Letters, May 23 2104

When I read of the proposal to supply passengers getting off the trains with bikes, I honestly thought it was an April Fool joke, then I realised that it wasn’t April 1. As much as I admire those brave cyclists who nearly give us heart attacks on a regular basis, as they weave in and out of the traffic, do we really want to encourage more of the same?

Also where are they supposed to ride to in order to enjoy the sights as the majority of the town is pedestrianised and there are few cycle lanes? Will they also be issued with safety helmets?

I seem to remember reading that a similar scheme was tried elsewhere but abandoned as the bikes kept getting nicked.

PAULINE LYNCH

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Lady on crutches made to wait

I witnessed a No 8 bus arrive at Marram Drive in Caister. An old lady, on crutches, was made to wait five minutes until the driver decided to open the doors. Was he changing over for the Paget route? No. Was he checking the bus? No. He was reading a newspaper.

This has happened before, when the driver was chatting on his mobile, whilst lounging on the back seat.

There is no seat or shelter, at this stop. Mind at least he wasn’t grumpy.

DAVE HUMSBY

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Do I need to get more stones?

I read Mr Barkhuizen’s latest letter with great interest (May 16). As he evidently believes we should all be living our lives strictly according to the bible, perhaps he could clear up some questions for me:

1) My niece is living with a man out of wedlock, therefore will clearly not be a virgin at her wedding to him. Do I have to wait until the wedding takes place to stone her to death (Deut 22, v20-21) or can it be done now?

2) My son does not always do what I tell him. Is it really necessary for me to get all the men of the community together to stone him to death (Deut 21 v18-21), or will close family and friends be enough?

3) My mother, a churchwarden, insists on speaking aloud in church (1 Corinth.14, v34-35). Can I, as her daughter, tell her how disgraceful she is being, or would that make me liable to be stoned along with my son?

4) Some time ago, my family and I were having dinner at a restaurant when we were served by a waiter who was quite clearly and unashamedly homosexual. Should we have put him to death straight away (Lev. 20, v13) or waited until after he gave us our bill?

5) A slave would be useful around the house, and I understand I’m allowed to take foreign nationals in slavery (Lev 25, v44). Does that include other nations in the UK, such as the Scots? How about members of the Commonwealth, as they have the same monarch as we do? And if the Scots vote for independence, will that then make them count as foreigners?

I await Mr Barkhuizen’s reply with interest (and some anxiety, as I really don’t know if I’ve got enough stones in my rockery.

LOIS CROWE

Low Road

Rollesby

Diaries recorded Christian rise

I must, and do, take issue with Derek Brown’s fanciful imaginings that appear not too far removed from his near namesake Dan Brown, the best selling author of fiction very cleverly weaved to appear as fact.

Equally, Derek Brown’s fanciful imaginings of the origin of the story of Christ’s crucifixion, is somewhat disinvested of the facts. There were numerous first century secular diarists who recorded the Christian phenomena, testifying to that which was most commonly spoken of at the time. There is also the undisputed evidence pre-dating the event by various prophets and also foretold in the psalms.

There was no fewer than 25 Old Testament prophecies on the ‘future’ death by crucifixion of The Christ and the Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled no fewer than 44- messianic prophecies written between BC 1400-400.

As for the celebration of Easter, its origins are far more complicated than Derek Brown contends: The fixing of the celebration of Easter on a Sunday appears to have occured in Palestine around AD190. Palestine is on a different seasonal plane to England. It is not the start of spring and neither is Christmas anywhere near the shortest day.

Previously, Christians observed Easter on the fourteenth day of Nisan, irrespective what day of the week that happened to be as from an older tradition, the day on which the Jews were commanded to sacrifice the lamb, should be observed as the feast of the life-giving Pasch. The Churches in the rest of the world observed the practice, which from apostolic tradition, has prevailed to the present time and of terminating the pre-paschal fast on no other day than on that of the Resurrection of our Saviour.

Nice try Mr Brown, I wait with eager longing for the book!

