Moral Values

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30442, 16 May 1964, Page 12

Moral Values

Sir, —I am thankful to see a correspondence on this subject. What is morality? Have we any real moral values when religious leaders declare it right to drop atomic bombs on innocent people? Our leaders, social, economic, political and religious, have enormous responsibilities, yet they are practically powerless unless backed by enlightened public opinion. Those who seek to change public opinion usually make themselves thoroughly unpopular. There are three issues we try to avoid: sex, drink and religion. Sex is fundamental to this life, a gift of God, only evil when abused. Alcohol is a habitforming poison, as deadly as lead, and who wants to chew bars of lead? No-one ever set out to be a drunkard. Religion is our attitude to the whole of life, hot just to any religious organisation, Christian or otherwise. God help us if real religion ever dies! Our civilisation will die, too.—Yours, etc., MARY THORNE. May 14, 1964.

Sir, —On behalf of that 90 per cent of the population, seldom represented, including the people who use liquor sensibly and many who voluntarily abstain, I wish to congratulate Dean Pyatt on his sound and courageous statepent on the liquor question and other moral issues. The extreme prohibition class are organised to get more than their share of publicity. As prohibition is a dead issue and social drinking is accepted legally and morally throughout the world, their views are rather beside the point. For this reason the only points to be considered are the sensible control of liquor and the best method of educating our youth to face up to the dangers of abuse. I trust Dean Pyatt’s message will have the desired effect.—Yours, etc., ADAM. May 15, 1964.

Sir, —A few years ago a number of women meeting in a group were discussing their experiences of grief. One member, sitting rather apart, listened attentively, and when there was silence said quietly, “I don’t thiiik you really know what grief is. 1 was the mother of a splendid son who became an alcoholic. In a fit of drunken rage he committed a crime, for which he was sentenced to death. As he wished me goodbye for the last time he said, ‘I am so sorry, mother, you gave me that first taste of alcohol’.” Perhaps this could be a lesson or a warning, to mothers, hostesses, and members of the Dominion Youth Forum which recently met.— Yours, etc., A MOTHER. May 14,1964.

Sir, —In view of the reported remarks of the Dean of Christchurch at the New Zealand Youth Forum, it seems right to suppose that, in this instance, he is expressing with some sympathy the voice of the world in the church. He is certainly not representing the voice of the church in the world.—Yours etc., ANGLICAN. May 14, 1964.