Letters: Courses to learn new hobbies needed

Learning a new hobby can help keep isolation at bay.

The art of learning a new hobby seems to be on the decline which also can cause social isolation.

I would love to see some fresh activities happening for people in Rotorua, or bring some of the activities that used to be available, like night school classes which offered hobby classes to people who were not intending to advance their career, but were still interested in learning new skills.

Whether it be ethnic cookery classes or learning a language or a craft or furniture upholstery or making. The list goes on.

I know there are places that organise classes to learn new activities in Rotorua, however I feel these are mainly pitched at retired people or someone advancing their career and not someone who works during the day and only wants to learn a new hobby.

JESSICA PICKERING
Rotorua

Christian belief
I am confused about Kim Gillespie's editorial (April 20) saying that "Folau needs to be gone" because Folau said he believed unrepentant homosexuals will go to hell.

I share Israel Folau's Christian view, so does that mean I "need to be gone" from my employment and sport too? And where then do we need to be gone too? A concentration camp?

What about our ancestors who died in the wars we commemorated this Anzac Day? Do we scratch their names from monuments because some shared similar Christian beliefs? Didn't they too die to protect freedom of speech?

Mr Gillespie says that "Folau's stance is dangerous". Isn't homosexual sex clearly sin according to both the Old and New Testaments, unless one deletes large parts of scripture? For a Bible-believing Christian then, isn't it extremely dangerous for people to think that Hell isn't the penalty for unrepentant sin?

Are not people in our society free to reject Christianity and not believe in sin and Hell, which after all, are Christian concepts? Are not people free to shut their ears to things they don't like hearing in the media? That's what Christians are told when exposed to homosexual values these days.

BOB BOARDMAN
Ngongotaha