Surely the argument is summed up by stating that faith in a deity and its absolute existence is just that faith. Faith is "a belief in things unseen", or things unproven.

Whatever that degree of faith may be, it is all faith, and such deserves equal respect, be it fundamentalist beliefs or more moderate views. If fundamentalist believers could accept that others had the right to believe what they do, they could still maintain their own belief that they were right. This in itself is happy medium, and one which I personally aim for.

To state that something "is not true" is to place the burden of proof on yourself Matthew, something which you cannot fulfil. Instead, one could take the approach of respecting others views and hoping they respect yours. Until proof is obtained in either case, fundamental belief will always exist.

Andy, Oxford, England

Its certainly an interesting discussion. I'm forced to remeber that old story about the girl who had photos of faries at the bottom of her garden, and then admitted years later it was all made up.

Thats pretty much how I view miracles. Show me the evidence! Of course being agnostic, if you did show me evidence, I then be in a position to believe.

If there's no evidence to support your belief then you can't teach it as fact. The whole argument is circular from a religious perspective.

Faith creates the belief in a deity, and miracles confirm that faith, but only because we have faith in the miracles which are supposedly performed by the deity.

My question is which came first, the miracle or the deity? Did someone witness something so inexplicable they had to create a way to explain it? and the explanation was god.

Robert Ede, Camberley, UK

I think it is a new fashion trend for to be a loud proud atheist, like evangelical, and ready to preach to all it.

I do not know if it is bad or good. I think it is a positive that it enables the atheists for to have a voice.

But, I think we should live and let live, as it where; religious should not think the atheist bad or unenlightened or do violence for their beleifs...but the atheist should not mock or dismiss the relious.
How very wonderful that would be oh yes, if these things happened.

Josélito, Newcastle, UK

Heaven forbid! Matthew ... we clean forgot cathedrals!

ed bradbury, bournemouth, dorset

Many of the regular churchgoers that I know admit privately that they think it's all tosh and they're only going to get their kids into a decent secondary school. Why churches and other religious institutions have any say at all in secondary school admission is beyond me.

You have to admit, thought, they have built some damn fine cathedrals. As Philip Larkin wrote "Hatless, I take off my bicycle clips in awkward reverence"

Peter Wright, Tooting,

I thought that Mr.Parris had invited us non-believers to shout our doubts out about religion - we have heard the opposing view for so long it was beginning to feel like an insult to intelligence- why has he even bothered to show us their letters?. I know what they're going to say .we've all heard it all before and we don't want to here it again ..can't they all go to Sunday school with the 6 year olds.Before they write any more letters ,would they please remember this is not a debate, it's a shouting party to which believers were not invited.

ed bradbury, bournemouth, dorset

Chesterton on Parris." And a particular point is that the popular critics of Christianity are not really outside it. ... the best relation to our spiritual home is to be near enough to love it. But the next best is to be far enough away not to hate it. It is the contention of these pages that while the best judge of Christianity is a Christian, the next best judge would be something more like a Confucian. The worst judge of all is the man now most ready with his judgments; the ill-educated Christian turning gradually into the ill-tempered agnostic, entangled in the end of a feud of which he never understood the beginning, blighted with a sort of hereditary boredom with he knows not what, and already weary of hearing what he has never heard. ... For those in whom a mere reaction has thus become an obsession, I do seriously recommend the imaginative effort of conceiving the Twelve Apostles as Chinamen"Chesterton says more and each word conveys how ignorant of your ignorance you are.

david Power, tipperary, ireland

Yes, yes and yes! Thank you Matthew for expressing my thoughts so assertively, better than I ever could.
From another passionate atheist.

Edmund Potter, Cambridge, UK

Kevin Thompson, Reading, UK, if a god actually turned up on my doorstep I would call the Hague and have him arrested for crimes against humanity, attempted genocide (multiple counts), fraud, criminally negligent manslaughter and a host of other charges.

Rob, Birmingham, UK

Thanks for the article, Matthew. Please carry on with the thoughtful and polite 'crusade' to help others wake up. Your article was passed to me by a friend and I intent to pass it on. I have never felt so strongly about a topic in my life and remain astonished by otherwise intelligent and thoughtful people who still blindly peddle these myths and superstitions.

I believe enlightenment will come from the religious continuing to open up to debate. There are many 'good things' in the sacred texts, but they were basically written by people 100s of years ago founded on what felt right at the time. Through debate, all those with faith and no faith can agree on the best way to conduct ourselves in a civilised society.

There is no God, no Afterlife, your prayers are not heard. Live life for now - with thought and conscience. However, I keep these thoughts from the very old and yes, I still say a prayer at 39,000 feet - because it comforts me and doesn't give me a headache like Scotch!

Andrew Piper, Wanstead, London, UK

It's always an argument between the Christians and the atheists, or now
the Muslims and the atheists. Agnostics here always seem to be agnostic
about the Christian God. Is this because the other religions are minority
here, or is it because not all religions evangelise or threaten such
nasty punishments for non-believers?

If we do away with religion, isn't there something we can salvage? Some
moral structure without the God figure? But then people do find it useful
to have something to rally around. Even Buddhists talk about using the
idea of Buddha as a reminder even if they don't see him as a god. Do we
have agnostic Buddhists? "I'm not convinced about reincarnation".

The secular humanists and philosophers are trying to work it out, but they
seem to lack the rallying call of the religions. Some moral knowledge,
something to say "It's not always good to be selfish and greedy" is
needed. Just how to do away with the problems of religion?

Richard, Leeds, UK

To respond to Matthew may I re-phrase the question he tackles? If for a moment we move beyond philosophical arguments to asking how would we respond if God actually turned up on the door step?

And when he turned up, what if he turned out not to be a benign Santa Claus but an overwhelming passionate being who wanted to know us better than any intimate lover has ever done? What if he wanted to be part of the very fibre of our beings and our lives?

The reason for my questions is that I don't doubt the genuiness of the questions that have been raised. And I think that overall the Christian church has a pretty poor track record of answering them with rigour and integrity. But my own experience is that at the end of the day the real question is a moral one not an intellectual one. Do I want Him around? And most profoundly who do I want to be in charge of my ant heap me or .....?

Kevin Thompson, Reading, UK

Whilst Mr Parris is all in favour of the 'passionate non-believer' he is quick to say that "it is the worst kind of (Christians) who are full of passionate intensity". Which suggests that passionate belief is fine if you don't actually believe, but if you do have a faith in God you better keep it to yourself. But surely if Christians are to truly follow the example of the God they serve they must do just the opposite? Jesus Christ didn't end up nailed to a cross because he followed the "nice Anglican and thoughtful Catholic" school of thought. Jesus was full of passionate intensity in both proclaiming the truth about God and in demonstrating his Father's love for those around him - and christians today must do the same - standing up for what we believe, being true to our faith, but at all times demonstrating God's love and grace - in short following Jesus' command to "love your neighbour as yourself". Passionate intensity directed to this end is a tremendous force for good.

