Religious study valuable
RELIGIOUS education in schools must be defended.
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Christianity is the basis for Australia’s heritage, laws, language, culture and traditions such as Christmas and Easter.
Newcomers to our shores need to know about our heritage which has contributed to our envied place in the world.
We recognise that Indigenous peoples treasure their Dreamtime stories and culture and seek comfort from them as stories which give them a sense of identity and pride.
We also need to study our roots. We have freedom of and from religion in this country. Children need some basis for making choices. All religions, as their basic principle exhort us to follow the Golden Rule “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”.
Hindus acknowledge: “This is the sum of duty: do not do to others that which would cause pain if done to you”.
The Jewish Torah proclaims: “What is hateful to you do not do to your neighbour. This is the whole Torah, all the rest is commentary”.
The Prophet Mohamed wrote: “Not one of you truly believes until you wish for others what you truly wish for yourself”.
We are fortunate in NSW the Government in 1880 passed an act of parliament which enshrines in law the right to teach scripture in government schools.
Today, scripture lessons are observed and assessed by the supervisors and, or classroom teachers.
Scripture teachers must attend training courses and must use prescribed materials. They are welcomed into all Government primary schools in Albury.
Parents must give permission for children to attend classes and the majority do.
We cannot deny children our rich heritage and teachings of bible stories.
LESLEY HARBICK,
Albury
The future has arrived
IN H.G Well's book The Time Machine the main character goes forward in time to AD 802,701, where he meets the Eloi, a society of small, elegant, childlike adults.
They live in small communities within large and futuristic yet slowly deteriorating buildings, doing no work and having a frugivorous diet. His efforts to communicate with them are hampered by their lack of interest and curiosity.
There is also the Morlocks who live in darkness underground and only surface at night, their relationship is not one of lords and servants, but of livestock and ranchers.
With no real challenges facing the Eloi, they have lost the spirit, intelligence, and physical fitness of humanity at its peak.
The only trouble with the book is the date is wrong. It should be 2015.
Now with Turnbull, Ley, Payne, Hunt, Pyne etc the Liberals have morphed into a new Green Party with the Eloi as the new poster boy.
DARYL WEST, Thurgoona
Promoting violence
A FULL page advertisement by our local councils, paid for by ratepayers, to try to encourage saying no to violence, appeared in Monday's paper.
Yet, the Victorian Premier is responsible for promoting violence in the form of cage fighting with ugly scenes of women smashing each other in the face with a bloody outcome.
Trying to sell their message while Premier Daniel Andrews is promoting violence, must be quite demoralising.
LUTZ PETERS,
Wodonga
Letter of the week
The Border Mail is pleased to announce it will run a weekly Letter of the Week competition – the lucky winner receives a double pass from Regent Cinemas Albury to watch a movie of their choice. Email submissions to letters@bordermail.com.au. Winners will be announced on Saturdays. Winners should visit 1 McKoy St, Wodonga, to pick up prizes
