Madam, - Prof William Reville writes (October 9th): "There is no rigorous logical proof for either the existence or non-existence of God". I would agree with this statement. However he then goes on to write: "Belief or non-belief in God requires faith." This is nonsense. How can the non-belief in something without evidence require faith? The onus of proof is entirely on those who proclaim the existence of God. As proof can only be positive, how can there be physical evidence for the non-existence of something?
I am not arguing that religion is a good or a bad thing: on that point I am agnostic.
Towards the end of his column Prof Reville speaks of Marxism and materialism and "a very sad history". Like religion these are human inventions and as such have nothing to say with regard to the existence or non-existence of God. - Yours, etc,
CIARÁN FARRELL, Bray, Co Wicklow.