Laura Vellacott, Brighton, UK

For the Christian (I am a Catholic convert), faith in Christ is not born of an intellectual evaluation of the arguments for and against the existence of God, but is characterised by a personal relationship with Jesus Himself.

Like all relationships, it takes a longtime (in fact, a lifetime) to develop. It doesn't take away the pain and sufferings of life, but (hopefully) gives them meaning ("we believe that we might understand").

I have come to believe that it is only those who have appropriated their brokenness and inability to be self-sufficient (for that it ultimately true of all of us) who can recognise their need for God, on which need any relationship with Jesus depends.

The best evidence for the existence of God is the luminosity of the saints, whose goodness, humility and poverty of spirit points to something bigger than themselves. You leave their presence thinking, "I want to be like them" (hence the old adage," faith is better caught than taught").

Ian Gordon, London, UK

Reading through the comments to your article (and indeed parts of your articleitself )is to see a wonderfully clear example of how hatred and intolerance can be just as well fostered by militant atheism as by militant faith. Surely the cry must be for tolerance, not for yet another excuse to draw a line between "us" and "them" and condemn all those on the other side of the divide.

Nicola Davies, Cardiff,

I am entirely in agreement with Matthew Parris.

He has made the best case for "fundamentalist atheism" I've heard. I really like the term "Passionate Atheist".

Chris Street, Ringwood, Hampshire

Yes religions are nonsensical, yes the the church is ridiculous, yes both have done immense harm in the world...but! Every time I wrestle with this I keep coming back to the person of Jesus Christ who is not mentioned once in your passionate article. I want to reject faith as a child rejects Father Christmas but I cannot because the whole basis of my faith is bound up in Him (Jesus that is, not Santa) and his love and sacrifice for us. By all means reject Christ and his life and teaching but don't try to do this by hiding behind "religion" and "church". I would imagine that Christ would have some devastating judgements on both during the past two millenia. I am not a "nice Anglican" by the way, god bless you patronising fellow you.

Jon Trim, Stroud, England

Yes - it is nonsense to claim that any act of healing is God's intervention since this claim undermines the more significant claim that love and goodness are at the heart of the Christian faith.
A god who can has the power to heal but only performs occasional acts of healing to boost the chances of a good person becoming a Catholic saint is not the God of Christianity.
As one of those nice Anglicans and thoughtful Catholics - well actually a Methodist (if it matters) I welcome your condemnation of this type of nonsense.
I also hope that eventually all denominations will accept women and homosexuals as having the same value as heterosexual men. Not from the need to keep up numbers but from the realisation that if God created the universe then he or she or it certainly created two genders and two sexualities.

Malcolm Grills, Minchinhampton,

Thank you Mathew.

I am one of those who wavers between Agnostic and Atheist stance while also belonging to a Synagogue! When my husband enquired how is that possible, I told him that on speaking to other members, I found that I am far from unique in this. So, not all religious communities are full of zelots.

Just an intresting observation about commentators here. I noted that several staunch critics felt it necessary to write more than once. Is it that they have become worried they will be outnumbered?

Lilly Evans, Virginia Water, UK

Reform Churches contend that only the raising of people from the dead can be deemed divine miracles. So called miraculous healings can be faked by those wishing to deceive us, no doubt.

Adam Gardiner, LARNACA, Cyprus

Praise be, Matthew!

You have restored my belief in the columnists for the second time this month.

Tony Smith, Southampton,

Bravo Matthew!

I like your style and your passion: you are absolutely correct that disbelief can a passionate stance. And now, in 2007, it must be passionate.
Clear thinking should be a core subject in every publicly funded school from primary school onwards. If we don't address this now, the maintenance and growth in and of science will be much harder to fight later on.
The growing spread of faith-based ant-intellectual thinking and education should worry us all. The dumbing down of scientific method and rational thought into ID and belief will throw us into a new, vicious dark age where new inquisitorial faith based cultures will eradicate all the hard won gains in medicine, the physical sciences and our growing understanding of our place in the scheme of things.
My hope is that we have come so far that such a scenario can't happen, however your cry for vigilance is timely and should be shouted from the rooftops. Thank you for this article.

Veronica Guy, Mullumbimby, Australia

Matthew -

We have to shout. Loud. Now.
Religion is a fallacy . A fallacy that's breeding extremism and hate in a technologically dangerous world. The sooner it's dismantled the better. Take religion out of the picture, and suddenly a Muslim and a Christian are just two men.

Michael C, Newcastle, Australia

Never were so many desperately shopworn, trite, vacuous, creaking old religionist cliches gathered together in one place.

Steve Payne, Leicester,

I spent the first 12 years of my life believing what I was told and enthusiastically collecting the Sunday School coloured stampsand singing in the church choir.
This was followed by 52 years of being variously atheistic and agnostic depending on my current levels of satisfaction and parnoia.
I am now as I head for retirement, I am pleased to tell you that I am a very happy HERETIC, as this resolves all the conflicts of "is there" "Isn't there" .
This generates another problem, as in this increasingly multi cutural, religiously tolerant society I am potentially a criminal under British law for declaring my beliefs.

John Snow, Thetford,

Matthew Parris writes that religious zealots "are the very devil, these people, they could wreck our world, and their central belief in God’s plan has to be confronted."

One must look only to the current threats to world peace and to any number of wars fought in the name of religion throughout history to realise that so many more mortal lives have been lost in the name of religion than have ever been saved.

Ian Holloway, Melbourne, Australia

Matthew Parris writes "An ad hominem response would be to remark that when the Church had the upper hand it was happy to persecute, imprison or behead non-believers and fight crusades against other religions."

My Catholic friends would not want to return to this, but how far would an overmighty institution go?

We have the following chilling attitude to heresy from the Catholic Encyclopedia:

"To restrain and bring back her rebellious sons the Church uses both her own spiritual power and the secular power at her command....
"The Church's legislation on heresy and heretics is often reproached with cruelty and intolerance. Intolerant it is: in fact its raison d'être is intolerance of doctrines subversive of the faith. ...
Toleration came in only when faith went out; lenient measures were resorted to only where the power to apply more severe measures was wanting. ...
Christ said: 'Do not think that I came to send peace upon earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword'

Allan Hayes, Leicester,

re: Dr. Wetzler. "a man without faith, is hopeless, and all his life is just a pursue of materialistic achievements". Thanks for your compassion, but no, not really. I greatly enjoy life and find it far from hopeless, and my pursuits include science, the arts, music, some of my fellow human beings, a good read and, yes, a good glass of wine. If that's materialistic, so be it, but I have no time to waste on fairy tales and silly rituals. And what was that again: "Judge and you shall be judged, condemn and you shall be condemned." Perhaps you had forgotten it.

