What would Jesus do? School captain shows the way

What would Jesus say if he were about to write a letter to the Australian Presbyterian Church today? He would probably tell them to read the opinion piece by Daniel Cash (“I’m a school captain but Presbyterians would have me sacked”,April 19). I belong to a generation that were taught that young people should be seen and not heard. Young people now have a voice and we are the better for it. Daniel is a credit to himself,his school,Melbourne Grammar,and all the younger generation who are willing to respectfully voice their opposition to the foibles of my generation. If our entrenched institutions are not willing to listen,then it will be to their detriment and to the detriment of society as a whole.Peter Robertson,Stanmore

Daniel Cash’s article is eloquent and moving. Unfortunately,it is also selective and therefore misleading. He says that the Christian faith is built on the example that Christ set in his life. And it is true that “revolutionary compassion” was central to Jesus’s example. It is also true that Jesus’ example was of a radically pure sexual ethic;he was a single man,who remained celibate. How do we know? The New Testament.

Similarly,Jesus taught that we are not to judge or exclude people. And he taught that sex belongs in a lifelong,exclusive union of a man and a woman. How do we know? The New Testament. You can’t have one without the other,not if you want to claim the authority of Jesus.

The Christian faith rests more on the gift that Jesus gave than the example that Jesus set. The gift was the sacrifice of his life so that whatever we have done,we can be forgiven and set free. And to receive that gift,we have to open our hands,not keep them closed. Jesus called that repenting and trusting,handing the direction and formation of our lives and our consciences over to him,including both our social relations and our sexuality.Rev Dr Andrew Katay,Senior Minister,Christ Church Inner West Anglican Community

Daniel Cash is correct in saying Jesus did not avoid pariahs. However,he neglects to mention that each of the people he met went away changed. The tax collector vowed to stop taking more than he should,the woman caught in adultery was told to “go and sin no more”. His purpose was not to support their current lifestyle but to change them so they lived according to God’s law.Taso Vouzakis,North Epping

Daniel Cash has clearly and succinctly exposed the absurdity of the attitude and beliefs of the Presbyterian Church and its edict on sex. This rigid and illogical stance is so out of touch with current community values that the Church is in danger of making itself irrelevant in the eyes of an increasing majority of our population. There is a tolerant,inclusive and bright future for us all if the leaders of the future generation are of his ilk.Robert Hickey,Green Point

Daniel Cash has exposed in a most enlightening manner what stuffy,close-minded people in high places in religion wish to impose on others. I applaud his highlighting of the invasion of one’s privacy in an area they have no right to know. This young man shows that respectful and logical argument is the way to tear down the walls of prejudice and contrived piety. I wish him well.Michael Doumani,Randwick

Memo to the Presbyterian Church;this is what true Christian leadership looks like. Powerfully and well-spoken,young man.Des Mulcahy,Orange

Price’s appointment could be Dutton’s biggest mistake yet

In elevating Jacinta Nampijinpa Price to federal shadow spokeswoman for Indigenous Affairs,Peter Dutton may have made one of his greatest mistakes yet. He clearly believes that the appointment will assist the Coalition’s prosecution of the No vote (“No campaign champion,from limelight to shadow ministry”,April 19). Maybe so;any distraction from his own blunt approach would be welcome. However,if he expects Price to slavishly toe the party line as he expects of other shadow ministers,he may be disappointed. Only time will tell. Meanwhile,one can only hope that common sense will prevail and slowly those Australians still undecided will reach the conclusion to vote with humanity and deliver a resounding Yes.Donna Wiemann,Balmain

Dutton probably thinks he’s hit the jackpot getting Price into the shadow Indigenous Affairs position (“One-note Voice strategy sends opposition on downward spiral”,April 19). But has he? People are sick of the divide and conquer tactic and the last election result proved it. So what does the No-alition have to offer as a solution to Indigenous disadvantage? We know the roll-call of criticism – too bureaucratic,too many elites,too many feathering their own nest. What are they offering as an alternative?Dorin Suciu,Eleebana

