Alex Aitken, of Woodhaugh, writes in defence of God Defend New Zealand.
As a citizen of Godzone, I wish to respond to Grahame Sydney's article on the New Zealand anthem (ODT, 4.8.15).
I will examine the merits of our national song, including comparisons with other countries' anthems, and also evaluate whether the message conveyed by Thomas Bracken's words is still relevant today.
New Zealanders are not renowned for their public singing.
Their singing at rugby games is mediocre at best and falls far short of the Welsh fans' heart-felt rendition of Land of our Fathers at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
We should consider asking the All Blacks to sing our anthem a capella before a test match - that would be far scarier than any haka.
Church-goers will tell you that when you sing a hymn too slowly it becomes a dirge.
Our anthem needs to be sung at a good clip, and preferably be sung by a classically trained singer.
I remember a stirring performance given at Carisbrook by the bass baritone Jud Arthur which sent goose bumps down my spine.
Our anthem's tune is not bad, but admittedly it doesn't equal the superb tunes of La Marseillaise or Land of our Fathers.
However, when you compare the lyrics of the aforementioned anthems, ours wins hands down.
La Marseillaise was written at the time of the French Revolution and was intended as a rallying call for the dispirited French army to defend their Fatherland against the invading Prussian and Austrian armies.
The same martial words are still sung today. Consider the refrain: ''Grab your weapons, citizens, / Form your battalions! / Let us march! Let us march! /May impure blood water our fields.''
The Welsh anthem speaks of the sacredness of their land and the Welsh language; it extols its poets, singers and patriots and celebrates their country's natural beauty.
Great tune but ordinary words. Advance Australia Fair's tune is typically Australian: brash, bright and breezy, but lacks the gravitas of our anthem.
The sticking point for many in this post-Christian age is that Thomas Bracken's hymn addresses the Christians' God.
Our national anthem is surely distinctive in this regard and is both aspirational and inspirational.
Despite its Victorian poetic language, the sentiments contained in God Defend New Zealand are still applicable today.
For example: meeting ''in the bonds of love''(v1); avoiding ''strife and war''(v1); our nation is to be inclusive ''of every creed and race''(v2), guarding against ''dissension, envy, hate and corruption''(v2).
With God's help we are to be proactive in achieving these goals.
Today, many have snubbed God and jettisoned the biblical truths and values which defined our nation in the 19th century.
The humility with which our forebears acknowledged their human failings also enabled them to seek God's blessing and guidance in their lives.
In our secular society this humility has been replaced by hubris.
We need to rediscover the vanishing virtues of integrity, trust, honesty, faithfulness, self-sacrifice, and respect for authority that were evident in Bracken's generation.
Just as La Marseillaise was used as a means to overcome the enemies of France, so we, too, should consider the message contained in the five verses of God Defend New Zealand as a rallying call for our people to turn back to God and to seek His help in healing and unifying our dysfunctional nation.
