Facing Up, or Facing Upwards?

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 41, 31 March 1987, Page 4

Facing Up, or Facing Upwards?

The 'Roper Report' was recently presented to the Government. It contained varied and detailed comments in regard to the law and order issue in our country. Many will become concerned with specific matters because the report will affect them in some way. The danger is that many will see only the branches. but not the tree from which the branches grow. The main thrust of the Roper report is not the individual matters it deals with, but rather the punch line of the report which said that there must be a change of attitude by the public. Perhaps our headline

should emphasise the 'Facing Upwards'; perhaps we should be looking upwards to God to see whether he has any solution to our problems. This is a supposedly Christian country, but according to the Roper report it is not. Lets face up to it. This is not a Christian country even though our parliamentarians give lip service to it by starting their sessions with a Christian prayer. Christianity has been relegated to the obsolete, and therein lies the problem. No doubt much legislation will be introduced, but I wonder if those in authority will consider that legislation as provided by the ten com-

mandments. The first three concern our relationship with God, namely, to worship him, to respect him, and to give time to him. The next seven concern our relationship with other human beings. You must respect other people, and respect their property. Many of the 'so-called experts' who propose solutions to the problems of law and order neglect the God-given advice contained in the commandments. It is time Christians in this country face up to the ten commandments in their own personal lives, and thus lead this country in the called for 'change of attitude.' Father Phil McCormack

S.

M.