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There seems to be a spate of robberies around Dehiwela and Wellawatta.
Recent newsreports indicate school children getting involved with thugs
and robbers. As much as this should shock us, it should also make the
people wake up to the reality that it’s all our fault - the fault of the
present older generation.
Our younger generation has too much of a burden, too much of freedom.
The education system is very competitive, exam-oriented that no child
whatever school he/she goes to, can do without tuition.
After the exhaustive studies, the children seek solace in drinking,
free intermingling of sexes and drugs to boot. Specially after the major
G.C.E. exams our schools do not have a curriculum for these children
till the results come.
On the other hand, the parents have got so addicted to the TV,
computer and the rat race of making ends meet - that they have no time
for the children.
In the name of ‘freedom’ they have abandoned their responsibility of
supervising and guiding the children.
Even with the knowledge that the young teens are tempted with drugs,
sex and gambling, the parents of today’s world have not come forward to
curb the trend in anyway. The peer pressure of the children’s friends
seem to be excuse enough for the parents to abandon their
responsibility.
Another important reason for our youngsters to get used to drugs, the
gun culture and the ‘fast life’ is due to the fact that they are no
decent places for them to spend their leisure time.
There are no places for healthy games - unlike in the villages, where
can a city youngster go after school to spend a refreshing hour?
Nowhere, except the casinos, computer games centers and parties.
Everywhere the youngsters go is replete with sex, drugs, discos,
gambling etc. The so called leaders are setting a horrendous example to
the youth.
When the youngsters are bombarded with what every politician and
other social leaders are doing by means of cheating, thuggery, murder
and seem to be getting away with it scot free, the youth can hardly be
blamed for following suit.
They think there is ‘glory’ in thuggery and intimidation. They also
know you can get away practically and literally with murder if only you
have little influence - which is not hard to come by, with a little
greasing of the right hands.
It’s time the parents took charge. It’s time we set up some decent
‘clubs’ where the children have clean fun with a few parents’
supervision.
It’s time we told the children 10 p.m. is the latest they can stay
out. It’s time we reduced the burden of their education by insisting
better teaching in school and changing the exam-oriented competitive
curriculum - rather the child must be judged on their ability and guided
to a suitable career early in life.
Tall, tall orders - true but if we don’t guide the teens of today -
the adults of tomorrow, they will turn around and curse us - the parents
of today.
Dr. MAREENA THAHA REFFAI –
Dehiwela
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Large crowds gathering is a common sight at the entrance of the
Indian embassy to get visas.
People who wish to go to India for personal matters, business
matters, medical treatment, educational matters, religious matters have
to submit their visa applications with the relevant documents to the
embassy on working days before 12 noon.
So therefore, most of the people joining the queue early in the
morning ie., 4 a.m. They have to wait till 10 a.m. in the queue on Galle
Road beside the boundary wall of the embassy to enter the premises.
Most of the time the queue was continued two parallel ways up to the
Galle Face green.
Due to this unpleasant situation specially elderly people, mothers
and small children face a lot of difficulties waiting for a long time in
the queue.
However the embassy management has realised this unpleasant situation
after 3-4 years and has implemented a new procedure which is convenient
to the visa applicants.
According to the current formula, visa applicants have to call over
at the counter to get a date for submission of visa application.
On that day visa applications could be placed to the visa section
without waiting for a long period in the queue.
After the interview and the payment of visa fees, passports will be
issued at 4.30 p.m. on the same day. I go to the Indian embassy
regularly for the visa matters of my employer and now know what people
went through over the past three to four years in order to obtain a
visa.
Anyway, now most of the visa applicants thank the embassy management
for the new procedure which is helpful and convenient to the public.
GUNAPALA WICKRAMAARACHCHI
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The other day at a check point the police officer, while perusing my
NIC questioned the driver of the hiring cab in which I was travelling,
whether I was known to him and where he picked me.
The driver happened to be well acquainted with me as I used his cab
quite often. So he answered in the affirmative. But he made a blunder in
telling the officer that I work at a bank in Colpetty.
As a matter of fact I do not work at the bank. My office is located
in the same premises of the Bank but in one of the upper floors.
Thereupon, the officer asked me which bank, what branch etc. This
confusion would not have occurred, if the officer had asked me in the
first instance. Moreover, what if the driver had not known me?
I am a respectable senior citizen and it hurts me to think that the
police sought the testimony of a driver - which in the instant case was
partly incorrect - and not take the answer from the person’s concerned.
I feel the police on duty at check points need training in the art of
questioning to get true answers without throwing their weight about to
embarrass the citizens.
AN AGONISED CITIZEN –
Wattala
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I like to clarify some questions raised by Tuan Riza Rassool in the
Daily News of February 12.
John the Baptist testifies that Jesus is the Son of God (John 1;34).
