worship?
Robert Weil, Highett
A prayer that encompasses the welfare of all
Councillor Victor Franco might reconsider his motives to remove the opening prayer, which seeks guidance for “the true welfare of the people”, at council meetings. Surely this includes all people, not just Christians, thus indicating his remark that “having prayer shows we are not equal, and our beliefs are less equal”, is flawed. Does Franco have further thoughts about council involvement in the Christian festivals of Easter and Christmas and perhaps treat these as work days?
Kevin Vidler, Mount Waverley
Credit:Illustration: Matt Golding
THE FORUM
Bastardry of robo-debt
Waleed Aly (Comment, 10/3) is right. The robot-debt scheme was a disaster. But as well as the attack on the unemployed, the scandal shows an extraordinary ignorance of the law, gross incompetence, negligence and an appalling bloody-mindedness on the part of ministers and senior public servants.
It has cost the Commonwealth more than $1.7billion (so far) in a class action and of course the only source for the payment of this enormous sum is the taxpayer, just as the taxpayer must meet everyone’s costs and the costs of the royal commission. Far worse is the personal cost to individuals for the agony and stress inflicted on them by the zealots behind this bastardry.
The law should be changed to make ministers personally liable for the results of their actions that are found by a court or tribunal to be negligent, deliberately vindictive or so incompetent that no reasonable person could say their conduct was justified. The veil should also be lifted on the protection of senior public servants, so that if they are personally instrumental in such scandals, they will be personally responsible for the results of their behaviour.
Neil Brown, KC, former deputy leader of the Liberal Party, South Yarra
Undermining mothers
I am ashamed to live in a city where a judge can eject a breastfeeding woman from a courtroom on the grounds of “distracting members of the jury” (The Age, 10/3).
As a clinician and public health researcher, I have worked for over 30 years supporting women to reach their breastfeeding goals. Every incident like this undermines women’s ability to confidently leave the house with a breastfed baby. This leads to unnecessary early cessation of breastfeeding and undoes our advocacy work.
I would like to apologise to the individual concerned for the hurt and embarrassment caused by the judge’s actions.
Professor Lisa Amir, La Trobe University
Cause of the distraction
In an ironic twist, it is the County Court judge’s outdated view that has provided the distraction and not the breastfeeding mother.
Liz Lijovic, Balwyn
So many living in limbo
Zaki Haidari (Comment, 9/3) eloquently spells out the shocking treatment of asylum seekers by our governments, especially since 2013 with the introduction of Operation Sovereign Borders.
Despite the recent decision – making a pathway to permanency for 19,000 people who had been on temporary protection and safe haven visas – there are 11,000 people in limbo. They are on restrictive bridging visas, are without basic human rights and are unable to move on with their lives despite having been found to be refugees.
Barbara Fisher, Port Melbourne
Wrong bipartisanship
So, we have praise from both major parties for a blank-cheque pact signed by the Morrison government for submarines that experts suggest will be superseded before they have even got the water (The Age, 10/3). Yet more debt and sunk costs. But hey, at least we have bipartisanship, right?
Eben Rojter, Brunswick
Our uneasy juggling act
It is going to be quite a delicate balancing act delivering iron ore and coal to China while at the same time attacking them with our shiny, new, nuclear-powered submarines.
Don Owen, Hawthorn
A plea for some calm
My family and I have been horrified by the front page of The Age on Wednesday and Thursday. What a terrible, alarmist statement and picture. We all know Australia needs to update and increase its defence capabilities but to specify one country as the cause for this is foolish in the extreme, when we are trying to improve our diplomatic and trade relations with it. To call someone your enemy is a sure way of making them one. Please think again.
Gillian Jensen, Canterbury
The high cost of war
When we are at war with China – predicted by your experts to be in three years’ time – presumably we will stop all trade with it. That is $140billion in exports and $80billion in imports. This will cause considerable disruption and possible destruction of segments of our economy, not even considering the costs of the war. Would the experts advocate stopping all trade with China now so that we might be prepared?
John Ride, Alphington
Our selective listening
The Age’s readers loved listening to experts when it came to COVID-19. However, it appears they are not so keen to hear from them when it comes to national security.
Anthony Petkovic, Geelong West
Expendable states
If China ever invades Australia, a peaceful solution should occur. We could give up Western Australia or maybe the Northern Territory. If China desires something on the east coast, we could give it Canberra.