Ed Zuiderwijk (PhD), Cambridge, UK

Mathew Parris doesn't believe in God, or is it just Church? I'm not clear about that.
Anyway, I don't believe in homosexuality as anything other than a lifestyle choice.
The trouble is that people who have made that choice keep banging on about how natural their practices are, when I know that they are not, on strictly logical grounds, you understand: nothing to do with my religious beliefs, which have no logic at all.
Mathew Parris makes me feel bad about this, and I fear compulsion to admit that I am wrong: I am probably in big trouble now for saying it.
Isn't secularism the new tyranny? It was wrong of the Churches to force their views down peoples necks, and it is wrong for Parris to do it too. So Matthew, put your paintbrush and aerosol away and lets rub along together, metaphorically.

John, Nottingham,

Im glad that you are familiar with Saul and his battle with inner faith, because his dilemma was easily solved with a miracle that fell right into his lap - one that he didnt bank on and he is true testament as to how a miracle or encounter can truly transform the mind and soul. Someone like Richard Dawkins, Hume or even yourself can not compare your atheism to someone like Saul in his early years. This is why searching for God and an encounter with him should be encouraged, if it can happen to Saul, then there is no harm in trying

Simon, Hertfordshire,

Hear, hear and (why not?) hear again. The only disagreement I have is that it's not only religious people who read articles such as this (though I entirely see how planting that idea at the beginning of your article emphasises the crescendo to the call for passionate disbelief). There is a body (a growing body, I fondly hope) of those of us who simply cannot ignore articles on religion. Articles such as this one make a euphoric, clear-eyed change from the roll call of religiously motivated social meddling, political interference and violent atrocity. Thank you for speaking out.

Jonathan Higgs, Stockport,

Rob Ely, Madison, WI, USA wrote:

"But it doesn't answer why you exist or what the purpose of your life is. The atheist believes those questions can't be answered. We believe they can."

Not quite Rob, You have to split the two questions, the 1st being why are we here, this to atheists is not a theological question but a scientific question (and I would refer you to any of the writings of Darwin, Dawkins and other scientists for the answer, to save me making this 4 pages of A4) and the 2nd part of the question "what the purpose of your life is" is not a relevant question to an atheist, we just exist, and when we die; we don't exist any more. As atheists we do not find any of this uncomforting or worrying. But to think we find our lives worthless is incorrect, I love my life and all the things I do with it, I get no reward from being moral, in this life or any other, I just like having a secular moral stance.

Simon Booton-Mander, Hook Norton, Oxon, UK

Excellent article, Matthew. I've never read you before, but you've won a new reader with this one, despite your worries about your audience.

Doug McBride, Berkeley, California, USA

Very clever!
Probably wrong in premise, undoubtedly wrong in constructed examples of causality, and unfortunately foaming a bit when you really got going there, Matthew.
Good luck,

Kawaja, COLLEGE STA, USA

Nothing multiplies illusions more than disbelief. You've a real problem, Matthew.

Father Bryan Storey , Tintagel, UK

Two comments:

1. How much of this is basically down to Matthew's homosexuality and his anger that the Church condemns homosexual practice?

2. If Nietzsche is against Christianity, then I'm for it!

And it's an old trick just to have a general rant to hide the fact that whatever happened to the French nun was pretty spectacular by anyone's standards.

Niall Keenan, London, UK

Well done Matthew - very good article.

It makes the very valid point that those who doubt these fairy tales must always be careful that the more militant believers in religion (whether evangelical Christian or radical Islam) do not gain (or regain) the ability to persecute others whose lifestyle or beliefs do not conform to their own fantasy view of the universe.

Non believera cannot do this by remaining silent or by allowing believers any special privileges.

Laurence, Derby, UK

Bad news for you Matthew- illusions increase through disbelief.

Father Bryan Storey , Tintagel, UK

It seems a bit circular to deny the existence of miracles by demonstrating that they haven't been verified by educated individuals, all the while defining educated individuals as people who deny the existence of miracles. It also denies the educated deniers who convert because of their experience with the miraculous.

Liam, Seattle, USA

May I recommend ‘Religion for Dummies’, Gellman and Hartman, Wiley, Indiana, 2002 available in bookshops and libraries.

Mel Wild, Gloucester, UK

May I recommend ‘Religion for Dummies’, Gellman and Hartman, Wiley, Indiana, 2002 available in bookshops and libraries.

Mel Wild, Gloucester, UK

Parris is right. Religion legitimates self-deception. Self-deception about weapons of mass destruction.... you know where that has got us.

R Mackintosh, Milton Keynes, UK

Good post Matthew, great stuff!
Wish you'd have been at the I2 debate: 'we'd be better off without religion'. Dawkins was a speaker. The opposition was obliterated.

Philipa, Middle, England

Absolutely with you Matthew. The Enemy is at the Gate.

Judy Hungerford, norton St Philip,

Matthew Parris joins a growing number in the current 'fashion' to come out of the closet of disbelief and proclaim their freedom from the dogma and doctrine of tradition. So far so good. Unfortunately the journey is only half finished. Knowing what is false and to be free from such intellectual mumbo jumbo doesn't tell one what is true or if truth even exists? Only that the question remains unresolved. At which point the mind begins to take on a new set of myths and prejudices that satisfy the view of itself it preferes to believe. And so the wheel turns!

Robert Landbeck, London,

Brilliant article but not surprised at the outcry of the religious who predictably mouth off the same tired, inane arguments. Refreshing to hear a voice of rationality in a world of superstition.

Jonathan, Johannesburg, South Africa

Well said Matthew!
Great stuff!

Rob, Reading, UK

Dear Matthew,
Christianity is not always packaged with modern ‘miracles’ whether assisted by the saints or not. There are Christians who whilst sharing your contempt for poorly researched evidence remain believers holding faith derived from the historical evidence both biblical and extra biblical. The miracles of Jesus Christ in the gospels describe healing of previously diagnosed medical conditions for which there was external evidence and independent witness e.g. Leprosy -a condition diagnosed by the High Priest and due to contagion expelled a man from social contact, and blindness. Jesus healed a man full of leprosy in (Luke 5:12-14) and a man born blind (John 9). NT miracles were recorded as evidence for the truth of the Christian message John 20:30-31.It is important therefore to distinguish between poorly attested claims for present day miracles and the better presented claims in the original documents. It is here that the debate for or against christianity should be waged.

Andrew White, Lutterworth, Leicestershire

Matthew, yet again an excellent article. I have a proposition for you. How about running for parliament again, but this time on an independent secular ticket. I'd be more than willing to contribute to campaign funds, as would many thousands more. There is an enormous number of people in this country who are totally fed up with the priviledged status given to religion, but the leaderships of the main political parties refuse to tackel the problem, sometimes because of their own delusions, and sometimes because they are afraid of tackling the subject. You, as someone with nothing to lose (i.e. you've already retired from politics) could lead the way, and prove to them that the public is ready for this.

Note to religious types: Please don't deliberately misconstrue the meaning of secularism. Its aim isn't to "do away with" religion, simply to "do away with" its special treatment, and create a level playing field for all religions and none.

