Preventable Diseases

A recent newspaper article reported that the rate of infant immunisations in Australia had fallen to around 68%. As a consequence, there have been a number of epidemics of preventable childhood diseases - measles in NSW, diphtheria and rubella in regions of Victoria.

The decline in immunisation has NOT occurred among non-English speaking migrants - they understand the seriousness of these potentially fatal diseases prevalent in other parts of the world. The fall-off has occurred among 2nd and 3rd generation Australians who now take our high standards of health for granted. Another factor has been New Age thinking of people who believe that crystals and other such amulets have healing powers, and who put undue emphasis on alternative "medicine", rejecting proven techniques such as immunisation. If you still have doubts about the efficacy of vaccination, just ask your (grand)mother about the polio outbreak of the 1950's pre Sabin, or do some basic family history research into the causes of deaths in our forebears.

Sadly, many people treat their spiritual life the same way, taking for granted the "faith of their fathers", but failing to avail themselves of personal salvation offered through faith in the risen Christ.

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