New Zealand Listener - October 13, 2018

4 LISTENER OCTOBER 13 2018

LETTERS D0CTOR WHO?!Jodie Whittaker takes control of the Tardis

AT A GALLOP Stacy Gregg’s Viking horse adventure

OCTOBER 6-12 (^2018) WWW.NOTED.CO.NZ
Fresh thinking on the
heart benefits of
milk, cheese
& butter
IS DAIRY STILL
SCARY?
CAPITAL GAINS TAXJane Clifton on those three little
words that terrify Kiwis
SURPRISING NEW GLOBAL RESEARCH
FAREWELL FAITHdangerous, help is at handWhen rejecting religion is
myths that have been spun by
ideologically driven sectors.
For example, the tenet
that New Zealand’s vegeta-
tion evolved in the absence
of browsing animals has been
used to demonise introduced
herbivores such as possums,
deer, tahr and chamois, despite
the views of ecologists such as
Graeme Caughley.
Yet, around that myth
bureaucracies have been
spawned within government
departments and ad hoc agen-
cies such as the Animal Health
Board, now Operational Solu-
tions for Primary Industries
(OSPRI).
So was born the Predator
Free 2050 dream. Predators are
not necessarily evil. Predators
have existed as long as there
has been life. The herbivore
moa – numbering several mil-
lion, according to Caughley

• were preyed on by the haast
  eagle. Similarly, the extinct
  adzebill was also a predator.
  New Zealand’s ecosystem is
  no different from any other
  where herbivores browse
  vegetation and predator-prey
  relationships abound.
  To ny O r m a n
  (Marlborough)

Russell Garbutt’s point (Let-

ters, October 6) that the first

human visitation to New

Zealand occurred around 1250-

1300 is supported by most

Fundamentals

of faith

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It takes courage for the media

to investigate religious issues

(“At the end of faith”, October

6). Likewise, it takes bravery

for adherents to confront the

trauma of leaving Islam. Their

punishment for apostasy may

include death, family harass-

ment and social ostracism.

The power of disciplined

introspection (Why am I

reciting something I don’t

understand?) and critical

reasoning is evident among

ex-Muslims who reject dogma.

David Whitehead

(Hamilton)

Fundamentalism in any of its

many forms should not be

confused with decent religion

or living faith.

A Muslim hafiz who could

recite the Koran from memory,

presumably in Arabic, while

understanding none of it, is a

case in point. It is paralleled

by Christians who turn the

Bible into a literally infal-

lible holy book, and are in

denial of science or serious

literary criticism or plain

history. Silly shallow super-

stitions are another form of

fundamentalism.

Whether it is Islam or Chris-

tianity, Judaism, Buddhism or

Hinduism, it needs to be intel-

ligent and rationally taught.

Otherwise it is a cult, and these

days is swiftly seen as such.

The proper response to any

cult that limits, dictates or

controls, however hallowed or

welded to the family culture,

is to leave it. Clear spiritual

air lies beyond, and much

freedom.

For God to be credible,

moreover, God’s followers need

to have renounced violence,

sectism and racism. Living

faith is intelligent faith. It is

marked by humility, openness

to difference and hospitality,

and is sustained by love.

Ross Miller

(Algies Bay, Warkworth)

CONFESSION TIME

The October 6 Editorial’s high-

lighting of the hypocrisy of the

Catholic priesthood only falls

short in neglecting to mention

the murderous cruelty inflicted

by the church over centuries

upon the indigenous popula-

tions of the Americas, Africa,

India and the Philippines.

It does, however, stand

out as one of the truest and

bravest statements of what has

always seemed to me to be the

obvious explanation for their

appalling behaviour.

Peter Rodriguez

(Whanganui)

CGT OBSTACLE COURSE

Before introducing a capital

gains tax, the Government

should learn from the experi-

ence of the UK. Many changes

have been make to its tax,

brought in in 1965, as a result

of unforeseen problems, litiga-

tion and avoidance schemes.

It is only fair for tax to be

assessed on gains on dis-

posal of investment property

and shares quoted on stock

exchanges, which should not

require much administration.

The real problem will arise

in assessing tax on the sale of

business interests, especially

in valuing unquoted shares,

which is an imprecise art that

can result in the net yield

being reduced by admin costs.

Gordon Edwards

(Milford, Auckland)

LIFEANDDEATH MATTERS

I thank Dame Jenny Gibbs for

her public support of assisted

dying (Shelf Life, September

29). People of influence are of

enormous value to any pro-

gressive movement.

In Australia, three experi-

enced doctors stunned the

nation late last month when

they appeared on 60 Minutes

and revealed they had helped

a number of desperately ill

patients to die.

Western Australia is likely

to introduce an assisted-dying

bill, similar to that of the state

of Victoria, early next year, fol-

lowing the recommendations

of a select committee of its

state Parliament. There is 88%

voter support for it.

Ann David

(Waikanae)

ECOLOGICAL MYTHS

The “Exotic paradise” article

that was part of Sally Blundell’s

“All shook up” (September

29) cover story brings to mind

The winner receives a garden

starter hamper from Yates

to mark National Gardening

Week from October 15-22.

Letter of the week