Sir, One of the problems with UKIP, Nigel Farage and what, to paraphrase recent media comment, may be termed the “swivel eyed Loon’s” fringe is they continuously blame others like Europe, migrants, or the Greens for problems which have their origins in their own camp and their own phantoms.
Take the banking crisis, the biggest calamity to hit Britain in recent years. This was not caused by any of their usual suspects, but was the result of bank deregulation first started by the Conservatives in the 1980s. The actual collapse stared in the USA and then spread to Britain; it is only recently that it has harmed the Euro.
Take wind power, another issue which excites some to frenzy. The legislation which actually created the internal UK market for wind energy and also the system of paying large subsidies to the producers of this energy was actually the 1989 Electricity Act which was passed by Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative Government.
However, this fact does not stop local Conservative MEP Mr Struan Stevenson blaming all the unpopular wind turbines on “the Greens”. But he does not explain how, because at the time the Greens did not have any MPs or even local councillors in Britain. Is this not blaming others for their own policy mistakes?
Philip Roberts. Ascurry Mill, By Letham, Angus.
Needs to be reapplied
Sir, I am at a loss to comprehend how Dr John Cameron (Letters, May 18) can assert that “love the sinner, hate the sin” is theologically and biblically unsound and unworkable in practice and a patronising insult at that?
Many of us have reason to believe the opposite of what he is saying. From a lifetime of reading and studying the Bible, I find its great message from beginning to end actually is how much God does love the sinner and how much he does hate sin.
Centrally, it is declared by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. In Romans 5 we read: “God demonstrates His love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
God hates sin and Christ died to put it away. God loves sinners and death brings salvation to all who will accept it.
Across the world today millions have done so. They are evidence of how all this does work in practice and it is no patronising insult at all. Many more throughout history would agree. The message of the Bible does not need to be reinterpreted to every generation. It just needs to be reapplied.
Dr Bert Cargill. 45 Braehead, St Monans.
Why is this unworkable?
Sir, Your correspondent John Cameron (May 18) once again dismisses his fellow churchmen, who say that homosexuality is incompatible with the teachings of the bible, as pathetic.
In these columns he has been shown more than once to be quite in error, so there is no need to repeat this argument.
However, he goes on to say that those who quote “love the sinner, hate the sin” are patronising, insulting, unbiblical and untheological.
I agree with him that the phrase may sometimes come across as a slogan, and admittedly this quote does not come directly from the bible, perhaps not even from a Christian originally.
But love is never patronising, and it always seeks the freedom of the individual, so can he explain why it is “unworkable” to love sinners and hate sin?
It seems quite evident that this man is in deep, deep water.
Stuart Wishart. 12 Walnut Grove, Blairgowrie.
Others a lot closer to home
Sir, James Davie suggests, in yesterday’s Letters page, that we should not ally ourselves with the EU, political home of our erstwhile enemies.
Which enemies are those? France, the Auld Alliance? Perhaps Scandinavia, or our ancient trading partners Holland and the Baltic states?
What about the Italians, to be found in some numbers across Scotland, or the Poles, a lot of whom are buried in a dedicated cemetery in Perth? Maybe the Spanish, given succour as their Armada was wrecked on our shores?
Oh, of course, he must mean those dreadful Germans, who fought alongside the Highlanders at Waterloo.
We have erstwhile enemies a lot closer to home than that, Mr Davie!
Laurie Richards. 100 Crail Road, Cellardyke.
Diabetes event thanks to all
Sir, We would like to thank all those who came along to the type 1 Diabetic Awareness Day in Kirriemuir town hall on Saturday. This was in memory of our daughter Claire who died in November of undiagnosed Type 1 diabetes.
A total of £2863.47 was raised to be used to support research into a cure for Type 1 diabetes. Information about the condition was provided by Ninewells Hospital paediatric diabetic team, Junior Diabetic Research Forum, Diabetes UK and Angus Long Term Conditions support group.
We would especially like to thank all the businesses who in times of economic constraint supported the event with sponsorship and prizes.
