Sir, – As we near the completion of another orbit around our star we call the sun, a minority of relatively better-off humans in the western hemisphere prepare to celebrate the fictional birth date of a poor Middle Eastern carpenter they call Jesus, the son of their god, with a display of greed and gluttony that would make the ancient Romans who crucified him jealous.
Meanwhile, in and around his birth site, people are massacred and starved by forces paid by the same rich white westerners.
At the time leading up to this celebration to mark this birth of the “son of god” who died nailed to a cross, or probably a wooden scaffold to save us from our sins, those with money are encouraged to buy the most expensive presents they can afford.
Our current Christmas traditions have nothing at all to do with the Middle East and everything to do with Vikings in Scandinavia who thought that evergreens were the special plant of the sun god, Balder.
I would like to wish the rest of humanity good luck during our next trip around the sun.
Please be nicer to each other and come to realise that buying stuff only makes you happy for a brief period. True, lasting happiness comes from within.
Personally, I’ll be celebrating the solstice and the fact that the days will once again be getting longer as the Earth’s rotation once more presents the northern hemisphere towards the sun and I am still here among my family.
Mark Harper.
22 Fitzroy Street,
Dysart.
Thank you from air ambulance
Sir, – As we approach the close of another busy year for Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA), I and the crew want to thank the people throughout Scotland who continue to raise vital funds to keep this unique service in the air.
Throughout 2016 we have been honoured to deliver paramedic care and provide rapid transport in your name to those seriously ill or injured anywhere in Scotland.
Helimed 76 is now flying huge distances as far as the northern island of Sanday to the rural Borders in the south and from the east coast to the Western Isles.
The crew has fully utilised our upgraded aircraft that came into service just over a year ago, responding to almost 400 emergency call-outs in this year alone.
We have also been able to make valuable use of the extra seat on board to carry parents, guardians or escorts with our patients.
None of this would have been possible without your continued support. The crew are always humbled by the number of patients who come to visit after their recovery and to thank all who were involved in treating their illness or injury, from bystander to ambulance crew.
Many of our patients have gone on to raise money for SCAA so that they too can help someone else in similar circumstances.
Your continued invaluable contributions fund this amazing charity and will fuel it into the future, so that myself and the crew of Helimed 76 can continue to be there for those most in need.
John Pritchard.
Lead Aircrew Paramedic,
Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance.
Closing down religious voices
Sir, – Robert Canning of Secular Scotland (December 16) says his group has no desire to remove religion from the public square.
Anyone who visits its Facebook page would realise that is precisely its aim.
The group mocks religion and especially any politician or public figure who professes Christian faith.
Mr Canning says we are free to preach our religion in the street if we wish to “as long as other users are not inconvenienced”.
The trouble is that it could easily be argued that any such preaching is an inconvenience.
Mr Canning asked why should churches get reserved seats on public education committees?
The answer, as he well knows, is that churches such as the Roman Catholic Church are directly involved in running schools, or as in the case of the Protestant churches, handed their schools over to the state on condition that they retained this minimal say.
If Secular Scotland wishes to change the education system then it would only be just and fair that the state agrees to fund religious schools for those who wish them.
It surely would not be just and fair that the only state-funded schools would be those who adopt the philosophy of the secular societies.
He asks why should state-funded schools promote belief in God but not disbelief. The fact is that many state-funded schools already promote disbelief but the secular society wants those who promote belief to be banned.
David A Robertson.
St Peter’s Free Church,
4 St Peter Street,
Dundee.
Jesus is not just for Christmas
Sir, – We have had Black Friday, which lasted at least four days, Cyber Monday and then Panic Saturday.
This will be followed by a last week-long spending spree ahead of us.
Who knows we may even have time to spare a thought about the true meaning of Christmas and whose birthday we are actually celebrating.
Some people may even make their annual pilgrimage to a church on Christmas Eve for a watchnight service.
What is worth remembering is that Jesus is not just for Christmas. He is for life: everyone’s life. Just a thought. Merry Christmas to all Courier readers.
John M Page.
8 Panter Crescent,
Montrose.
Politicians were warned on VAT
Sir, – The Scottish Government’s justice secretary Michael Matheson said that it was unacceptable that Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were unable to recover £65 million of VAT on a new emergency services communication network.
The Scottish Government was repeatedly warned, long before any merger, of the VAT implications so the blame lies with them not Westminster.
SNP politicians and supporters should print out this statement by a Treasury spokesman.
“In 2012 the Scottish Government chose to make Scotland’s police and fire services national rather than regional bodies. The Scottish Government were advised in advance that by making this change Scottish police and fire services would become ineligible for VAT refunds.”
Clark Cross.
138 Springfield Road,
Linlithgow.