ROGER HAYES

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Gorleston prom now a car park

Sunday last was the perfect day for a stroll to our beautiful beach in Gorleston; I am sad to say the outing was partly a disappointment.

The promenade had been turned into a car park. What had been a safe place to walk children or grandchildren or to teach them to rollerskate or ride their bike or scooter was now no different to the general free-for-all we see in all the other places allocated to the motor car.

On Sunday I saw two near accidents in the promenade area and it can only be a matter of time before a child is injured there or worse.

The message we are getting from most authorities and agencies, intent on improving our well being, is to get out of your car with your children and walk more. The clear message from those in authority over Gorleston Promenade is “We’ll take away the area you used for safe exercise and give it to car drivers who don’t want to walk far to get to the beach - and if a couple of kids get hurt in the meantime so be it.”

PETER GREENING

Pier Plain

Gorleston

Pet dogs should never be off lead

I was very distressed to read about the attack on poor poodle Noodle, May 16. Many years ago, I used to have a similar problem when I had two dogs. Each lived to nearly 15 years old but were always pestered by some idiot with a loose dog.

I never ever let my dogs loose anywhere, not even in the park. A lot of these incidents happened on various holiday parks around the country and although there were signs asking people to keep dogs on leads there were always those who ignored them. I believe all dogs should be on leads everywhere except their own gardens and homes.

I hope Noodle make a marvellous recovery and I wish him and his owner a long and happy life, and I agree wholeheartedly that all owners who let their dogs attack other dogs and people should be heavily punished.

LINDA CHOULES

Trinity Avenue,

Gorleston

Seagull’s nest eggs were shot

Today I watched a marksman armed with an air rifle shoot the eggs of gulls nesting on the roof of J H Bunns fertiliser centre based at South Denes Road; this was necessary, apparently, to control what had become a messy and costly nuisance.

The irony of this leaves me almost speechless, since Bunns moved to the old Birds Eye facility they have frequently spilled product on the public highway, it is not only messy but as my local garage will testify also costly…where does one get a gun licence?

FRED JARROLD

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Missionaries not sent by God

Thanks to Mr Brown and Dr Pretty for their letters in reply to mine. To pick up on two points in Dr Pretty’s letter... First, astonishingly, he says to gain converts “Christian missionaries” had to include existing pagan practices, such as Easter! No, these “missionaries” (an office not in the Bible), like many church leaders today, were not sent by God.

And sadly, this mixing of light with darkness is still common in the professing church. To draw unbelievers, many who say they are Christians claim the church should be like the wider community. Food and fun should play a big role, and “worship music” should have electric guitars and drums, “Christian rock” – to attract the youth and swell the numbers.

But, writing to the Corinthian church, the apostle Paul says: “What fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? ... And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?” (2 Cor. 6:14–16).

And secondly, Dr Pretty says “christening” is another term for “baptism”. Wrong! The Anglicans christen infants, who don’t know what’s being done to them.

However, in the New Testament (God’s) church, baptism always comes after being sorry for one’s sin, not the other way around. Only people who have decided to follow Jesus and stop sinning are “baptised”. Infants can’t believe or repent, and they go to heaven – if they die before they grow older and know what’s sinful to God (Matthew 18:3, 10).

“But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptised” (Acts 8:12). And Jesus says: “He who believes and is baptised will be saved” (Mark 16:16).

E BARKHUIZEN

Albemarle Road

Gorleston

You’re welcome to join Lib-Dems

Please advise your readership that the Liberal Democrats fielded a regional candidate who is long-standing MEP Andrew Duff. The party still has 26 members in Great Yarmouth and if any of them in forthcoming local elections want to put their name forward to become candidates they would be most welcome.

We are hoping to have a Parliamentary candidate at the next general election who can galvanise the local party into action, standing up for social justice and fairness. The Liberal Democrats may be in coalition with the Conservatives in central government and in the Rainbow Coalition at county hall but we still have our distinctive message especially on Europe where we are the only political party who says that leaving the EU would jeopardise many UK jobs and indeed its whole economy.

