03/11/03

Every reference to homosexuality in the Bible is one of condemnation and it is rightly classed as one of the sins of the flesh.

God's love is towards all who repent of their sins, not to those who wilfully go against his word. Harry obviously believes in a pick 'n' mix Christianity, just take what you fancy.

The Church has every scriptural authority to reject those practising same sex relations, but has none whatsoever for disallowing women ministers.

Jesus never condoned or practised peace at any price, but always put truth first, the peace always follows. - W Mawston, Rushyford.

I FEEL that I must come to Harry Mead's defence regarding his column (Echo, Oct 22). As a practising Christian, I believe that his remarks were over the top, but he needed to make the point that the Church should have more important concerns than the sexuality of its ministers.

But what he said does raise an important point. It seems that it is perfectly acceptable to poke fun at, ridicule, or even to be downright offensive about Christianity, within limits we can tell Jewish jokes, but we would be in very serious trouble if we behaved in a similar manner towards Islam or any other world religion.

Would, for example, the use of the deity or one of his prophets as an expletive be allowed in Hinduism or Buddhism in the way that Jesus Christ is so often used? - Rev Peter W Elliott, Eaglescliffe.

REGIONAL GOVERNMENT

IN the event of there being a North-East Regional Assembly, either the county or district councils will be abolished and members of both authorities 'waged'.

The parish councils will remain with at present 'unwaged' members.

Is the current round of considerations by parish councils to 'wage' members, a scheme to retain two carriages of the 'gravy train' when the new engine arrives? - Alan Kelly, Ferryhill.

CLOCK CHANGES

YEAR after year, regardless of which government, many people suffer due to the inane practice of altering our time here in Britain.

It has been statistically proved that more people die on the roads due to the extra hour's darkness on a night, not to mention the suffering by those with Seasonal Affective Disorder.

So why does this country persist with such an antiquated practice as changing our time to make the mornings lighter? Because a handful of Scottish farmers need to work before breakfast.

Please cater for the majority, the people who need light when it counts. Millions of people are housebound when they would like to be outside with their pets and children. - David Cadman, Darlington.

HUNTING

IF a group of tattooed and scruffy bikers (which I have nothing against) tore across the British countryside accompanied by a pack of dogs every week, hell bent on killing local wildlife, the police would be after them and the public would be outraged.

If they gathered in groups in public, displaying their delight in killing small mammals and their intention to flout the law, they would be rounded up and arrested.

Just because the people concerned are rich, dressed smartly and on horses, it is no different. These are people who have gun licences and have made death threats to politicians.

They are not harmless rich people exercising their right to a hobby, they are sick individuals who, by their own admission, like killing things for fun.

I hope the police were out in force in Trimdon on Saturday taking photos of the perpetrators, as they do at football matches, and regard them in the same way - as lawless dangerous hooligans. - Name and address supplied.

ENGLISH HISTORY

IF people actually bothered to find out about the culture and history of England, they would discover some amazing facts like the English language, though derived from the Germanic language of Old Saxon, is a hybrid language composed of loan words from other cultures and races, the majority of which are from the Italian dialect of Latin, which also provides English with its alphabet.

The English numeric system, like its main religion and patron saint, are Middle Eastern in origin.

The so-called native population of England is a mongrel race composed of people descended from differing races, nationalities and cultures from Europe and elsewhere.

While contrary to what some may have us believe, the largest ethnic minority in England are those of Irish descent, who are white and Christian.

The democracy of which England is so proud was first introduced during the Dark Ages by Irish missionaries, who in turn obtained it from the continental Celts and their contact with the Greeks.

The truth is that England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, in fact the whole of Europe, is and always has been multicultural and multiracial, raising the question of from where or from whom did P Morrison (HAS, Oct 18) and those of similar thought, get the idea that England was ever a monoculture? - CT Riley, Spennymoor.

MIDDLE EAST

I WOULD like to draw your attention to the wall that is being constructed on the West Bank by the Israeli state.

It is not only a further stage in the annexation of Palestinian lands, but is part of the ongoing destruction of agriculture and property.

It separates Palestinian farmers from their lands, sometimes forcing them to wait all day trying to get through.

It is, of course, totally illegal and has been condemned by the UN. It is creating the first ghetto since Jews were encircled by the Nazis in places like Warsaw in the Second World War.

The illegal Israeli settlers contained within the wall have 80 per cent of the available water, further impoverishing the already starving people.

Despite Mr Blair's stated support for a viable Palestinian state, he has never condemned the building of the wall. - Jack Stevens, Durham.