Mark Allen, Nottingham,

John Bessant is entirely incorrect in his assertion that the Universe was created by a giant inflatable plastic giraffe, 134.236 million miles tall, covered in pink and green spots, whose name is Brian Farquhar.

It was in fact created by a giant inflatable plastic giraffe, 124.236 million miles tall, covered in pink and blue spots, whose name is Keith Cholmondeley.

If Mr Bessant takes exception to my explanation, I ask only that he disprove it. If he cannot, he must convert.

James Williams, Oxford, UK

Give me a worm that can understand a man and I will give you a man who can understand God. John Wesley
Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of faith is to see what you believe. St Augustine (354-430 ce)
Faith is caught, not taught.

Mel Wild, Gloucester, UK

Apparently, Matthew, your 'fascination' with Christianity does not stretch to exploring, discussing or even considering the historicity of its core event - the resurrection from the dead of a corpse. If this happened, it warrants the teaching of the greatest man who ever lived, and you simply can't then dismiss him or what he said as irrelevant. If not, then I agree that the whole thing is a sham.

So weigh the evidence. At least it might give you some cause for respect for people like CS Lewis and countless scientists the world over who find, like me, that Christianity and science gel because they are two views of reality, the one from God's standpoint, the other from ours

David White, Northampton, UK

God does not recognize another god (1-st commandment). Therefore god is an atheist. Men is created in the image of god. Therefore, the only true believers are atheist too.

Ed Zuiderwijk, Cambridge, UK

Hedge your bets I say.

Believe in nothing - then you will definitely be wrong.

Believe in God, and there's a chance you may be right.

Besides, I've seen too much evidence to deny the existence of a saviour who loves me. But then again, if you're a sore atheist with nothing to live for, you'd probably brand me 'delusional' even though I've had good schooling, a degree from the University of Bristol and a balanced upbringing.

Matthew, I like reading your articles - they make me chuckle sometimes. I expect God would be chuckling too if only He didn't love you so much that it hurts Him to hear what you say.

JE, Bristol,

As an atheist, I'm told I should be an "agnostic": my position is illogical because I can't disprove the existence of a "God" who created the universe.

Sure I can't. Nor I disprove the proposition that the universe was created by a giant inflatable plastic giraffe, 134.236 million miles tall, covered in pink and green spots, whose name is Brian Farquhar.

"Now you're being silly" comes the reply. Well, the one is no more ludicrous than the other in terms of logic and evidence.

John Bessant, Lodon, UK

Religion is a bitter disease of self denial, opression of minorities and of free thought. Every human must find their own thoughts on this world, not simply give up and follow any cult.

Free thought!

f phillips, dundee,

Some of the comments left here lead me to the sad conclusion that some people really can't tell when their lives are based on religious belief, and are thus offended when atheists question their beliefs. It's not personal, folks, it's university-level philosophy to question ALL assumptions. If you start with an assumption that a particular religion (e.g. Christianity) faith, then build a long, involved argument on that basis, what use is that to one who does not share that assumption? You just fell at the first hurdle.

As a few others have noted: personal beliefs are not the problem, but when those beliefs leak in to the real world, we have a problem. Jihadi terrorism, laws against "blasphemy", or Science education being degraded because it leads to Darwinism; this is why I appreciate Parris' nods to Hume, a prominent Enlightenment thinker. The events of the last few years explain why atheists need to speak out: if the "fundies" have their way, 1000 years of social progress is lost.

brian thomson, Dublin, Ireland

Oh no, Matthew let us remain the silent minority rejoicing in the knowledge that we are right. People invented religion because they couldn't understand the mystery of the universe. We are much smarter we do not jump to conclusions we wait for the scientists to do all the hard work and bring us closer and closer to the ultimate truth. If they have got all their sums wrong and are heading for a blind alley then so what we just suspend our belief until someone can proof to us one way or the other. Let us laugh at people who submit and devote their entire life to their 'one and only God' because we know Christianity and Muslin are the two major faiths in the world with many billions of followers. By definition their religions are irreconcilable. Isn't it hilarious to know that they can be wrong but not right at the same time. Any way, if there is a God we do not wish to be a piece in the game of chess He plays when only He alone can set the rules. Long live freedom of non religion!

Wing, Poole, UK

If religion is to be in the forefront of politcal and social life as it tries so hard to do it must also be open to debate. We would not dream of having a political party making claims about what it does without being open to rigorous scutiny and analysis based on evidence. And yet when this approach is applied quite rightly to religion as for example by Mr Parris with regards to miracles there is an outcry by some.
Religion is positively discriminated towards. It has rights given it that do not apply to other lesser mortals. Take dress code at work or school. Would anybody else be allowed to wear clothing that signified their culture apart from religious people? I think not.
There should be no sacred cows in public life that cannot be challenged. Religion must open the (church or temple) doors and let in a new light of examination.

Colin Pascoe, bath,

The lack of research for this subjective article was evident. I can only hope the aberration from the usually high standard of journalism in the The Times was due to the Editor's absence.

The plummeting of journalistic standard is a cause for considerable disappointment. The thinly veiled incitement to religious hatred is naive and inexcusable.

kay sugden, Basingstoke,

It is not your belief or your lack of it that is the problem in the world today. It is your belief that your belief is the right and only one and killing others is proof of it.

We will all find the truth in our last breath.

David Thijm, Stourbridge, UK

In theoretical physics, string theory proposes that there exist ten dimensions (not four) but that most of these extra dimensions are too small to be discerned with today’s scientific equipment.

Of course, should anyone propose one of those dimensions might be spiritual, there would be screams of denial from the scientific atheists. For them, only science has the authority to postulate about the unknown. This arrogance, which is very western, cannot tolerate the existence of other belief forms, and denies, in the absence of incontrovertible proof to the contrary, all other cultural interpretations of the universe. Bigoted is the only word I can think of to describe this crudity of thinking.

Fundamentalism is as dangerous in science as it is in religion. The only truly scientific position is an agnostic one. It is also the most humane and the most encompassing.

Nick Ferriman, Bangkok, Thailand

'But it doesn't answer why you exist or what the purpose of your life is,' says Rob Ely in the earliest comment. He misses the point. There is no purpose. That is a teleological argument. We just are. It is an impersonal universe that has arisen (or perhaps always was) through natural phenomena in a causal chain, with, admittedly, some things we cannot explain and some of those that we never will. We have to live with that. I have no problem with that. But these gaps do not presuppose a cause, or a purpose. There is no purpose, other than that which is interpolated into the scheme of things by our human minds.

Andrew Armitage, Hebron, Whitland, West Wales, UK

The best that can be said for religions of all hues is they are sacred placebos. Sacred to those who hold them so, but the supposed benefits are a placebo.

If you doubt this, then imagine a member of your family desperately ill. Would you take them to a room filled with the leaders of all world's religions, where they could offer prayers and intercede via their religious rituals on behalf of the ill person, or would you take them to your nearest Accident and Emergency Dept in your local hospital, to be treated with the best available science and technology we've discovered?

