Sir, – Fergus Armstrong asserts that "all God-talk must be metaphorical" and that "even to speak of God as Father (male at that) is, of course, to use a metaphor" ("Let's talk about God, whatever that means", Rite & Reason, September 6th).
All very well and good when the male voice predominates in these discussions, with the female voice in most instances absent. There’s a phrase doing the rounds at the moment which speaks of “toxic masculinity”.
One can’t help wonder if the roots of this are somehow tangled up with the notion of “God the Father” (prevalent in most if not all religions). We are all to a man and woman subconsciously educated by language, and as Mary Daly once said, “If God is male then male is God”. Small wonder perhaps that masculinity can turn toxic. – Yours, etc,
ANNE LAWLOR,
Marino, Dublin 3.
Sir, – Fergus Armstrong offers a rare and thoughtful formula for peaceful co-existence in a world increasingly unsettled and challenged by the diversity and intensity of religious persuasion. Interestingly, inasmuch as “God isn’t going away”, he advocates regular inter-faith services by way of promoting mutual understanding, acceptance and tolerance. Of course, his thesis is aimed in equal measure at a significant atheist caucus that’s invited to acknowledge that God isn’t going to go away. “There is little one can say safely about God”, he offers wisely, suggesting that, on all sides, we should tread respectfully and open-mindedly.
Embedded in this nugget, of course, the atheist will read warnings against the harmfulness to humanity of dogma that permeates many religions – the very feature that’s likely to stymy or frustrate Fergus Armstrong’s enlightened call to brotherhood and sisterhood. Among the more interesting snippets this reader happened upon in the piece was the rare-enough portrayal of Richard Dawkins, in the course of a “fascinating debate with the Archbishop of Canterbury”, as the engaging, civilised man one recognises him to be. – Yours, etc,
OWEN MORTON,
Sutton,
Dublin 13.