I am writing in response to the letter Late John Paul II rigid, Church inflexible .

I find the writer's letter both somewhat amusing and somewhat offensive. The points and facts that the writer so diligently pointed out and referenced seem to be very much convincing as to how right he or she is.

Based on the current state of the world today, I would agree wholeheartedly with some of the points mentioned; specifically the parts regarding adult sexual rights, safe sex and family planning. But only from a human rights perspective.

I am a Christian, but not a Catholic. As the writer did not mention the religion he or she professes to, I can only attempt to generalise my response.

The impression I got from that letter was that the writer has a wrong impression of what the Church stands for. The writer appears to view the Church as not very much different from any other organisation that champions human rights. This is simply wrong.

True, some of the views of the Church - as so pointedly mentioned in the letter - may seem very conservative and traditionalist. And they are. They have to be. It is what the religion itself prescribes.

Also true that some within the Church seem out of touch with the reality that is today, as they were established in a period very much different from our own.

But the question is, who established them? Did the Church produce its doctrines? Did the popes? No to both questions.

The point is, unlike policies and human rights in the contemporary world, Christianity is not dictated by man. The Church is not an organisation that should abandon its stand on what the Bible teaches simply because the world of man has changed (for the worse?).

And definitely not because a survey shows that some people prefer that the Church conform to their ideals (rather than the other way around).