Ian Robinson, London, UK

Bravo Matthew Parris, you are quite right. It's time atheists stood up and shouted whenever a religious belief is imposed on us as a an accepted fact. And lots of us are interested in the subject of religion and, far from being offended, appreciate a discussion by someone not hopelessly biased in favour of a deity. We all have the right to enjoy the wonderful heritage from our religious past, and to be moved by the language of the Bible or the music of Bach - but some of us have grown up beyond the need to believe in fantasises, however reassuring they may be.

Lesley Archibald, Bridport, Dorset

Nice article Mr Parris, but i'm afraid i can't share your passion for Agnosticism just as i can't be bothered to watch the evangelical crazies in America or in the UK, the Religious Right in Israel and the fundamentalists in Islam. For me the debates are all a bit boring, having been argued about for 1000s of years, they've died a death, so to speak.
I applaud you for speaking out though, especially emphasising the mail you receive for spelling out your beliefs. Just goes to show there are a lot of hypocrites out there.
I think you were hinting that the immediate and all-consuming belief in a miracle can hinder finding out the facts. What if the Parkinsons disease was stopped in it's tracks by a certain food?

Justin, Wuhan, China

A message to my fellow Christians:

First of all, Matthew was right about the nun in his previous column. We Christians should be the most incensed at that stupid story cooked up by the roman catholic church in order to get the dead pope canonized. They are emasculating our faith, replacing a sovereign God with a wish-granting dead guy.

But don't fall into Matthew's trap--he's saying that the only place to look for God's hand is in events that defy the laws of nature. That's rubbish. It is a false dichotomy that there are "natural" and "supernatural" events. Just because humans can or can't explain a particular event scientifically doesn't mean that some events are guided by God and the rest are not!

The science vs. religion dichotomy is another false one. Science is great for explaining how observed events came to transpire. But it doesn't answer why you exist or what the purpose of your life is. The athiest believes those questions can't be answered. We believe they can.

Rob Ely, Madison, WI, USA

I am agnostic. I studied biology and chemistry at university. But I have come to believe that there are miracles. The European Union is a miracle. The Vietnamese communist soldier who was shot in the heart in 1968 and lived with the bullet in his heart in constant pain until having surgery recently -- he's a walking miracle. You just have to search to find the miracles.

Shirley Jackson, Oliver, BC, Canada

The biggest problem I have with articles like these is that I don't recognise the belief system they attack – it certainly isn't mainstream Christianity. You are off in the corner bravely shouting at creationists, saint invocators, murderous crusaders and homophobic idiots. Meanwhile, almost every Christian I know is at the other side of the room believing in a God who's main instruction is to love neighbours – even enemy neighbours.

At least you admit you are fighting dirty.

Andrew Heavens, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

'Ill shout with pleasure, there is NO GOD, it isn't plausible given the evidence. There is only life as you make it, what's the problem with that.. Believing in a god is obviously a lie and needs to stop, its not a case of absolute proof at all, it's a case of being sensible with the information you have, belief and absolute proof (under the circumstances), don't come into it. We are not tolerant of other extreme belief systems, fascism, etc, why should religion be treated any differently? Just take a good look at how violent the universe is, how violent and bloody our own planet is, then ask how can there be a god? If there is he/she/it is a very bloodthirsty and immoral character is all I can say.

Stephen Thomas, Moscow, Russia

After analysing Matthew’s article, a can conclude that Atheism has become a kind of intolerant ideology, as history shows. The last two centuries have known currents of theoretical atheism, which denied God in order to, assert the absolute autonomy of man, nature or science. This is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church emphasizes: "Atheism is often based on a false conception of human autonomy, exaggerated to the point of refusing any dependence on God". This systematic atheism has been widespread for decades, giving a illusion that by eliminating God, man would be freer, both psychologically and socially, when in fact a man without faith, is hopeless, and all his life is just a pursue of materialistic achievements. The principal objections raised, especially about God, are based on the idea that religion has a compensatory value for people, having repressed the image of a father; adults “project” onto God the need for father,. which is false, and had push Europe into the abyss.

Doctor Louis A. F. v. Wetzler, Buenos Aires, Argentina

This article echoes Benjamin Wiker's thesis about Epicurus in the former's work, "Moral Darwinism":
“Epicurus [whose philosophy provided the inspiration for modern materialism] was seeking a view of science and nature to fit the way of life he was advocating; that is, he needed a cosmology to support his morality”.

Mr. Parris needs to articulate his worldview more clearly to avoid the charge of inventing one to suit his own social objectives. In particular, he needs to deal with the following objection against atheism/agnosticism. To say that “the universe”, or any part of it, self-exists is not warranted by our experience of material things. If, for example, we were to suppose the existence of permanent fundamental particles of which everything else that ever was has been composed, these fundamental objects would still have a limited nature. What is Mr. Parris' hypothesis for the source of existence of these objects?

P.S.: Miracles proved Christ's divinity, not divinity itself.

Kevin, London,

Ladies and Gentlemen, your Godless society is precipitating the remains of our culture onto the abyss, and the destruction of all moral and ethical values, which were taught by Christ first and then by the Church for 20 centuries. We are facing right now the consequences of this abandonment of our spiritual dimension, which started with the so-called Enlightenment, during the XVIII Century and has followed with liberalism, Marxism and Nacional Socialism. But in spite of all what you had said against the Church, the truth will prevail, this is our hope assured by Christ to us through Thy resurrection. We will never give up in spite of people like the new messengers of darkness.

Doctor Louis A. F. v. Wetzler, Buenos Aires, Argentina

I think its great that God found time to heal this nun. It must be a full time job stopping all the poor children in Africa from starvation - oh, wait a minute .....

David Dredge, Benfleet, UK

The more I learn about religion, the more I am grateful for the life of Charles Darwin. Thank you, Mr. Darwin, for showing us the truth and the light and the way out from the hideous and pathetic rantings of those too scared to accept their own mortality.

Jenny Coombes Leigh, Dallas, TX, US

The secular-humanistic world doesn't need fundamentalist Christianity, or for that matter any other fundamentalist religion, to wreck it. It's already in tatters, thank God.

Owen Kingston, London, UK

Limbo never was an official teaching of the Catholic Church. It came from a decriptive of heaven by St. Augustine, but it never was accepted by the Church as doctrine. Limbo means arm, and refers to Abraham (as in the arm of Abraham). It is an allegory. Limbo was never "thrown out" because it was never "in".

Tony Francis MD JD, Wichita, KS/USA

Once again I agree wholeheartedly with Matthew. Belief should be a private matter but such is human nature that it can never be so. Those who believe also believe that they are morally superior to the rest. More than once have I been pitied by a believer for lacking their absolute certainty though I have not asked for it. But even this would not be a problem if they did not feel able to disapprove so vocally of other people's life choices due to their reading of their silly books and traditions. How are others' bedroom activities anyone else's business? Oh yes, because God disapproves apparently.
Religion, though increasingly marginalised, still plays a huge part in our culture. A politician would be mocked and criticised if he consulted an astrologer during a major crisis but if he prays this is seen as entirely laudable or even desirable. How is this different to the terrorist who bombs in the name of his god?

