Letters to the Editor
The Atheists' debate
Dear Sir
Atheists are confused how they wound upon earth, so their aim is to confound the rest of us earthlings.(Ironically, 'til we "spiritually" cross the next realm,we'll not know what's "solid" on God and religion.)We've a "manual", i.e., the Bible (Basic InstructionsBefore Leaving Earth). But what validity do atheists have?
Seventeenth century English poet, Alexander Pope's poem 'Rapeof the Lock' cleverly, paradoxically contrasts reality and myth.(I.e., the real and tangible from allegory and ideal.) What startsout trivial (a young girl's lock of hair is stolen by one of heradmirers at a card party) snowballs absurdly into a war betweenmortals, gnomes and nymphs. Neither side can win since the lockis firmly placed in the heavens. So too is the atheists' debate.
As for Einstein, he didn't talk until age four, but E=MC squaredbecame our education. Eccentric and oblivious to time, his wifehad to hunt him down each evening for supper. She'd find him blocksaway wandering, wrapped up in his thoughts. He'd even forget hisway back! Maybe he was mentally trying to fathom God and eternity.Who can say?
How about one whose life was a testimony to putting God first.He weathered knocks and blows rendering him "so very human".Come heck or high water, he held steadfast to God and even thoughcut short by an assassin's bullet, he still became America's greatestPresident. This is a 1998 internet article. (In entirety from"only to winners"):
"Only when you are totally committed to an overriding purposewill you put forth the effort required to overcome the discouragement,misunderstanding from other
people, and defeat. Consider the bumpy career of Abraham Lincoln.He:
Lost his job in 1832
Was defeated for the legislature in 1832
Failed in business in 1833
Elected to legislature in 1834
Lost his sweetheart to death in 1835
Had a nervous breakdown in 1836
Was defeated for Speaker in 1838
Was defeated in bid for Congress in 1843
Was elected to Congress in 1846
Lost nomination bid for Congress in 1848
Was rejected for Land Officer in 1849
Was defeated for Senate in 1854
Lost nomination for Vice Presidency in 1856
Was again defeated for Senate in 1858
Was elected President in 1860
Only Lincoln's deep conviction that Godhad given him a mission to fulfill kept him going when most peoplewould have quit. Such motivation might well be ridiculed in thisday of glorification of self--as it was in his day--but it containsthe kind of stuff that causes people to become winners."
Pam DaCosta
Accolades to Volunteers
Dear Sir,
I just picked up your paper and saw your volunteer of the week.
What a good idea! I don't know Mrs. Pickthorne but I am sure sheis deserving of the honour.
Over the last six weeks as I have gone around our cultural institutionswith our new Minister. I am humbled and amazed by the hours ofwork done by the dozens of volunteers who involve themselves inthe cultural and social life of the Cayman Islands.
The Ministry of Culture is particularly grateful to those whovolunteer with the National Museum, the National Gallery, andthe National Archive. They are helping us preserve our heritageby giving us something which is very valuable in our busy world,time.
I have spoken to many of these volunteers, non-Caymanian and Caymanianalike and it is clear that there is one central reason why theychoose to spend their leisure hours this way -- they love thiscountry and our people.
We should take our collective hats off to our volunteers, andremember to let them know how much they are needed and appreciated.
Thanks for leading the way.
Joy Basdeo
Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Education, Human Resources & Culture
Lions Club ofTropical Gardens says thanks for Eyeglass Drive
Dear Sir:
The members of the Lions Club of TropicalGardens would like to take this opportunity to thank everyonewho contributed to the success of the recent Sight Night EyeglassCollection Drive.
Our special thanks to Burger King, which allowed us to use itsGeorge Town locations as the drop-off headquarters for this serviceproject.
Special thanks also to the John Gray High School students whoparticipated in the drive, Cayman Drug, Cayman National Bank staff,Dr. Bud Foley and the Lions Eye Clinic, as well as the generalpublic for their donations.
Thanks also to Radio Cayman for generously giving airtime to promotethe project.
We would also like to express our appreciation to Jennifer Kaufmanof United Parcel Service for shipping the eyeglasses free of chargeto the recycling centre in Texas. The eyeglasses will be repairedand hand delivered to people in developing countries who desperatelyneed them but cannot afford them.
Lions Club International's long-term goal is to stamp out preventableand reversible blindness.
Judith Witter,
President, Lions Club
of Tropical Gardens
Preserve Cayman'sChristian Heritage
Dear Sir,
Two things have amazed me whilst visitingyour beautiful islands! There is no pornography on sale, and abortion-on-demandis not legal. Both are legal in Denmark (the country of my adoption)and are not without negative consequences.
