LETTERS

Assault on truth

Although some of your readers will suggest, perhaps with some justification, that I am going too far I am compelled to draw their attention to the post-war words (by necessity here paraphrased) of the German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller.

“First they came for the Communists and I did not speak out. Then they came for the socialists, then the trade unionists and then the Jews and I did not speak out. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.”

Niemöller’s words were directed not only at German intellectuals but at those clergy who remained silent on the Nazi’s incremental purging of group after group.

The point I am making is obvious but perhaps less so is my directing it at our clergy.

I understand, while not approving of, their reluctance to get involved in politics but I am convinced that they must, in these exceptional times, play their role, without fear and before it is too late, in combatting the current abuse of our representative parliamentary democracy in the name of Brexit.

In justification of my stance I quote Lord Hall, the BBC Director- General, who said: “An assault on truth is an assault on democracy. We are now in the midst of the biggest assault on truth, in my view, since the 1930s.”

John Milne, Uddingston

Disinvestment debate

How sad that the General Assembly has once again stepped back from taking the decisive action required on disinvesting from fossil fuel companies.

To quote Pope Francis, from his recent speech to assembled oil company CEOs: “Today’s ecological crisis, especially climate change, threatens the very future of the human family. This is no exaggeration” and “We do not have the luxury of waiting for others to step forward, or of prioritising short-term economic benefits. The climate crisis requires our decisive action, here and now.”

I would encourage the Investors Trust to read his full statement, and ask themselves: “what is the Spirit saying to the church?”

David Bethune, Selkirk

Lord’s Prayer

Translations of the Lord’s Prayer are causing discord among Europe’s Catholics. The French recently updated their version, the Italians also plan a new version, while – predictably – the Germans maintain any change is ‘streng verboten’.

The key point of discord: in Latin, the sixth petition is ‘ne nos inducas in tentationem’ (“lead us not into temptation”) while in Greek it ends with the word ‘peirasmos’ where “trial” or “test of faith” is a better translation than “temptation”.

During my 35 years in Broughty Ferry, I thought it better to share my certainties rather than my doubts.

The idea that God would tempt the faithful into sin struck me as a bit odd but I continued to lead what I considered a meditative mantra.

Germans claim ‘lead us not into temptation’ just indicates our need to trust in God’s justice and mercy – which seems to me a big reach!

I’m part-French and often find Teutonic explanations unhelpful so I await the views of Pope Francis. Dr John Cameron (Rev), St Andrews, Fife

Praise for praise

It was a real joy to have Scotland so beautifully presented in June by the BBC on Songs of Praise.

I am lucky enough to have visited the site of New Lanark some years ago, and to have seen the amazing industrial community which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It is indeed impressive and inspirational, the highly acclaimed legacy of David Dale (1739-1806).

However in recent times the progenitor is sometimes sidelined by his successor and son-in-law, Robert Owen.

Happily there was none of that on the programme and all credit for the achievement was given where due.

Congratulations are also due to Susan Boyle, who sang Amazing Grace beautifully on the same programme

It is very good to see and to hear Scotland getting some welldeserved respect and recognition.

Well done!

Norma A Macarthur, Edinburgh

Politics and rebuidling trust

Too often, mendacity, puffed-up politicians and legal eagles are uncomfortable bed-fellows in both Scotland and England. In utopia no-one should be above the law.

‘Who rules the rulers?’ is the oldest constitutional conundrum in the book. ‘Thou shalt not be found out’ and ‘Do as I say, not as I do’ underpin double-standards, hypocrisy and humbug all too often in public life today. Truth and integrity lose out to power.

A start needs to be made to the rebuilding of trust in the integrity and competence of the political under-class.

J Michael Buchanan, London

Buildings plea

It is noted in an Assembly report that the Church of Scotland is “not a building preservation organisation.”

Perhaps so, but please let us be careful. If all churches end up like Melrose Abbey, however fine the ruins may be, Scotland will be a sad and desolate place.

I very much hope that someone, somewhere, has made a list of buildings which are too important not to be preserved.

Let us not sleepwalk into losing the best of Scotland’s built heritage.

David Gauld, Dundee

‘Blind Spots’

The Reverend Richard Baxter in his article ‘Blind spots’ (Life and Work August on the subject of the conduct of slavery in biblical times, makes a number of powerful points.

The story he refers to is from The Epistle of Paul to Philemon. Paul writes from a Roman prison to a fellow Christian Philemon about his slave Onesimus, who had run away. In sending Onesimus back to his master, Paul is viewed in many quarters as condoning slavery.

While one cannot change the past, it is important that we endeavour to understand it. It is clear that the arrival of Christianity in fact for some time made little or no difference to how slavery was regarded and, apart from the story involving Paul, Philemon and Onesimus, there are other examples supporting that contention. Bishop Ignatius of Antioch stated in a letter that slaves should not seek to use their Christian membership to try and improve their lot, but rather to act as better slaves to the glory of God. Later in the fourth century, Bishop Ambrose of Milan expressed the view ‘the lower the station in life, the more exalted the virtue’.

The Reverend Baxter observed – ‘Imposing our twenty-first perspective into a first-century story doesn’t work’. That is a profound and relevant statement to bear in mind when we, while trying to be vigilant about our own time’s ‘Blind spots’, look back over the ages and seek to make judgments.

Ian W Thomson, Lenzie

Prayer Thanks

I receive my Life and Work through subscription from my local church in Glasgow.

I would like to thank and congratulate the author of the Prayer on Page 5 of the June issue.

It sums up everything I believe and I have read it over several times and each time it gets better.

Thank you once again for producing such a good magazine, or as my neighbour would say “a good wee couthie read”!

Bob Jenkins, Glasgow

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