Trump’s gumption
Donald Trump has cancelled his UK visit to cut the ribbon on the new US embassy and good for him. Few politicians today possess Donald Trump’s gumption; he has the gravitas to follow through on his promises, despite mounting public criticism.
The embassy was an Obama project from the beginning, and anyhow why should he subject himself to threats of London protesters? The Queen will welcome him on a future state visit like she has many other controversial world leaders, and I’m sure she wouldn’t miss the dinner table talk for the world.
Trump should really be concentrating on the new US embassy in Jerusalem, apparently built on a former British army barracks site. That is a state visit the Queen has failed to do for over 60 years, obviously due to ‘advice’ from the Foreign Office – notoriously pro-Arab since the failures of the British Mandate in Palestine from 1917–47.
Zechariah states that the nations of the world will all go up to Jerusalem (to visit their embassies?), otherwise they will get no rain. The Queen could still visit Israel; it would be the jewel in her crown.
Colin Nevin
Bangor, Co Down
Chef, Hilton Tel-Aviv, Israel 1991–2002
A Minister for Loneliness isn’t the answer
Following the Jo Cox campaign, the government will be appointing a minister to tackle loneliness, which affects around 9 million people in the UK (mainly elderly and disabled adults).
Yet government underfunding for adult services is creating more loneliness, while this new appointment gives the appearance of the government doing more than it actually is.
Before budgets were slashed, council day centres used to offer older people somewhere to have a cup of tea and chat, while keeping warm in winter.
Reinstating the ‘Meals on Wheels’ services could also keep many frail older people out of A&E in winter by keeping an informal eye on them.
Meanwhile, all over the country churches are working hard to reach the lonely, putting on lunch clubs and afternoon activities, all paid for by church members and run by volunteers who are often retired themselves.
I work with the Pilgrim’s Friend Society and a survey we sent to over 200 churches revealed that “tackling loneliness” posed an even greater pastoral challenge than dementia. So in March we are holding a large conference at Romford Baptist Church, where a speaker will describe a befriending programme run by various churches that has attracted the cooperation of social services and the local police.
Isn’t this the kind of proven project the government should be funding?
Louise Morse
Pilgrim’s Friend Society
175 Tower Bridge Road
London SE1 2AL
Creation – a rocky question
The creationist position that some Christians cling to harms the Church and makes us look foolish.
Ken Ham claims science cannot explain how polystrate trees were formed and showed a picture of one from a book printed in 1841 explaining how they were formed. The trees grew on land covered by water, and the layers of mud grew as well, until the trees died and were covered; no one said this took millions of years.
As for missing layers of sediment rock, rock layers are formed when the rock is under water. Then these layers are moved above water for a period of time when no layers are added, after which the rock is moved below sea level, and new layers are formed. Surprise surprise, there is a gap in the rock layers. Darwin might not have known about all the species that existed, but that does not matter.
Christopher Munn
Bexhill-on-Sea