Paul Owen, Birmingham, UK

Dear Matthew,

Thank you for you column today I thoroughly enjoyed it. It goes to support the Dawkins atheist principle in admirable style.

For those of your readers who haven't yet read his book "The God Delusion" they may not be aware of his point regarding Islamic fundamentalism' where He contends, and I paraphrase, that the original translations used to write the Koran miss -translated the "Seven translucent currents of purity" (to be inherited by martyrs when they go to heaven), as "twenty seven virgins". As Dawkins roughly says "if only the teachers of Islam had told the bombers that they were only going to get a few translucent currents for their sacrifice they might not have been so keen.

Keith Baigrie, Dartmouth Devon, England

Often, people's so-called faith (faith being the biggest cop-out in history), their sister/brotherhood with a religion makes them forget that first and foremost, they should be a sister or brother of humanity. religion gives people a false sense of security- you are a product of your own choices- u are where u are because of you. dont let religion take that from you.Religion is a mechanism for pouncing on the vulnerable and creating divides in society which are not needed (nationalism has created enough on its own already thanks). Religion is dangerous and should not be promoted. Secularism and social responsibility of a non-exclusive nature must prevail.

KN, London, uk

A basic question of Greek philosophy is: "Can an organized hierarchy exist in the absence of intellgence?" No matter how one answers this, it is a matter of faith. If one says, "yes", it a position of atheism, based upon no empical evidence. If one answers "no", then one is on the road to theology (i.e." what is the nature of that intelligence?"). Either answer is a matter of faith that can't be proved. What gets me is that smug attitude some atheists have. They don't occupy a superior intellectual position; only one of faith, albeit a different kind.

Tony Francis MD JD, Wichita, KS/USA

As always, thank you, Matthew.

The religious bandwagon, having been given a mighty push by the Muslims in recent years, has been promptly boarded by the faithful of all 'communities' not wishing to be left stranded at the roadside. They are now greatly surprised and discomforted to find that the road ahead is rocky and, moreover, that the 'right of way' signs - securely in position for centuries past - have been removed. Worse still, wicked secularists, long corralled in the hills, have broken loose and are descending to give battle. Much panic, surprise and indignation ensues aboard the bandwagon; someone has seriously tampered with the script.

As one of the tamperers, expect much abuse and vituperation to be flung your way, Matthew! You won't be disappointed. But many of us, who eagerly seek you out on Saturdays, will be should you fail to continue nailing your very courageous and intelligent colours to the mast.

Ian Smith, Dersingham, Norfolk

Methinks that Mr. Parris doth protest too fiercely...... how come he has devoted so much column inches to his obsession with trying to denigrate christianity over recent weeks? If I was him, I'd be worried. I think God is on his tail :) .

michael, harrogate, uk

Why should we bow to the 'beliefs' of others when they won't bow to reason, or our beliefs? I am sick and tired of for belief reasons.. and we just accept it, or are expected to.

The sooner we all live in a secular country the better, but the chances of that are slim.

And why do we have faith schools? Should children not be given the time to make up their own minds?

Ian hadingham, Lowestoft, Suffolk

The basic problem is that I simply require some form of honest to goodness evidence, beyond the plain fact of existence.

I do not, and most certainly cannot, dismiss the possibility of a creator – indeed, to do so is evidence of a desire for belief no more or less impelling than that of any religious believer – they are in fact two sides of the same coin, and indeed a mirror-image of the right and left wings of politics.

Simply put, lack of evidence for God is no evidence for lack of God. And by the same token, the reverse is true.

Beyond this is something more interesting – what (and where) is the 'belief gene' that allows humans to believe (or disbelieve) with such passion?!

David Jefferis, Brill, UK

T.H.Huxley on Comtism The Scientific Aspects of Positivism.

‘…a minutely-defined social organization, which, if it ever came into practice, would exert a despotic authority such as no sultan has rivalled, and no Puritan presbytery, in its palmiest days, could hope to excel. While as for the "culte systématique de l'Humanité," I, in my blindness, could not distinguish it from sheer Popery, with M. Comte in the chair of St. Peter, and the names of most of the saints changed.’

Andrew, Exeter,

Einstein 'the most incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible.'

J.B.S Haldane, Possible Worlds
`If my mental processes are determined wholly by the motions of atoms in my brain, I have no reason to suppose that my beliefs are true ... and hence I have no reason for supposing my brain to be composed of atoms.'"

Andrew, Exeter,

It is such a shame that there is such confusion under the name of Christianity. I find it sickening that people can be told to pray to the dead, and that they can be made into saints if miracles are proved, where on earth do they get that from in the bible? I read that all Christians who truly believe are saints in the eyes of God. I also agree with a well known preacher and author who said that 'Roman Catholicism was the devils greatest masterpiece of counterfeit Christianity.' There is only one mediator between man and God, Christ Jesus. Another sad thing is that the Evangelical Christians in this country are the only ones that are not given a voice, on media. All other minority groups and religions have their say. but because Evangelical Christians keep to the bible, they are being given the cold shoulder . But God will continue to build his Church, Atheists will have to stand before him one day. Hope you will put yourself right with God before then Matthew.

Mrs Margaret Elward, Bridgend, Glam

CS Lewis. "The Funeral of a Great Myth, in "Christian Reflections"

‘But at the same time the Myth [of evolution] asks me to believe that reason is simply the unforeseen and unintended by-product of a mindless process at one stage of its endless and aimless becoming. The content of the Myth thus knocks from under me the only ground on which I could possibly believe the Myth to be true. If my own mind is a product of the irrational - if what seem my clearest reasonings are only the way in which a creature conditioned as I am is bound to feel - how shall I trust my mind when it tells me about Evolution?…The fact that some people of scientific education cannot by any effort be taught to see the difficulty, confirms one's suspicion that we here touch a radical disease in their whole style of thought.’

Andrew, Exeter,

I'm thinking the recent spate of miracles, sainthoods, accelerated processing, "unbaptized dead babies spared from Limbo", etc. are a desperate marketing ploy to correct subscriber loss.

chan fu, locust grove,

How many wooden legs do you see discarded at Lourdes?

D. Hardy, Manchester,

Please keep shouting Matthew. I'll keep shouting with you.

We need a world based on independant thought and rational, not about some 2000 year old bronze aged fable.

The catholic church's decision to abolish limbo recently (to furthur their own cause of course), oh, and to help little babies into heaven shows just how utterly ridiculous they are.

How do people really belive this absolute rubbish!

Like Hume, Robert Ingersoll knew the truth. Go here for some wonderful one liners and quotes.
http://www.positiveatheism.org/hist/quotes/ingersoll.htm

F.S. Summers, London.,

Of course, when you don't believe, the church has no control and no money....

Now, we can't have that can we.....