We are told in Luke 9;35, “A voice came out of the cloud saying ‘This is
my Beloved Son. Hear Him’”. This same voice was heard by men, as written
in Mark 1;11.
The most significant reference to Jesus being the only begotten Son
of God is in the most famous passage namely John 3;16, where Jesus
Himself says (about Himself).
“For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
The Bible is not a book to be read and understood in terms of worldly
intellectualism.
Passages that deal with this aspect is in I Corinthians Chapter 1,
verse 18 to Chapter 2, verse 16.
These passages say “For the message of the cross (of Jesus on
Calvary) is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are
being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy
the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the
prudent”.
Verse 22 says “For Jews request a sign and Greeks (all non-Jews) seek
after wisdom. But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling
block and to the Greeks (non-Jews) foolishness”.
Verse 25 of this Chapter says “For the foolishness of God is wiser
than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men”. In Chapter 2,
Verse 5 we are told that “your faith should not be in the wisdom of men
but in the power of God”.
With regard to the genealogy of Jesus, it must be understood that His
genealogy is from eternity to eternity.
He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. There
should be no doubts about the authenticity of the Bible.
The Apostle Paul says in I Corinthians Ch. 14, verse 33 “For God is
not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the
saints”. Jesus Himself say, in John 8; 58, “Before Abraham was, I AM”.
However, to take the point raised by Rassool, in the Book of Mathew,
Chapter 1, Verse 17, we are told that “the generations from Abraham to
David are fourteen, from David to (Babylonian) captivity fourteen and
from captivity to Christ, fourteen, a total of forty two.
In the Book of Luke, forty two generations can be counted from David
to Jesus. In this regard, if Rassool can please state more specifically
where there is confusion, I am sure I, or someone from the wide
readership of the Bible and the Daily News can provide answers.
Likewise, as far as the names are concerned it is likely that the
writer was inspired to use the surnames or first names in the different
Gospels.
I will look at this more closely in due course and clarify.
Referring to Rassool’s point regarding Psalm 2, Verse 7, this
particular Psalm is not ascribed to David.
Most of the Psalms are in fact ascribed to David, but not Psalm 2.
It may have been written by Asaph, Korah, Moses or even Solomon. In
any event, the writer is making a prophetic declaration about the
Messiah (Jesus) yet to be born.
The Old Testament has several Prophecies concerning the birth, life,
the (type) of death, burial and the resurrection of the Messiah. In
fact, I have not read anywhere in the Bible where the Lord God refers to
David as His Son, only as “My anointed”, “My servant”, “The apple of My
eye” etc.
Finally, I and others like me who are ‘born again’ (John 3; 3-7 and I
Peter 1;23), have formed a deep, personal relationship with the Lord
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, who in obedience to His
Father went to the cross for the redemption of our sins.
Therefore, Christianity is not a ‘religion’ to us. It is a total
commitment and a way of life. In John 10; 27 - 30, Jesus Himself say “My
sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me”.
The Holy Bible clearly teaches us that the omnipotent, omniscient and
omnipresent triune Godhead is present as the Father, Son and Holy
Spirit. This is very clear to anyone who reads the Bible and wait on the
Lord for a revelation.
KUMARA SOYSA
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Let me first commend D.M.P.B. Dissanayake (DN Jan. 17) for his
excellent piece of writing on the wisdom of animal slaughter. His
balanced approach is refreshing from the beaten path of radical
idealism, prejudices and innuendoes.
I am writing this letter to correct an error.
Dissanayake said that there are no restrictions on eating meat
according to Buddhism and Christianity unlike in Islam and Hinduism.
This is not totally correct.
In Buddhism, there are restrictions as to what type of meats you can
eat: the flesh of human beings, elephants, horses, dogs, snakes, lions,
tigers, leopards, bears and hyenas (panthers).
In Christianity, the Bible says: “And the pig......it is unclean for
you.
You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are
unclean for you.” (Leviticus, 11: 7-8) True compassion starts with
understanding other’s views.
Dissanayake’s ability to navigate the minefield of this sensitive
subject with simplicity and common sense is admirable.
TUAN RIZA RASSOOL –
USA
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The other day as I was passing by, noted some small clay curd pots
about three inches in diameter.
I dropped into the stall and enquired about the prices. It was almost
the price of a small cup of yoghurt commonly sold, but almost twice the
content which if necessary could be obtained with a top up of treacle,
if one desires to consume in the premises.
I thought that this is an excellent idea which should be promoted
instead of plastic cups. The container is environment friendly and
income for local clay product producers.
May be not so stylish in appearance but economical in size even to
store in a fridge.
I hope that one day this will replace the plastic yoghurt cup, where
the contents get smaller and the price gets bigger.
Eat sensibly, spend wisely and live environment friendly.
D.P.Y. ABEYWARDHANA -
Nawala
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