Sir, - I was amazed at the list of humanists that Sean Kearney, the editor of the Ulster Humanist, named (December 5th). He mentioned Socrates, Rousseau, Erasmus, Voltaire and Toland. If this is supposed to mean that these men opposed religion or belief in a deity, he is very mistaken. One of the earliest versions of the argument from design for God's existence is given by Socrates in Xenophon, and Socrates himself was clearly a religious man.
Erasmus, like his great friend Thomas More, was a Christian humanist, critical of the abuses of religion, but deeply religious. Toland, Rousseau and Voltaire were bitterly critical of revealed religion, but were in favour of natural religion and were far from being atheists. So, when Mr Kearney lumps them all together as opponents of religion, I find myself wondering if he knows much about these people.
Anti-religious humanists are at their strongest when they are denouncing the evils perpetrated by religious people and regimes. They love to catalogue the horrors, barbarities and abominations inflicted on humankind by religious regimes, and there is a well worn round of examples - the Inquisition, St Bartholomew Day, wars of religion, Iranian fatwahs, Islamic jihads, and so on, not forgetting Cromwell and the Penal Laws. These evils are all too real and lamentable.
Does that mean that anti-religious humanists are the best hope of humankind? This century has shown what they can do when they gain power. Both communists and nationalist socialists in Germany had great visions for humanity, which included getting rid of religion. We know well enough what they did, far surpassing the worst regimes run by religious people.
I am not suggesting that Mr Kearney has any sympathy with Bolsheviks or Nazis. But he should know that religion is not the source of human corruption, and the abolition of religion is certainly not its cure. Religious people and humanists should respect each other, even while disagreeing about their basic beliefs. Yours, etc, (Rev) Colin Garvey,
The Abbey, Galway City.