Leaving is not a viable option.

NICHOLAS M DYER

Southtown Road,

Great Yarmouth

Perhaps I should get out more

Header: Heaving Cleavages. Spotting a stork on the Acle Straight (Letters, May 16) is one thing and I know that I should get out more, but I spotted no fewer than nine pairs of that other bird in last week’s paper.

Another breakfast ruined.

MIKE SPRAGG

Collingwood Road,

Great Yarmouth

Nursing home is not a bad home

I read with amazement the story regarding the wheelchair and a comment on social media that “homes like this should be shut down”. Accidents happen, and appropriate action has been taken and put into place.

CQC visit these places as they do hospitals, meaning that standards have to be met.

The truth of the matter is that The Heathers Nursing Home is not a bad home.

My father, who sadly died in March this year, was in this home and we could not have wished for better care for him.

When he went into the home he had many bruises to his arms, and with a very short life expectancy.

However, due to the fantastic care he received in The Heathers, his bruises soon disappeared and he was with us for a further 10 months. For which we are truly grateful to them for.

BARBARA PEACE

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At last, misery will be no more

Thanks to Ron Tylor for his support in last week’s Mercury regarding my letter about noise on Belton’s Bell Lane Playing Field. At last we do have a solution.

On Thursday last week approximately 20 residents attended a meeting at Moorlands School, Belton.

Councillor Barry Stone and parish council chairman John Rudrum both promised us the teenager’s fibreglass shelter would be removed from the playing field.

It was admitted promises were made in the past to resolve the noise and nuisance situation. Apart from patrols by the local PCSOs, who do an excellent job, nothing has happened.

The congregation of undesirable youths, the swearing, vandalism and noise they cause has gone on and on for the last eight years and has steadily got worse.

It has been obvious to residents who live in such close proximity to the playing field that the only solution is to remove this structure, then the troublemakers have nowhere to gather.

The field will then be left for the civilised young children, pleasant teenagers, their parents and dog walkers to use.

At last commonsense has prevailed and the constant misery that blights our homes during this lovely time of year will be no more. Our lives will then return to the peaceful tranquility that first drew us to Belton.

Thank you Belton Parish Council.

JEAN SAMUELS

Belton

Another betting shop in town?

As a resident of almost 68 years, and during this time calling the local council a number of names, among them sneaky, duplicitous and undemocratic, it seems I can now add another to this list.

A few short weeks ago this paper reported how the council had turned down an application for a second betting shop for the company William Hill in the Market Place.

The reason given I believe, was the position ie Market Place, and the fact there was in councillors’ view enough of these type of shops in town.

So imagine my surprise on Tuesday, while crossing Regent Road, to see the former burger shop known as George’s being turned into, you’ve guessed it a bookmakers, Paddy Power.

Not only is this new shop next door to an existing one (Corals) but within 20 to 30 yards walking distance of three others. Is it just our council being its usual contrary self? Whatever, it would suggest such a decision has paved the way for a successful appeal by said company for their second shop. It will be interesting to hear the council’s explanation of this decision

DAVID HUDSON

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Come along and meet our guides

I would like to invite anyone who has ever been a member of the 22nd Great Yarmouth Guide Unit to a Drop In afternoon on Saturday, May 31 at St Paul’s Church Hall, Salisbury Road, Great Yarmouth between 2pm and 5pm to celebrate the unit’s 70th birthday.

There will be activities from past and current Guiding to try your hand at, a cup of tea and time to reminisce as well!

The girls would love to hear your memories of what guiding was like.

DAWN WRIGHT

Unit Guider

These are last words of Jesus

I don’t know why so many people worry about the origins of Easter, Christmas etc.

Jesus’ last words to us were in St Luke 16 15-18: “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned.

“And these signs shall follow them that believe. In my name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them, they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.”

MARGARET KNOWLES

Southtown,

Great Yarmouth