Columnist ‘ignorant’ about the Bible’s meaning

WHAT a shame Joe Bennett (ODT, 9.4.20) only knows the first line of the Bible and is ignorant of its meaning.

Had he read on, he would have been encouraged to show kindness to his neighbours and to love his neighbour as himself. Sadly, he wrote a very tasteless opinion piece about his global neighbours.

This is not the time to gloat about the good fortune of being in New Zealand by illustrating the misfortunes of other countries, and damning their citizens to the consequences of choices for the most outside their control.

New Zealand is a multinational country, and many of us have loved ones overseas whose safety is a serious concern. Jacinda Ardern is repeatedly urging us to be kind to each other. Let’s extend that beyond our borders.

And let us not be complacent about our ‘‘sense of unity, of communal will’’: staff abuse in Countdown supermarkets has gone up 600fold since lockdown, suggesting there is room for improvement.

I. and M. Doesburg

Kaikorai

REGARDING Joe Bennett's article (ODT, 9.4.20), the Bible starts with ‘‘In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth’’. What you quoted, ‘‘In the beginning was the word’’, comes from the first chapter of the Gospel of John in the New Testament. If you substitute ‘‘the word’’ whenever it appears in this chapter for the name

Jesus you will then understand what it means. The Bible doesn't mention the word lucky but I am sure if you can get one and read it you will be blessed. Valerie Smith

Naseby

Easter bliss

WHAT a glorious and peaceful Good Friday we had.

The autumn sun was shining on happy Dunedinites enjoying their beautiful neighbourhoods: walking, running, biking on near empty roads and scenic harbour pathways. No vehicle noise, no smelly exhausts — lockdown staycation in Dunedin at its best.

Ulla Reymann

Sunshine