Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – John Miller’s article on Friday, March 23 (‘The whole nation united in prayer’) suggests the tragic collapse of Bolton footballer Fabrice Muamba has “thrust the concept of prayer and its effectiveness on the minds of the British people”.
I do, of course, wish Mr Muamba a full and speedy recovery, but I think that if this happens then it will be down to his underlying fitness, the timely, professional treatment he received on the pitch, and the care he has been receiving in hospital.
Credit should be given to the good men and women who dedicate themselves to helping people who have suffered such unfortunate accidents and to those who determine the best methods of assisting their recovery.
Whilst I am sure some people may attain some level of personal comfort from the act of praying, or even that it may help some people to know that they are being prayed for, I am not persuaded prayer is effective in achieving physical outcomes through the intercession of a deity.
Mr Millar suggests some historical events have been influenced by prayer, but it is easy to find examples, even quite recently, where prayer has been publicly invoked and the desired result has not been achieved.
For example, in Texas last year there were a huge number of wildfires (some might say of biblical proportions) and the Governor of Texas invoked a prayer rally to ask for rain, then prayed, publicly and often. There followed a rainless spring and summer. July was the hottest month in recorded Texas history and most of Texas suffered “extreme or exceptional” drought.
Later in office he asked 30,000 evangelical followers to pray for an economic recovery. This didn’t happen either.
Perhaps Governor Perry wasn’t doing it right, or perhaps there is a much simpler explanation.
I suggest we should put our “faith” in scientific advances and professional healthcare.
Norry Passway.29 Albany Road,Dundee.
Choose prayer over CPR?
Sir, – How the likes of John Miller’s article commands column space is beyond me.
No one should be in any doubt that the reason a young footballer is showing encouraging signs of recovery is down in part (a very large part) to the skill, knowledge and professionalism of the medical professionals who have attended him since those horrific scenes the other evening.
To suggest any thing else is, frankly, offensive.
Imagine if those attending in the very first moments of his collapse had chosen prayer over CPR!
I doubt if Mr Miller would be enlightening us then on the power of prayer.
N. Austin.10 Shepherd Lane,Arbroath.
Real miracle of Dunkirk
Sir, – I would like to make a few comments concerning John Miller’s article on prayer.
I certainly have no wish to make light of belief in prayer, but the miracle of Dunkirk was most definitely down to the men of 51st Highland Division, who held back the German forces.
Many paid with their lives and many more were marched into prison camps to be starved and worked to death. That any men survived was a miracle.
And to think they are almost airbrushed from history each time the British public are reminded of the miracle of Dunkirk.
Margaret Borland.57 Rodd Road,Dundee.
A question of principle
Sir, – The Rev John Cameron targets his ironic barbs superbly (Letters, March 24), but the ‘granny tax’ raises a separate question of principle.
Why, purely due to our age, should pensioners like me enjoy a higher tax-free allowance than the working population, many with young families and on average incomes little more than mine?
Churchill’s original justification for age allowances in 1925 surely no longer exists.
Pensioners do not pay NIC (effectively another income tax of about 10%), or their previous pension contributions, or travel-to-work costs; and many will no longer be in the 40% tax bracket.
The combined effect for those in some final-salary schemes can leave them with net disposable incomes almost unchanged from their employment.
Many pensioners much wealthier than he or I can limit their taxable income to £25,000 for example if they have substantial ISAs to draw down, while others choose to work. Why should these groups benefit even more than younger workers?
The coalition should have announced in June 2010 an early move to incorporating tax-free cash benefits like the fuel allowance into the taxable state pension; linking or even equalising that pension and a single tax-free allowance with the minimum wage for 18-20 year-olds (£10,000); amalgamating income tax and NIC; and improving the progressive tax structure.
John Birkett.12 Horseleys Park,St Andrews.
Bridging gap in knowledge
Sir, – Reading Ken Guild’s remarks about “another bridge falling down” I presumed he was referring to the Tay Bridge disaster, implying it was caused by the use of Scottish steel.
In that case, may I inform him that the bridge was constructed from cast and wrought iron rather than from steel?
The first major bridge to be constructed from Scottish (and Welsh) steel was the Forth Bridge which, as far as I know, is still standing.
(Mrs) JE McFarlane.41 Highfield Place,Birkhill.
Closures will be a nightmare
Sir, – On the subject of public toilet closures in Fife, my daughter took my granddaughter to the West Sands play area in St Andrews recently.
Soon after they arrived, my granddaughter needed the toilet. The toilets there were closed.
My daughter had to drive up to South Street in order to use the toilet there. It cost her £1 to park and 30p to use the toilet.
Luckily she found a parking place, but that might not be possible in the holiday season.
Public toilet closures will be a nightmare for the elderly and people with children.
Mrs Margaret Duncan.32 Pickford Crescent,Cellardyke.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL. Letters should be accompanied by an address and a daytime telephone number.