PEGGY FITTES
Whanganui
Climate science
Keith Beautrais clearly takes exception to Robert Hays' views, because they disagree with Keith's ideology. It is a pity Keith put that ideology ahead of actually considering what Robert was saying.
There are many climate scientists who question the slogan-like statements of the promoters of "human-caused climate change" and wish to use the scientific method to study the facts rather than fitting facts to a pre-accepted viewpoint. The problem is most government-funded research will not allow any study that does not fit the pre-accepted viewpoint.
Keith ignores Robert's point that we must be sceptical of any research run by those funding it, and only attacks anyone who questions the pre-accepted viewpoint as part of a "well-funded industry".
We constantly hear that there is a consensus, that "97 per cent of climate scientists believe humans are causing climate change", and it was to this that Robert seems to have been referring when he said "Science does not work by consensus". Robert was quite correct, but Keith tries to say that we must accept the consensus, after all they know better than the rest of us... So what about this "97 per cent" consensus?
The "97 per cent" figure comes from a bogus study and is bogus itself. Oops. For the actual question of whether humans are causing climate change, the vast majority of scientists say yes, humans have some effect on the climate. Then most of them act like scientists and say "But how much?"
This is where we all need honest scientists to practise actual scientific method and investigate the facts wherever those facts go, to find out "how much", for example.
Unfortunately, Keith Beautrais appears to be one of those who will insist we must all unquestioningly follow the climate pied pipers who say it is all the fault of humans.
K A BENFELL
Gonville
Jerusalem issue
Leon Benbaruk shared a secular point of view concerning the Jerusalem issue, whereas what I shared was from the point of view of Bible history and prophecy, which states that it is due to divine decree that Jerusalem has been appointed the capital of Israel.
There are nearly 700 references to Jerusalem in the Hebrew Bible but not a single reference to the city by name in the Koran. When the Egyptians, Turks, Jordanians,
Syrians etc occupied Jerusalem in the past, they never made it their capital and turned their backs on the city to face Mecca when they prayed. It was Israel's capital for over 1000 years, and they lost it only through being forcefully evicted by the Romans and sent into exile from their land.
But Bible prophecy affirmed that the Jews would be preserved as a distinct race in spite of efforts by various nations to exterminate them, and that they would be regathered to their land during the last lap of human history, and become a nation again and repossess Jerusalem.
The prophecies further inform us that ultimately a coalition of anti-Israel nations will successfully invade Israel with the intention of destroying the nation, causing great tribulation, resulting in the return of Christ and the battle of Armageddon. The Jerusalem issue could very well be the catalyst for this end-time scenario. Zachariah 14:2 says all nations will be gathered against Jerusalem to battle. And when the dust settles ,Jerusalem will be, as Jesus himself said, "The city of the great king" (Matthew 5:35).
Seventy-five per cent of the prophecies have been accurately fulfilled, and it is only a question of time before the final 25 per cent will be fulfilled.This naturally causes one to have more confidence in biblical prophecy than secular speculation. Man proposes but God disposes!
BARRY HODSON
Wanganui
