Letters: Dismay at Easter trading decision

Easter trading brings mixed reactions. PHOTO/FILE

I am very unhappy but not surprised with the Rotorua Lakes Council vote to support Easter trading. I don't blame the council however. They are reflecting the fact that despite there being more than 30,000 supposed "Christians" in the district (2013 census) the faith of most of them is nominal.

In my oral submission I said that "Christ's resurrection was the single greatest event in human history". I said Christ split history and the evidence is there that not only did he rise from the dead offering eternal life to those who choose to believe, but belief in the resurrection is also the foundation of our civilisation and prosperity today.

Unfortunately, I think most "Christians" have been so indoctrinated by today's neo-liberal focus on making money and the alternate religion of scientific atheism that they don't actually believe in Christ's resurrection. If they did, I wouldn't have been the only one making a submission.

The bright point, however, was Councillor Tania Tapsell's reasons for voting against Easter trading. She believed the right people were not asked, with many retail owners getting a say, but not the workers. She asked: "Where do we stop in terms of consumerism? Will Christmas be next?"

I felt she showed a grasp of the bigger picture and a combination of personal integrity, courage and graciousness that marks her as an exceptional leader. I am not surprised she got the highest vote in the last election.

BOB BOARDMAN
Ngongotaha

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Those naughty scientists have been at it again! They have now spoiled the whole evolution thing completely: It turns out that our cells don't get their body design from their DNA at all. Nope. The boffins have established that the mother's egg cell passes her body plan, lock stock and barrel, on to her offspring. The maternal/paternal DNA only kicks in once the embryo is viable as an independent creature.

It's a bit like two kids taking a taxi to daycare: Their mum pays the driver and gives the directions and then they go off on their own but the destination is purely the mother's choice.

So the whole Charles Darwin thing is toast. Natural selection can't mess with the body plan, because the body plan (arms and legs, etc) are not controlled by genes at all. The mother's egg cell is obtained from cell division, originating from her mother and so on.

Ergo, creature kinds can't vary beyond minimal tweaking, like eye colour or blood type.

GJ PHILIP
Rotorua