MICHAEL McGUIRE,
Sir, - I refer to Shane Quinn's letter of June 24th about my letter of June 18th, which in turn referred to Dr William Reville's article of June 13th.
My letter was not an attack on religion. It was not even an attack on science. It was an expression of the view that scientific principles cannot be applied to religion.
Mr Quinn states: "I don't know what was irrational about God sending his only son to this world; it appears to have worked handsomely." I did not question the success of this action but the rationality of it. Jesus died for our sins. According to the teachings of the Christian churches He was innocent, we were guilty. Therefore it was irrational.
To paraphrase Dean Swift: if you need a pair of shoes but cannot afford them, you can cut off your feet. Would this course of action be successful in obviating the need for shoes? Yes. Would it be rational? Absolutely not.
Mr Quinn says that science and religion are not at loggerheads. Even Dr Reville disapprovingly mentions the religious idea of creationism, which is totally opposed to the scientific theory of evolution.
I did not try to equate my analogy of the cats from Zog with a belief in God. I attempted to show by example that the fact that something cannot be disproved is no indication of its veracity. Actually, to be fair to Dr Reville, on re-reading his article, he says as much. "Some things are so big and important they do not lend themselves to proof/disproof".
Mr Quinn says: "People who believe in God have many reasons for doing so" and also that people found "more reasonable" answers in religion than those which were offered by science. Science is based on reason, logic, intellect, and proof. Religion is not. There is a need, a desire, a will, something atavistic. There is nothing wrong with this. Religion is not based on reason.
Mr Quinn finishes by saying: "I think it much more likely that Jesus Christ holds the answers than Nietzsche or Dawkins". I don't find any of this objectionable, but let's not pretend it is based on reason.
In religious matters you believe with your heart, not your mind. This was my original point which Mr Quinn seems to have missed. - Yours, etc.,
MICHAEL McGUIRE, Garvery, Burnfoot, Co. Donegal.