Isn’t it obvious that Dutton is a Labor Party plant put in place to destroy the Liberals (“Dutton’s standing with voters at record low”,April 19)?Jack Amond,Cabarita

Your lead story (Dutton’s Voter Appeal Falls to Record Low) suggests it might be the salesman that is the problem for the Coalition. No matter how he tries,Dutton cannot sell a product that the majority of Australians want to buy.Greg Phillipson,Aranda (ACT)

If Peter Dutton wants to gain the approval of the majority of the electorate then he needs to move away from the appearance that he leads the “No-alition”. I would also suggest that if this term was around when Tony Abbott was opposition leader he wouldn’t have made it to the lodge.Eric Sekula,Turramurra

In the campaign for recognition of Indigenous people in the Constitution can we be clear on one thing (Letters, April 19)? Recognition is of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ status as first people of this country,not their race. This is simply recognition of a historical fact.
More than 60,000 years must be recognised and attempts to muddy the waters with talk about race-based hierarchies should be dismissed as misinformation by campaigners,journalists,politicians and letter writers.Susan Lindsay,Marrickville

Sly fox finally admits dishonesty

A pity this was settled outside court. We were all denied the opportunity of seeing Fox and their presenters walk back their own words on the US election,and perhaps a slim chance that their shrill base might be finally convinced that Donald Trump lost (“Fox admits to lies about Dominion,settles case for $1.17 billion”,smh.com.au,April 19). On second thoughts,probably not.Dilhara Gonsalkorale,Glebe

After Fox Corp and Fox News settled a defamation lawsuit by Dominion Voting Systems for $1.17 billion,Fox asserted:“This settlement reflects Fox’s continued commitment to the highest journalistic standards”. High journalistic standards? It brings to mind a quote by Richard Dawkins from his bookThe Magic of Reality:How We Know What’s Really True:“Myths are fun,as long as you don’t confuse them with the truth”.Vince Scoppa,Tennyson Point

The embarrassing revelations that Fox hosts and executives recognised how obscene were their Dominion lies further prove that the American right has created a beast they can no longer control (“Fox News faces trial of the century”,April 18). Ten years ago,American conservatives may have believed they controlled their base. Today,the base controls them. That much is clear from the Republican elite’s inability to consign a violent insurrectionist to the pages of history. The party will nominate that very man,or the next best thing (Ron DeSantis),for president in 2024,and there will be no winner. The question now is not whether the party will move beyond Trump,but is the US ready to kill the Republican Party for good? Political parties have died in the past,and if today’s Republican Party does,the conservative media will only have themselves to blame.Finlay Ferris,Coogee

Who’s contributing to Rupert’s GoFundMe campaign?Richard Andersen,Beverly Hills

Extend theatre run

It is such a great shame that the powers that be,controlling the future of Sydney’s nightlife,can’t see the desperately needed potential of breathing life into the old Metro-Minerva theatre in Kings Cross (“Strife is a cabaret,say opponents of theatre melodrama”,April 19). New life,as a 1000-seat performing arts venue,is what is desperately required.
This old theatre,once a vibrant part of Sydney’s theatre scene,has sat wallowing in indecision for far too long. It is an absolute art deco treasure of a building. It needs to be respected as such,and carefully returned to this city’s sadly lacking theatre spaces. New cabarets,bars and office towers can be built anywhere,anytime,but this fabulous old structure is actually still sitting there,crying out for a helping hand to reinvention.Greg Vale,Kiama

Flying low

I don’t care what they call the Western Sydney airport,as long as it’s not “aerotropolis” (Letters,April 19).Richard Mason,Newtown

Snakes on planes

The Qantas planes from the California desert - the new Red Rattlers (“Dust off:No snakes on these planes”,April 19).Doug Walker,Baulkham Hills