Helen and Malcolm Taylor. 91 Glengate, Kirriemuir.
Memories of the 90s
Sir, The Kirk’s move on gay clergy, while welcome, kindles memories of a similar compromise (some might say theological fudge) in the 90s.
Then, during the same Assembly, the Kirk reaffirmed its moral opposition to the National Lottery and all forms of gambling, while simultaneously deciding that it was morally alright to accept money from the Big Lottery Fund for church projects.
One former Moderator commented at the time that this money could be made useful to the church with “God’s redemptive power”.
The decision and the theological contortions applied to explain it brought forth similar cries of derision from the Free and Free Presbyterian Churches that we now hear over the gay marriage issue.
The old adage that one man’s theology is another man’s belly laugh is proven once again.
Alistair McBay. National Secular Society, 5 Atholl Crescent, Edinburgh.
Forget the stack, go underwater
Sir, Regarding the proposed biomass plant on Dundee’s waterfront, why not dispense with the stack which is causing so much concern and pump the emissions through underwater pipes?
The pipes could be laid out in the river estuary to floating vents which could serve a second purpose by being harnessed to generate electricity using wave and tidal power. Heat from the pipes could perhaps help marine life. Does anyone else think this might be a viable concept?
G Neilson. 26 Hayston Terrace, Dundee.
Hell-bent on destroying link?
Sir, Are Air France/Cityjet hell-bent on destroying the air link from Dundee to London City? I had occasion to change the date of a flight recently due to a bereavement and no matter how far ahead the date I picked, I could not make the change for less than £75, of which they claim £60 is tax. If that is the case, then surely I am entitled to a refund on the tax paid on the original ticket?
Of even more concern, however, is the cost of booking at short notice. They appear to be under the impression that we have no other choice than to accept their exorbitant fares in these circumstances.
As has happened to me several times in the past, I am having to make the journey by rail (first class) or by air from Edinburgh for a business trip next Tuesday, which I am in the process of arranging.
The prices quoted for all of the available options are: Air France/Cityjet round trip from Dundee £447; first class train return from Dundee £198; Easyjet round trip from Edinburgh £170; British Airways round trip from Edinburgh £280; Air France/Cityjet round trip from Edinburgh £393.
In the case of the Edinburgh flights, I have added £80 to cover the cost of travel to and from Edinburgh, parking at Edinburgh Airport and a return train journey from the London airport to the City of London.
I would be most interested to hear Air France/Cityjet’s explanation as to why it is cheaper to fly (by jet mostly) from Edinburgh than Dundee surely taxes and landing fees etc. are far more expensive for Edinburgh? Apart from suffering the inconvenience of a return journey to Edinburgh, Easyjet will be benefiting from my custom once again. The flight will get me to my meeting for 9am while the Dundee flight is still in the air.
If, as it seems, they do not want this route, why not move aside for someone who does?
Brian Jakobsen. 2 Balmyle Road, Broughty Ferry, Dundee.
Insects appear to be smaller
Sir, Last year I noticed that my annual insect visitors were half their normal size. Ants are my first this year and they are less than a third of their usual size. Could it be that insect size is super-sensitive to atmospheric levels of oxygen?
The fossil record shows that dragonflies once had a six-foot wing span when oxygen levels were much greater. Increasingly warmer oceans adversely affect the oxygen producing organisms that dwell there. Are insects reacting to this: however slight the current situation is?
Perhaps a relentless pan-human effort is required to find ways of producing vast quantities of oxygen from cracking atmospheric carbon dioxide, which would kill two birds with one stone by reducing carbon dioxide and increasing oxygen at the same time.
With such schemes as chopping down trees only to burn them being rigorously advocated and showing a mindset of stupendous complacency, it seems we will wait, until Gaspers (air pockets drifting in from areas of ocean no longer producing oxygen) plague our land on a frequent basis before anything is done and too late?
Leslie Milligan. 18b Myrtlehall Gardens, Dundee.