Michael Lynch, Essendon
It’s cowardice to give in
Like your correspondent (Letters, 10/3), I, too, lived through World War II in England. My father was in the army. I remember my mother often waking my sister and me to move to the shelters. I also remember the night our house was bombed, with my mother standing in the front doorway calling for help to put out the fire. Our neighbour obliged. Later my father was killed in action in Italy after it changed sides. I firmly believe we should never give in to aggressors, but rather fight for what is right. Anything else is cowardice.
Peter Walsh, Beaumaris
One-size-fits-all approach
Re Tone Wheeler’s article – “To save our city, we must ignore NIMBYs” (Comment, 10/3). It is a mistake unfair to blame locals who are concerned about inappropriate developments.
The failures of design, building and infrastructure in new housing estates and infill, or replacement of older houses by new McMansions or overdevelopment, is a byproduct of developer greed.
This is compounded by ineffective, ill-informed and one-size-fits-all building and planning rules and their implementation.
Unless the legislative and regulatory framework changes to include environmental, social, neighbourhood and good design principles, our cities and suburbs will become increasingly destructive of civilised ways of living.
Rosemary Kiss, Rippleside
Wearing earrings again?
The true test of Catherine, the Princess of Wales’ “nod to getting more flash for far less cash” will be whether she wears the £18 ($31.50) earrings from Zara again, not that she wore them for the first time.
Heather Glassford, Williamstown
The flag we really need
We were in Canberra recently and decided to revisit Parliament House. As we walked towards it, my companion remarked on the tattered flag (The Age, 10/3), suggesting that “they need a new one”. My instant rejoinder was “yes, one without the Union Jack”!
Greg Norton, Box Hill
The romance of Moomba
There has been discussion recently regarding the appropriateness of continuing with the Moomba Festival.
I have a soft spot for Moomba despite never once having attended a parade. In the 1960s, as part of Moomba, the Federation of Bushwalking Clubs would put on a modest day walk to encourage people who might be interested in the activity. In 1964, I turned up, ostensibly to recruit for the club.
I noticed one young woman who took my fancy, so when the walk commenced I made sure I was nearby. We chatted several times and on the train ride back to Melbourne I got her phone number.
The next week we attended another Moomba event, the Herald Outdoor Art Show. Fifty-nine years, five children and numerous grandchildren later, we are still together. We still bushwalk and have had a marvellously adventurous life. Truly “getting together and having fun”.
Rob Taylor, Brown Hill
AND ANOTHER THING
Credit:Illustration: Matt Golding
Politics
I get a sinking feeling AUKUS will turn out to be another of Scott Morrison’s really bad ideas.
Laurie McCormack, Flemington
These days, who cares what Lidia Thorpe (10/3) thinks or says?
Ian Braybrook, Castlemaine
I find it difficult to imagine anyone bullying Lidia Thorpe.
Maureen Goldie, Blackwood, SA
Thorpe didn’t get what she wanted from the Greens, therefore she was bullied. What nonsense.
Allan Morton, Burwood
Red alert
“Experts” say Australia will be at war with China in three years. What month will this commence so I can plan my pre-war holidays?
Ken Mcleod, Williamstown
China has criticised these reports, claiming they’re misleading. Does this mean Australia is safe for the foreseeable future ?
Peng Ee, Castle Cove, NSW
The Red Alert would be funny if it were not so serious.
Randall Bradshaw, Fitzroy
The first casualty of war is the truth, as the fourth estate scrambles to win the propaganda war.
Terry Malone, Warburton
Missile attacks in three years, a return to national service. Your experts need to take a few deep breaths and calm down.
Craig Mackie, Box Hill South
The Age should be reporting the news, not creating it.
Shyla Vohra, Thornbury
Furthermore
A very prudish act by the judge who evicted a breast-feeding mother from his court (10/3).
John Cain, McCrae
Breast feeding is a private matter. It was insensitive to carry it out during a Country Court hearing.
Reg Murray, Glen Iris
Re Tone Wheeler – “To save our city, we must ignore NIMBYs” (10/3). What are his thoughts on the seven-storey apartment block next to the single-storey house (10/3)?
Peter Thomson, Brunswick
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