Dam good idea

Well done to the NSW government for cancelling plans to raise Warragamba Dam (“‘A big weight off the shoulders’:Warragamba Dam wall raising shelved”,smh.com.au,April 19). Yes,the flooding of the Penrith valley area needs a solution,but raising the dam level ignores the inflows from all the tributaries downstream from the dam. There is no quick and easy answer.Marjie Williamson,Blaxland

Bank transfer

The review of the Reserve Bank emanates from a view that,prior to the pandemic,the bank ran monetary policy too tightly (“Chalmers seeks bipartisan support for RBA reforms”,April 18). There are people,some of whose hand has been greatly strengthened by the change in government,who believe the bank could have and should have run policy designed primarily to achieve full employment. Now,with fiscal and monetary policy greatly expansive over the last few years,we have full employment;there are more vacant jobs than jobseekers. That’s the good news. However,achievement has been associated with additional general price inflation,hurting mostly those already struggling;house prices have risen and rents have rocketed. Not all this can be sheeted home to the bank;it should not be on trial. Central banking should be in the dock. It has evolved without a strong foundation and performance has bordered on pathetic. The more appropriate line of enquiry is whether we (and others) really need a central bank.Mike Bush,Port Macquarie

Clean victory

At last,some excellent news:the federal government will impose fuel efficiency standards to encourage uptake of electric and other clean vehicles (“Albanese government to impose mandatory pollution caps on cars to drive electric vehicle uptake”,smh.com.au,April 19). Keep the good news coming,prime minister,the climate crisis now has an adversary in Australia,after decades of damaging politics.Barry Laing,Castle Cove

Choose words carefully

I find it somewhat irritating that all levels of government and some of the media refer to affordable and social housing in the same breath (Letters,April 19). They are surely two totally different aspects of one of our major problems. Social housing refers to government-provided housing for those who do not have the financial means to purchase some sort of housing for themselves. Affordable housing refers to housing that is affordable to buy at reduced cost for such people as teachers,nurses and firemen who are paid at notoriously low rates. These professional men and women are capable of paying a mortgage,but of a lesser amount than some others in society. Inequality and lack of worth is rampant in Australia,but let’s not further muddy the problem by misusing simple terminology in the housing debate.Joanna van Kool,Crows Nest

Life savers

Correspondents may be interested to know that 28,217 people risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust and World War II (Letters,April 19). These people are honoured and remembered in the Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations at Yad Vashem,The World Holocaust Remembrance Centre,in Jerusalem,Israel.Alexis Lander,Kensington

Bright side

I’m happy that Melbourne is again ahead of Sydney;they’ve always looked down on us anyway (“Melbourne’s bigger but we can be greater,can’t we?”,April 19). And if more people move there,I might get a parking spot in Enmore or Coogee.Vann Cremer,Auburn

Anzac confusion

I also encountered a bit of eastern suburbs’ puzzlement over Sydney bridges (Letters,April 19). I was explaining to my students that I lived in Russell Lea,“You know,just over the Anzac Bridge”. Genuine confusion followed as one queried,“Is there a bridge on Anzac Parade?”Jennifer Leaver,Russell Lea

New prayer

Note to the devout:grace before meals should now include a nod of gratitude to the Inmarsat-41 satellite (“Satellite failure stops tractors in their tracks”,April 19).Megan Brock,Summer Hill

Legalise it

Legalising cannabis has demonstrable tax and health benefits,and reduces the legal risk to otherwise law-abiding citizens. Minns was right the first time (“Minns once argued for legalised cannabis”,April 19).Colin Stokes,Camperdown

The digital view

Online comment from one of the stories that attracted the most reader feedback yesterday onsmh.com.au
Albanese government to impose mandatory pollution caps on cars to drive electric vehicle uptake
Fromused tupperware salesperson:″⁣Great idea,but the infrastructure isn’t up to scratch and you have to wait for at least 12 months to get an electric car.″⁣