Don't dis natural health

I found Tracey Peever's statements about Institute NHC in your recent article on naturopathy ["Bad medicine," July 10] to be both prejudiced and untrue. First, Institute NHC can hardly be said to be "cranking out naturopaths" when the number of graduates each year has yet to exceed 15. Also, at no time do we refer to ourselves as "naturopaths." A "Natural Health Consultant" (what NHC stands for) describes someone well-versed in a variety of alternative or complementary healing modalities who can also act as a consultant, assisting clients in their journeys of self-discovery and self-healing. Part of our role is to refer clients to other professionals such as naturopathic physicians, osteopaths, homeopaths and medical doctors for more in-depth work when necessary.

MDs, NDs and NHCs all have their place in the emerging paradigm of health care, each having their area of expertise. A regulatory board with representation from each could help put all this into perspective for the public. At a time when the health care system is in trouble and diseases like AIDS, cancer and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are on the rise we don't need articles like yours to put down this fresh new approach to health.

Liddy Flewwelling Institute NHC

Hooray for Preston

I congratulate you on having the integrity to do a serious interview with Preston Manning ["High noon," August 7]. Reform is a grass-roots party that aims to bring power as close to the people as possible. Decentralization will give Quebec more control over language, culture and the economy, while still preserving human rights for minorities. This is far more constructive and empowering than anything offered by the other parties. No wonder Manning reduces Lucien Bouchard to hysterics.

Unfortunately, Manning's message stands no chance of getting the respect it deserves from the French media. Do you really think Chrétien's inlaws at La Presse or the separatists at Le Devoir and Le Journal de Montréal will give Reform's platform a fair hearing?

When ideas like "equality of citizens and provinces" are portrayed as fascist and intolerant, we have to wonder who the real fascists are.

Angelo Choudalos

It's a bird! It's a rock! It's God!

I was disgusted to read Thoth Harris' letter decrying God for violence and brutality ["God's as bad as Satan," (e)Mail, August 14]. Was it because Harris praised Satan? No, what disgusted me was the ignorant way in which he sought to use Scripture to prove his point. He cites Lamentations 5:10 as an example of God's cruelty. Yet it is not God who caused these tragedies, ravaging the land, raping women and forcing slavery. Lamentations was written as a lament about the destruction of Judah by the Babylonians in 568 BCE.

There is no denying that there are passages in the Bible in which God is characterized as wrathful and cruel. There are also passages in which She is described as a nursing mother cuddling her babies (Isaiah 66:12-13), as a protective fortress and rock (Psalm 18:2), as a fruitful and life-giving vine (John 15:1ff.) or as a mother eagle caring for her hatchlings (Deuteronomy 32:11). While the faithful believe that God inspired the Scriptures, pen went to paper (chisel to tablet? stylus to papyrus?) in the hands of human beings who understood God from their particular cultural and sociological perspectives. If one is to cite Scripture to prove one's point, one might as well do it right. And if one is reading any such "proof," one better be critical. After all, they say even Satan can quote Scripture for his own purpose.

Marina Bresba

The media and Marilyn Manson

I would just like to say that the Marilyn Manson show in Montreal on August 2 was fantastic and met all my expectations. The crowd was overwhelmed with energy. Manson was very intense in his performance, as were the other members of the band. I don't have any regrets about the show but I do have some about the local media coverage, before and after.

First, before. As usual, the media were talking about all the rumours: satanic rites, rape, violence, drug, suicide etc. Nothing about the band itself or the music. They were all waiting for something terrible to happen. But "unfortunately" for them, no such event took place.

And that brings me to my second point: after. There were some short reviews here and there, but compared to the amount preceding the show it seemed like nothing.

For the media it was not the show that was interesting. It was all the controversy surrounding it. The media rarely gives front-page coverage to alternative music, but they are always ready to do so with violence or controversial events. I was very disappointed to see how the media can be so superficial and narrow-minded when it is supposed to open our vision on different aspects of the world.

Charlotte Leger