Comments for Pray the News

Comment on More mental illness when there is income inequality by Paul

Paul — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 04:57:27 +0000

Take at look at the NZ story of the impacts of inequality, including on our mental health (our rates of mental illness are more than twice those of other more equal countries) at http://www.closertogether.org.nz/ You can sign up to the call to reduce inequality and bring us Closer Together Whakatata Mai - reducing inequality is better for us all.

Comment on Grief the price we pay for love by Ron Sharp

Ron Sharp — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 21:18:39 +0000

Thank you all for these glorious expressions from Spirit of our nation. Here was not only prayer but Eucharist as powerful as the Last Supper.

Comment on Why fishermen become pirates by John Pearce

John Pearce — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 05:20:53 +0000

On the other hand, tolerating piracy against innocent sailors and ignoring the threats to their life and limb isn't exactly caring behaviour either. As to why we have a defence force, I suggest that its primarily to enable us to defend our country, and our interests. I think Mertons assumption is wrong. Soldiers dont assume the enemy is evil and we are good. They do assume that if we don't demonstrate our willing ness to defend what we value, then we increase the trisk that someone will deprive us of it. Like punishment of crime, a defence force exists to deter aggression.

Comment on Imagine a world without evil by Stephanie

Stephanie — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 19:14:20 +0000

Denis, you have written so well about the mystery of the meaning of life. Thank you.

Comment on Why fishermen become pirates by spiritedcrone

spiritedcrone — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 18:58:40 +0000

This resonates with the Wikileaks revelation that the SAS was initially deployed to Afghanistan to protect our butter deals and begs the question about why we have a defense force in the first place. While the PR spin is that they contribute to civic emergencies which they do with magnificent enthusiasm, the central purpose of the military is to apply the maximum amount of force on the enemy. So, following that thought, Somali pirates must now be our enemies. Thomas Merton said,
"Violence rests on the assumption that the enemy and I are entirely
different: the enemy is evil and I am good. The enemy must be
destroyed but I must be saved. But love sees things differently. It
sees that even the enemy suffers from the same sorrows and
limitations that I do. That we both have the same hopes, the same
needs, the same aspirations for peaceful and harmonious human life.
And the death is the same for both of us. Then love may perhaps show
my that my brother is not really my enemy and that war is both his
enemy and mine. War is "our" enemy. Then peace becomes possible."
While I understand that exports are important to our economic survival, deploying the military to protect those interests against people who may well be acting out of an impoverished situation, seems to me to be 'overkill'. Assuming that violence is the answer to our problems has got to be a national dilemma worthy of public discussion.

Comment on Minister reviewing family deportation by NZer

NZer — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 05:51:46 +0000

do overstayers pay taxes?

Comment on SAYING MORE THAN SORRY by Karen Holland

Karen Holland — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 23:52:27 +0000

Thank you James, for your beautiful reflection on a bitter sweet story, as all redeeming stories are.
Karen Holland

Comment on We don’t know our neigbours by Cecily McNeill

Cecily McNeill — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 19:33:48 +0000

Buses are awkward spaces, full of people trying hard to ignore the fact that their personal space has been invaded by the person whose earphones leak heavy metal, or the one who sits too close, or who pollutes the airwaves with a one-sided, loud phone conversation. Moreover, people in transit are often not at their best or most well-mannered towards these sharers of diminishing space. It seems to me this is when we most need manners, or social lubrication, to convey the sense of 'do unto others … ' Only in considering the other do we have a chance to share a smile and discover a neighbour.

Comment on Minister reviewing family deportation by lovee

lovee — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 22:27:29 +0000

As being an Indian but a responsible NZ I would say send them back as they have done illegle act. and how many other overstayers are NZ gonna say live here and we will pay u benefit.

Comment on Minister reviewing family deportation by Amy Barton

Amy Barton — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 00:20:57 +0000

I've set up a Facebook group where you can register your support for the Ram family: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kate-Wilkinson-show…

I'm a (white) 5th generation New Zealander and I don't believe that most New Zealanders want a society devoid of compassion, diversity and understanding. We're all immigrants. Many of us have known hardship, or have ancestors who have.

This family has not sought to hide from immigration. What deception (or lack of full and complete honesty) has occurred has been borne out of a desperate desire for a better future for their children. That desire is human, and transcends race, culture or religion. Let New Zealand not forget its humanity in this case.

Aid begins at home. Kate Wilkinson & John Key would do well to remember this. There is no point in buying votes during an international crisis if you cannot protect KIWI children from debilitating poverty.