Letters: There is much to learn still from philosophers whose words are so often twisted

Tragically, many misinterpret the philosophers to suit their own rigid opinions.

Friedrich Nietzsche – known more for his words “God is dead” rather than the entire statement of which they are a part – wrote in Twilight of the Idols: “When one gives up the Christian faith, one pulls the right to Christian morality out from under one’s feet. This morality is by no means self-evident... Christianity is a system, a whole view of things thought out together. By breaking one main concept out of it, the faith in God, one breaks the whole.”

Jean-Paul Sartre said in a 1943 lecture: “Everything is indeed permitted if God does not exist, and man is in consequence forlorn, for he cannot find anything to depend upon either within or without himself. He discovers forthwith he is without excuse... Thus we have neither behind us, nor before us in a luminous realm, any means of justification or excuse. We are left alone, without excuse.”

Many years before Nietzsche or Sartre were born, another great philosopher strode among people talking in parables. Yet, like many philosophers, his words are misconstrued.

Perhaps this philosopher is misunderstood due to the insertion of dogma – by humans – into his teachings; a dogma that is used by some to fool themselves about the Trinity.

Declan Foley, Melbourne, Australia

Where is the voice of the church when it comes to the debate on migration?

In the ongoing debate and controversy over accommodation for refugees and asylum-seekers, where is the once powerful voice of the Catholic Church?

There was a time when it would preach, with gravitas and authority, on all the moral themes of the day.

However, there has been scarcely a whisper in recent months as the ugly spectre of racism casts a dark shadow across the land.

I can’t imagine the church would condone racism, but I don’t believe that adopting a position of neutrality on the issue is acceptable either. I’m not big into religion and I don’t purport to be any kind of authority on the gospels or the Bible or the complex minutiae of canon law, but I ask: Whose side would Jesus be on if he walked among us now?

I suggest he certainly wouldn’t be shouting racist slogans or crying “Get them out” or “We’re full, we don’t want you”.

I reckon he would be where he always was in the stories passed down to us… defending the poor, the oppressed and the vulnerable, including refugees and asylum- seekers.

John Fitzgerald, Callan, Co Kilkenny

Helen McEntee is using degrading language – humans are not ‘returns’

Justice Minister Helen McEntee on RTÉ this week repeatedly referred to “returns”. She was not referencing the Deposit Return Scheme recently rolled out, but people seeking asylum. Language is important, and referring to people as “returns” is dehumanising at best.

In addition, she is on record saying she has a “sense” that 80pc of people seeking asylum here are coming through Northern Ireland, but has no statistics to back this up.

People are not “returns”, and statis­tics need an evidence base or are meaningless.

J Burgess, Co Cork

When it comes to movie remakes, there is no need to fix what isn’t broken

I recently viewed the 2015 remake of the movie Far From The Madding Crowd. While it was (in my humble opinion) a reasonably entertaining effort, the cast lacked the gravitas of those in the 1966 original. Therein we had Peter Finch, Alan Bates, Terence Stamp and Julie Christie.

Other remakes that spring to mind are True Grit and 3:10 To Yuma – again, they did not quite cut the mustard of the originals. Sometimes it’s better to leave well alone.

Tom Gilsenan, Beaumont, Dublin 9

You could bet your house on election outcome – if you were able to buy one

With just over five weeks remaining until the local and European elections, it appears there is limited scope for the Government to sway public opinion on the pressing issue of the day: the housing crisis.

Despite assurances from the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and a host of ministers regarding the construction of a significant number of housing units each year, this alone will not address the affordability crisis.

Many young couples find themselves trapped in a cycle of purgatorial renting, paying exorbitant monthly amounts to essentially fund someone else’s mortgage while facing obstac­les in securing a mortgage due to the outdated and restrictive earning-to-loan ratio of four times stipulated by the Central Bank.

It is truly perplexing that these marginalised voices can afford substantial rent payments each month yet are unable to access a mortgage for a more reasonable outlay.

One might cynically speculate that this situation is orchestrated to perpetuate a system where the working class remain in perpetual rental arrangements, maximising profits for professional landlords and international investors.

Although local councils may not have direct influence over national housing policies, voters ensnared in the rental dilemma are likely to express their discontent at government candidates through their choices in the upcoming elections. The outcome seems almost inevitable – you can put your house on it.

Thomas O’Connor, Crumlin, Dublin 12

US administration seems indifferent to the horrors being unleashed on Gaza

You report that the top US diplomat, Antony Blinken, has called on the Hamas leadership to accept an “extra­ordinarily generous” Israeli deal for a temporary pause in the Gaza mass­acre (‘Blinken urges Hamas to take new ‘generous temporary ceasefire deal’, Irish Independent, May 1).

It is a sign of how utterly indiffer­ent the US administration is to the suffering in Gaza, with more than 14,500 children killed, that its representatives can use “Israel” and “generous” in the same sentence.

A pause in the horror would be better than nothing, but what is clearly required is a permanent ceasefire and an end to the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza.

Mr Blinken should listen to the anti-war students currently occupying university campuses across the US.

Fintan Lane, Lucan, Co Dublin