F.S. Summers, London.,

M P's thoughts on God, religion and the miraculous are fascinating . However, only time will tell Gods thoughts about US . Yes, arrogance stinks, doesn't it, and the irreligious seem to be just as prone to it as those who believe in a sovereign Creator. May God have mercy on the whole silly bunch of us.

H. Blackwell, Garstang, Preston, UK

Dear Matthew, once Thomas Merton told a true story of a Nazi officer who walked into a church near Munich, stood at the altar, cursed God and then, when no lightning struck him dead, strode from the church convinced that he had proven God does not exist. Merton's comment was that all the officer had proven was that God is not a Nazi. In the same way we need to prove that atheism or agnosticism are not just another lifestyles or other kind of "ism" in a world that is literally choking to death on the self-indulgence of lifestyles and the arrogance of "isms." I don’t understand your contempt for people of faith and the truth about miracles. People of real faith will love, in spite of our differences, people like you with such high degree of contempt towards Christianity or just religion. Were Godless people, who conducted the world to the great massacres of the French Revolution, the holocausts of the Russian Revolution and Nazi Germany, they hated God as well.

Doctor Louis A. F. v. Wetzler, Buenos Aires, Argentina

It can be difficult for anyone who has studied generally accepted pinnacles of artistic endeavour, such as the music of J S Bach, to question the existence of a Superior Being.

That is not to deny the logical contortions necessary to accept on faith some of the more extreme interpretations presented as fact by some parts of the broad church of organised religion.

Difficulties can arise at the boundaries between dogma and reason, and the words evidence based spring to mind, on which criteria miracles do appear to happen.

'Justifications,’ an essay by Aldous Huxley, may be worth reading from this perspective.

dr venables preller, Warminster, UK

F.A.I.T.H. : Fiction As If it Truly Happened.

FREE AT LAST!!! From dark age mumbo-jumbo!!! Good grief, this is the 21st Century. Any one with 1/2 a brain can see this is all drivel. EG: Today's garbage from the Vatican:

Vatican report abolishes concept of limbo
"A Vatican committee that spent years examining the medieval concept published a much-
anticipated report on Friday, concluding that unbaptized babies who die may go to heaven. "

That's a relief, I'm shur'

Jeremy Sykes, Ealing, W5, London

Unfortunately religion falls short of the highest human aspirations, it offers a broad river but culverts belief into shallow channels. It's not belief that is lacking, it's professional believers. Judge spirituality by the content not the form.

C. Higgins, holmfirth, west yorks

The response to your article is evidence that there are few places in our culture where ideas about meaning can be discussed. It is the reason why Religious Studies i.e Philosophy of Religion and Ethics has been the fastest growing A level of the past five years i.e 20% year on year and still growing. On a personal level, I have rejected secular liberalism and existentialism, they are nothing more than moderated forms of egotism. My search for meaning needed greater depth than this. In the person of Jesus, irrespective of what you think of the status of his miracles, here is a being who understood what it meant to live the 'abundant life'. His wisdom has never been equalled and perhaps never will be. He is worth following, I've never regretted it nor looked elsewhere to find the elusive meaning to life.

Jeremy Forbes, Basildon,

On rare occassion we are given a wondrous view of denial of the existence of God from a well spoken (written in this case) soul trying mightily to convince himself that God does not exist.
You could do worse, young man, than perusing a bit of Lewis and looking about you at the world.

Gary Shields, Auburn, California, U.S. of A.

When I was 14 some visiting researchers came to my school and asked for our views about Jesus. I told them that he probably had existed and, for his time, was probably a remarkable person of great vision and charisma. But he was not son of God (what God?) and his story and message had been massaged and embroidered ever since.

40 years later then nothing has happened to change my views. We face many global threats in the coming decades. For me the rise of religious fundamentalism is up there with global warming as a real menace. Matthew Parris is right to argue that we need to be vociferous in defence of our right not to believe and not to allow religion to gain dominance in society. It may already be too late. In much of the Islamic world it appears that not being a believer makes you, at best, a second class citizen. In the USA it is not much better with the religious right making it very difficult for anyone who is an atheist to occupy a position of political power.

Kevin, Kent,

I am sure plenty of things exist that are way beyond our imagination. I subscribe to the amoeba theory: if you draw a line from an amoeba to the human being and then the same distance beyond, you would get to something so extraordinary that us mere humans could not begin to imagine it.

So I disagree with Matthew that one should be passionately be against religion - because religious people may just be right. A "God" may exist.

What is certain is that the Fundamental Moslem, the evangelical Christian, the ultra-Orthadox Jew - and Matthew Parris - can't all be right.

I suppose that makes me passionately against religious - and atheist - passion. Is there a word for that?

Andrew Robson, Sussex, UK

Please do not attack the Christian faith on the basis of the Church of England or Rome, or any other. Please turn to the Bible and see what it actualy says. Find out for yourself about the God who created the entire universe in all its glory and Who allowed His own Son to come into the world and take the punishment we deserve for our rebelion against God on the cross. Jesus Christ was seperated from His Father, which is what the Bible means when it talks about Hell, and died that we might be able to have a right relationship with God. That is Christianity; being enabled to live as we were created to, in obidience to God. Also, test the evidence, the reliability of the Old and New Testerments, FF Bruce and Lee Strobale's books are a good start. See the soundness of the evidence and accept what Jesus has done for you. I pray that that you do and thet God will guide you to Him through it. God bless,

Gareth Rhymes, Hull, UK

Matthew, I want to congratulate you an an absolutely excellent article. It is of course easy to show up the absurdity of th eposition of the theists, but it is nonetheless important to go on doing so regularly and firmly. They are absolutely persistent in peddling their nonsensical and dangerous arguments, and these must be combatted at every turn. At a time when we have a Prime Minister who is believed to carry a bible with him at all times and a likely successor who is also a son of the manse, the power of theists and the role of religion in society has to be challenged. Two hands working are worth more than a thousand clasped in prayer, but too many of our leaders ignore this obvious truth.

Keep up the good work!

Andrew McGee, Wetherby,

Mr. Parris would consider me the "very devil, these people" because I have an "unshakable, belief in an ever-present deity." I am American and believe Christianity is under relentless attack. I belong to an independent Baptist church. My sole authority for my faith is the Bible (the very Word of God). Christianity's core is John 3:16, 17, 18. I receive instruction and guidance from my church, but it is not the authority. If the guideline is standing on the revealed Word of God as given in the Bible then there can be no compromise. I would tell you of my faith, but I would not try to compel you to believe. That is a mattere between the individual and God. There is a "great gulf fixed" between man and God. This can be bridged only by faith. The attack is on God, not believers. Galations tells us "God is not mocked;" Deuteronmoy 7:10 addresses this also. If your knee does not bow to Christ now, it most definitely will on that final judgment day--the choice is yours.

Terry L. Walker, Ladson, S.C. / USA

So you're like a deaf man trying to persuade me that sound does not exist. That's a thought -- I never regarded atheism as a disability before! But it does correspond to a missing sense.

