The Plain Truth - A Magazine of Understanding

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Letters to the Editor

Please send your letters to plain_truth.uk@wcg.org.uk
Our comments are highlighted in italics

Much more positive

Thanks for printing my letter in the last issue. (I am not one to complain normally…page 4.) It’s good to know you publish negative letters as well as positive ones. It was also interesting how people have different opinions – like your reader from Spain who said he thought the Autumn issue was one of the best he had read.

Your Winter issue is a lot more positive – especially your editorial. Keep up the good work! And I look forward to the next issue.

‘Delighted’ of Tunbridge Wells (a.k.a. Mr RB)

I don’t usually send letters to magazines other than to forward interesting emails with a request for publicity and prayer (and any other support) to be given.
 
On this occasion I felt I had to write and congratulate Gethin Russell-Jones for his fantastic article on prayer in the Winter 2010/Spring 2011 edition of Plain Truth. I think it is fantastic that you published this article and hope that you will publish more articles to bring non-believers to faith and to increase the relationship of believers to God.

Harry S (via email)

Thanks for those positive, much welcomed comments. (Which is the very topic covered by Roy Lawrence.) And also for pointing out that we do in fact have two quite separate types of reader – and therefore not one, but two jobs to fulfil through our articles. To encourage and inform the as yet ‘non-believers’, whilst nurturing and strengthening the many believers in their daily Christian journeys.

Your Editorial awakened memories for me! Back in the late 80s and early 90s I was going through a horrendous period of my life – the consequences of a divorce. In summary: I lost my house, my four young children, my home, my job and worst of all my health.

I must have seen this poem somewhere and it became my mantra; I used to read it virtually every day for years until, by the Grace of God, I came out of the darkness into the light.

After all these years, it still has pride of place in my study as a constant reminder to me to ‘Never give up’ however dark and hopeless things might seem. I think that a deeper message is ‘Never give up hope because God never gives up on you.’

My version is missing your fourth verse – a welcome addition to mine!

Mr BH via e-mail

I have been receiving The Plain Truth for many years and have derived much benefit from reading it. I will be 80 years old in the autumn and have obviously made mistakes throughout the years. But the ‘Good Lord’ has always been there for me – guiding me away from the wrong path and opening up my mind to receive his word and many blessings too.

Although I have lived alone for very many years, this isolation has allowed me to study God’s word and feel closer to him. In this way, I have never really felt – or been – lonely. And The Plain Truth is a beacon of light and hope in a dark and dangerous world. Many thanks for its continued receipt – may God bless you in your endeavours, and provide every need.

Mr MH, Cornwall

Euthanasia – a hot topic

I found the Facebook Discussion Board in the last issue very interesting and the topic of euthanasia in particular. I too am elderly and have been in pain since I was 15 years old.

A friend of mine died in hospital with cancer. In her last hour of life she was screaming out in pain – no relief was forthcoming, despite the assurance that palliative care was available.

I have been a ‘born-again’ Christian for 40 years – and have always believed in euthanasia. And I believe that Jesus believed in it too, simply because the Bible says ‘he gave up the ghost’, meaning he had had enough and gave up the will to live. Everyone knows that if you give up when you are seriously ill, then you will die – and no doctor can save you.

These people who say euthanasia is wrong want to be lying in bed in agony screaming out in pain, with no chance of relief. Then they might change their minds on whether euthanasia is indeed wrong.

Mr DG, Grimsby

Hope – for a just society?

In our last issue, we had a theme of ‘Hope’ running through many of our articles. Here’s how one of our readers commented on the subject:

It is of ‘endings’ that I write. After five years of existence, the charity shop I manage closed in February this year. It was so sad to see our shop team all go their separate ways. The economic situation made it clear that the closure, at the end of our lease, was certain. The economic chaos today has seen so much of this – with more to come I fear.

It is of ‘the common good’ I write. For it is that which we must seek to look to. And if Government put that ‘good’ front and centre, then a ‘just’ society would be the real ‘big society’. Built on social justice and the common good. It is of this ‘hope’ that I write. And it’s ‘hope’ that sustains me. Hope through God.

Mr TM, Colwyn Bay

‘First-breaker’

Thank you for publishing my article in First Break in your last issue of The Plain Truth. I really appreciated Fiona’s editing and comments. The title definitely needed a change, which I realized shortly after posting it off to you. I couldn’t think of anything really suitable – but your solution was just right!

A.J. (Street Pastor)

We’re always pleased to receive submissions for our First Break section of the magazine. And even more delighted when we see our ‘First-breakers’ progress with their writing career and return to The Plain Truth with an article we can then use in the main body of the magazine. (This is exactly what Liz Dixon has done for us – after her piece appeared in our First Break in the Autumn 2010 issue)

I have just finished working as a Head Porter in the NHS after 31 years. I’m afraid poor health has caught up with me and I now find myself out of work – or perhaps with early retirement. I know I am not alone. I have gratefully received The Plain Truth for many years; it has helped me to put some sense into some truly awful things I have seen and been involved with at work. (I have just sent a donation via the website rather than the post.)

I was very interested to read the story of the gentleman who received a transplant, a story in an issue of The Plain Truth (The gift of life, p16 Spring 2010). For 11 years, I also worked as an Emergency Response Driver for the Transplant Service, passing my ‘Blue Light’ driving test year upon year, (the vehicles we used were Ambulance Cars) so that I could safely deliver organs at very high speed to recipients throughout the UK. I always prayed for safe deliverance, for the donor and their families, and of course for the recipient. It was a fantastic feeling to deliver the organ safely to the operating theatres, a chance of life for someone. I shall miss this work more than anything else.

Thank you for continuing to send me The Plain Truth, I pray that you can continue for many, many years.

Mr MAR, Scunthorpe

We’re sorry to hear that after a long career, you now find yourself out of work. But we are pleased to hear that The Plain Truth has made a positive contribution in your life. And it was interesting to read that prayer played an important part in your vital role as an Emergency Response Driver. It’s often the organ donor and the skill of the surgeon that are the ones remembered in transplant surgery – with the ‘background team’ and their support overlooked. So I’m sure many would like to echo a big ‘thank you’ for the part you have played in saving many lives over the years.

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