Category: Letters to The Editor


Secularlists offended at Easter

Filed Under: Letters to The Editor, Sydney Anglican Diocese, Theology by Jodie — Leave a comment
29 April, 2006

Increasingly it seems the achilles heel of atheists is the discussion of relativism. When anyone holds any claim to absolute truth then the secularists rise up in cries of protest.

Read the colourful responses to Philip Jensen’s Good Friday sermon in The Sydney Morning Herald.

Here was my unpublished letter to the editor in response:

It seems that the only people who took offence at Philip Jensen’s Good Friday sermon were secularists and atheists (Letters, April 17). The majority of Australians who believe in God warmly welcome such debate about religious beliefs. If secularists and atheists want to be taken seriously then they should enter the stage and join the discussion, rather than shouting “racism” and “arrogance” from the cheap seats in the crowd.

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Sex is part of marriage

Filed Under: Culture, Ethics, Letters to The Editor, Media by Jodie — Leave a comment
23 May, 2005

Here is my letter to the editor in the Sydney Morning Herald:

“So sex is about mutual pleasure, unselfishness, desire, intimacy, consent and even romance (“Porn everywhere, what’s a child to think?”, Herald, May 21-22). If only our sexperts started promoting marriage as the proper place for sex, then our children might have a true chance to experience the intimacy so undermined by pornography.

Reverend Jodie McNeill Anglican Youthworks, Sydney”

Read it online at http://www.smh.com.au/text/articles/2005/05/22/1116700591106.html

Read the original article at http://www.smh.com.au/news/Opinion/Porn-everywhere/2005/05/20/1116533538023.html

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Giant waves, judgement, Jesus and Jensen

Filed Under: Letters to The Editor, Media, Sydney Anglican Diocese, Theology by Jodie — Leave a comment
5 January, 2005

Here’s a letter I submitted to the SMH for today’s paper but was not published, concerning the meaning behind the Tsunami tragedy:

“When a falling building killed eighteen people in the first century, Jesus denied that it occurred because the victims were worse sinners than the general public. Yet, he offered this important warning: “But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” (Luke 13:5) When Philip Jensen says of God that “disasters are part of His warning that judgement is coming” (‘God’s will comments horrible, says dean’, January 3), he is only repeating Jesus’ sentiments. If The Reverend Tim Delaney believes this teaching is “insensitive, inhumane and ungodly” (SMH Letters, January 4) then his problem is with Jesus as much as Jensen.”

You can read the original article here: http://www.smh.com.au/news/Asia-Tsunami/Gods-will-comments-horrible-says-dean/2005/01/02/1104601246571.html and the page that contains the letter I disagreed with here: http://www.smh.com.au/news/Letters/Religious-theories-fail-to-explain-this-natural-disaster/2005/01/03/1104601295769.html

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The shame of abortion

Filed Under: Ethics, Letters to The Editor by Jodie — Leave a comment
3 November, 2004

In all of today’s major daily newspapers there is a sea of letters about abortion. It is a divisive issue, and not without reason.

On the one hand, there are those who claim that it is a woman’s choice, and that men have no right to preach morals. On the other hand, there are people like me who believe that the epidemic of 100,000 abortions per year is shocking evidence of an enormous social evil.

In response, I submitted this letter to the SMH, The Age and The Australian:

“I predict that by the end of this century our society will hang its head in shame at the slaughter of our unborn children from abortion. Like slavery and genocide, our children’s children will struggle to comprehend how a civilised society such as ours could have allowed such a crime against humanity.”

It’s hard hitting… but it’s how I feel. Furthermore, I know it is how God feels about the killing of his created children.

PS: Letter was published by The Australian on 4th November.

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True tolerance in The Leader

Filed Under: Letters to The Editor, Religions by Jodie — Leave a comment
5 February, 2004

Today my local newspaper (the St George and Sutherland Shire Leader) printed an article entitled “Muslim faithful get immersed in festival” (Feb 5). I submitted this letter to the editor in response:

“Thank you for the helpful and positive article on the current Muslim celebrations (‘Muslim faithful get immersed in festival’, February 5). In particular, I was impressed to see that it included a concise explanation of what Muslims believe.

In this age of religious pluralism it is refreshing to see such a clear and balanced representation of a religious position.

Yet, as we present these views it will become apparent that these positions will often disagree with each other in important matters. For example, the Koran states that Jesus was not crucified, a statement in clear disagreement with what the Bible records as history. Thus, it is foolish to suggest that Islam and Christianity are both true.

Notwithstanding, it is a great privilege that in this free, peace-loving democracy we can disagree with each other without fear. For true tolerance protects the right for people to not only hold contradictory truth views, but allows them the freedom to preach them and defend them.

May The Leader continue to show leadership in this vital virtue of true tolerance.”

I’ll let you know if it gets published.

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