Their legality did not occur overnight, but were gradually planned:1967 -- free pornography (literature); 1969 -- free pornography(pictures); 1971 -- compulsory sex education; 1972 -- compulsoryintegrated sex education, 1973 -- abortion-on-demand and sterilisation-on-demand.
Now we also have legal marriage between homosexuals which somebishops are now permitting in the church (Lutheran with 84% ofthe population of 5.2 millions). I would wish that Cayman Islandscould maintain their rich Christian heritage for their own sakes- and not just for a theological reason .
J. Michael Harry
Christian Ethicsare for man's advantage Michael Harry, Aalborg, Denmark
Ethics cover not only the use of money andof power, but also that of sex. Most in the West consider thechristian view of sex to be outdated, but forget medical evidenceproving that such ethics are for man's advantage.
In Denmark, we have abortion-on-demand up to the 12th week ofpregnancy, and which no doctor can deny such a pregnant woman.In 1972, the year before abortion-on-demand, there were 12,985legal abortions. In 1974, the year after the law passed, the numbersrose to a staggering 24,686. By May 1990, Denmark had Europe'shighest abortion rate, with 37 abortions per 100 births. The Journalof the Danish Medical Association, 7th March 1994, said in aneditorial: "Down with abortions. Live double-Danish".This really means: use both the condom and the pill, to be sureyou do not get pregnant! We are, now, sitting on a pensionersbomb, as the birth rate slowly goes down.
1. It is a proven fact that the more children are taught sex educationand the use of anti-conception, without Christian values, themore the number of pregnancies go up. In the reverse, 1200 schoolsin USA have adapted a motto: Do the right thing - wait for thering! This has already reduced the number of unwanted pregnanciesin these districts.
2. We know now that the more sex partners a girl has, the greateris her risk of having cancer of the cervix, as well as increasingthe risk of her sterility, which leads to the expensive 'testtube' babies. An article in Doctor, 1988, shows that 54% of examinedteenagers in Perth, Western Australia had an abnormal smear test,and not the expected average rate of 15%-18%. Reason? Eary sexdebut and several sex partners. Therefore Paul says: "Donot be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers,nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with makind, nor thieves,nor covetous... shall inherit the kingdom of God. "
He was talking about people who wilfully practice these thingswithout repentance. Faithful Christians are not sinless, and likeDavid, they can be 'overtaken' by sin. But also like David, wemust confess our sins and repent.
3. We also now know that if a faithful wife has a husband whois an adulterer, the more extra-marital partners he has, the greateris the danger to his innocent wife of having cancer of the cervix.
4. I believe, too, that when Paul talks about homosexuality (1Cor:6:9 as above), so does Jesus (Mark 7:22), where the word Heuses is 'lasciviousness'. This is aselgeia in Greek, and is exactlythe same word used by Peter to describe "the filthy"behaviour in Sodm and Gomorrha (2 Peter 2:6:7), Aselgeia is thebottom-line of sins - used by6 both Jesus and Peter. Many areangry when some theologians defend the practise of homosexuality,but have been passive concerning the ethics of sex before marriage.If we cannot tackle the latter, we are probably helpless in theformer. Oh! The church has too often a sickly desire to be lovedby the world - and be popular!
The WHO in it's desperate attempts to reduce AIDS, quotes thebasketball player "Magic" Johnson who himself is HIV-positiveand who says that the best way to prevent the HIV virus spreadingis:
1. No sexual partner
2. The next best, is only one partner;
3. The third best, is the use of a condom.
"Safe-sex" however is a misnomer when applied to theuse of the condom and AIDS, as explained by Mr. C.M. Roland, editorof Rubber Chemistry & Technology.
"If the intent is to reduce the spread of this disease theadvice is ill-deceived. The high failure of condoms in the preventionof preganncy alone argues against their use for preventing thecontraction of the fatal disease.
"Because the AIDS virus is 450 times smaller than sperm,the effectiveness of condoms for AIDS prevention is actually muchworse than for contraception. It is well established that thelatex rubber contains inherent flaws which are at least 50 timeslarger than the AIDS virus. "Inherent" means the flawsare naturally occuring. Their existence is unrelated to the detailsof processing, manufacturing and handling of the material. Theseflaws exist in condoms, gloves or any latex rubber.
"As the editor of the American Chemical Society's Journaldevoted to the science and technology of rubber and a researchscientist in the field, I find absurd the notion that condomsallow one to safely engage in sexual relations with HIV carrers.Their promotion for that purpose is dangerous and irresponsible"The Sunday Record 24.1.93.
Solzhenitsyn said that the West would probably destroy itselffrom within. He used the example of the human body and its twolungs. If we do not use both, then we are sick or weak. One lunghe called our 'rights' the other our 'responsibilities'.
Many years ago he warned that we used the lung called our 'rights'or 'privileges' but that we had forgotton to use the other lung'responsibilities'.