Letters: Rugby player no expert on teachings of God

Australia's Israel Folau during the Bledisloe Cup last year. Photo/file

Israel Folau is apparently a gifted rugby player.

His comments on the spiritual destiny of gay people are outside of his area of expertise.

He might as well offer expert comment on whale conservation, monetary policy, or international relations in a time of nuclear threat.

He claims a Christian or biblical basis for his views.

There are only a few verses in the Bible that express a dim view on homosexual acts. None of these verses display an understanding of homosexuality as a condition of human identity.

The Bible offers a panorama of the human experience in seeking God. It describes all kinds of appalling behaviour: slavery, genocide, murder, adultery and more.

One example being the thwarted efforts of Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. Description is not prescription.

The life and teachings of Jesus Christ reveal that every human life is precious to God; that we are to love even those we consider our enemies, about affirming and empowering those who are shunned and vulnerable.

Israel Folau is wrong about gays; he misunderstands the Bible and the teachings of Jesus.

He is responsible for broadcasting his prejudicial views however his views probably come from those mistaken leaders who have taught him. He should keep his public comments within his area of expertise.

Those who have a better than superficial understanding of the scriptures should speak out more.

Rev ALEX CZERWONKA
St Luke's Anglican Parish

Tougher law won't fix synthetic drugs problem
"Lock 'em up and throw away the key, that'll fix the problem!" Just look at law and order in New Zealand and see for yourself; zero drug problems, zero assault rates, zero burglaries, a perfect, crime-free society, why is this?

Because any time we faced a problem, we simply increased the minimum prison sentence. Sorted!

Yes I'm being facetious, but after reading absurd ideas like National MP Simeon Brown's bill which would increase the prison sentence for dealing synthetic drugs as the answer to the problem, it's hard to think any other way.

Thankfully Rotorua police prevention manager Inspector Brendon Keenan has a brain on his shoulders when he said, "my main message is that our biggest problems are around family violence, youth offending and organised crime, rather than the synthetics".

Part of the issue is that in 2013 the previous Government removed synthetics from a regulated market, handing it to organised criminal gangs who have no qualms in supplying children and getting people hooked.

Fixing the Psychoactive Substances Act to allow a safe regulated market would be a far better solution.

If Brown really cared about those affected by synthetics, then he'd do something about the reason why people take synthetic drugs in the first place. Instead he's packing his pipe with a hit of virtue signalling with the hope of getting high polling rates for himself through banging the law and order drum, all while doing absolutely nothing for those who he purports to want to help.

RYAN GRAY
Rotorua