Henry Ohm, Leeds, UK

Mr Parris's article works for me as finely-crafted invective against militant unreason. Whilst some expressions of religion certainly fit that category, some do not. Now it may be that, for example, we can identify certain types of militant Islam as militant unreason. How best do we deal with it. Mr Parris's invective is one way. Richard Dawkins's philosophically jejune best-sellers are another. But their weakness is that they preach only to the converted.

Better, perhaps, to consider the argument of the Regensburg Address of Benedict XVI, who addressed the issue in an entirely different way - and was, I think, heard by those who need to hear.

CPKS, Wimborne, UK

Darkness is the absence of light, but light is not the absence of darkness.

Chris Winn, Gateshead, UK

Matthew, you have successfully summed up exactly the point I have been trying to articulate to others but found so hard. I think I'm going to learn this article word for word! Keep it up!

Freddie Bellhouse, London, UK

I read both your previous column and this one and agree whole heartedly with you. Those of us who are not believers do need to make our voices heard, other wise the religious, now frequently called faith groups, seem to take for granted they can speak for us.
We still have bishops in the Lords for example, who have an influence entirely disproportonate to their following.
We atheists must be growing visibly and vocally more numerous as now it seems the religious feel the need to group together and imply we should keep our opinions to ourselves.
The one thing I don't agree with totally is that the nice religious people are not the problem. They may be nice and well meaning but actually they believe in and support the absurdities that the religious extremists use as their justification.
Keep arguing Matthew.

Lesley Bruce, London,

It takes far more "faith" to be an atheist than a theist. Atheists say they don't believe in miracles, yet they're prepared to believe in the biggest fairy tale of all: that the universe, without a Creator, just randomly appeared from nothing. If that's not a "miracle" then what is?

Hugh Battye, Xining,

I am currently interested in pursuing theology as my major in university, but my family and friends do not understand why, because I am not religious, at all. Thank you for pointing out that one does not have to be a militant Christian to be interested in religion.

Sandra, New York, NY

Yesterday a miracle occurred in the plain light of day in the heart of the Vatican itself. They announced that Limbo was a lie! At a stroke, countless thousands of souls of newborn, unbaptised babies were evicted from the uncomfortable twilight of Limbo and (presumably) assumed into Heaven after waiting patiently a considerable length of time.
The miracle is that the Church of Rome achieved regime change in the next world and eliminated the sovereign state of Limbo after more than a thousand years of uneventful existence. It is a unique and unnatural event that this church declares itself to have been mistaken for a thousand years. Surely this qualifies as a miracle?

Jim Payne, Oliva, Spain

Many atheists believe their set of philosophies (usually labelled as forms of Humanism) should be used as guiding principles for civil society and government, rather than the fusion of Christian traditions and classical Roman and Greek systems used previously.

Modern Western governments have effectively made this transition, and pay just lip service to religion. Many people believe a caring government and society are sufficient. In terms of fulfilling physical needs, government and society have become the new god.

But this god is doomed. Its death is written in the (very rational) balance sheets, not stars. Rising demand and shrinking resources will bankrupt the "caring state" god. Economists have long warned of this but politicians stay mute. Such politicians owe it to the public to confess that, physically, government god cannot deliver. Raging against the real God will not help when the cupboard is bare and people are hungry.

Ed Collis, Hong Kong, China

Matthew, first of all Faith is trust, but informed trust, reasonable trust, trusts based on good and adequate evidence. Words like faith and knowledge are always hard to define because their relation to each other is sliding and flexible. The definition may vary slightly from one individual to the next. When we say a person "knows" something, we mean (loosely) that he holds to a proposition he could prove in some direct way. When you claim "knowledge" of something, we usually find that your grounds for that knowledge are immediate sensations, direct experiences, or something like that. But when we say a person "believes" something, we mean (loosely) that he holds to a proposition he couldn't prove directly, but one that has sufficient evidence of an indirect kind to justify the belief. In matters of faith, we usually say: "I believe it and can show good evidence for my belief." So, faith and reason aren't rival, but complementary, ways of knowing reality. Differ only in their method.

Louis v. Wetzler, Buenos Aires, Argentina

It seems brutal to deny Dorris (tottering to the church she's attended since girlhood to tend her husband's grave) the belief that she and Fred will be united in the afterlife.

On the other hand, this gentle sympathetic image of the modern Church of England - (smiling vicars, flower-arranging) - stems only from the fact that faith is on the wain in this country and remains largely the preserve of the elderly and the preternaturally wet.

That is the point Matthew makes, which some of you seem to miss. A 'live and let live' approach to religion nurtures anti-minority prejudice in the wholly indellible ink of blind, blinkered, unquestioning 'faith'.

It has been said that science is a blinding light that outshines darkness and religion is a darkness that shuts out light. For social, technological and - yes - moral advancements, we need to shine a light on things.

TW, London, UK

Many people have no idea how Paul Daniels does his magic tricks. Does this not make them miracles? For the Catholic Church to claim the last Pope cured a woman's Parkinson's simply open them up to the ridicule they deserve. If he cured hers why not cure everyone's? And now, for my next miracle......

john smith, manchester, uk

Religion has a tendency to push people out of their comfort zones. Fanatics have done horrible things in the name of religion. They are the ones who give religion a bad name.

As a young Christian, I too often questioned miracles. I don't think believing in miracles is something that can be taught. I also don't believe that miracles are "fairy tales" just because they can't necessarily be explained. Unless you are someone or know someone who have overcame tremendous odds with little hope, it might be difficult to relate.
Count your blessings and think of the things you are most greatful for and you may find a miracle among them.

J. Cotton, Cincinnati, US

The problem with miracles is that they are rarely incontrovertible – except possibly the Resurrection. Nobody has ever grown a limb after losing one. Health miracles are usually internal. However, there are other signs that may seem miraculous. I have had experience (concerning the sacraments) that I would say if seen as experiments were logically sound and convincing. There are times in any believer’s life that they doubt. For me there has always something arises that resolves the issue. One such incident was an understanding I got from reading Graham Greene’s “The End of the Affair.” In the book an atheist is so keen to convert Sarah Miles that it amounts to a compulsion on their part. The drive in the (fictional) atheist made me understand the inner force of religious desire. I still find the need to promote atheism and to fight belief an affirmation of the power of belief. You say religion is shrinking – in the USA at Easter a 1/4 million were received into the Catholic Church

James Guest, Watford, UK

Bravo, Matthew!

Anne Du Croz, Witney, UK

Well argued, MP. The miraculous is magical. Rational people don't believe in magic.

alan, cologne,

The clinching proof that "miracles" don't happen is that, no matter how "saintly" you are or how many "saints" intercede for you, you will NEVER grow back that amputated limb (until the day that human scientific knowledge makes that possible).
Cancers, tumours etc all diisappear by themselves sometimes, only things that are naturally possible happen, all "prayer" etc is a waste of time.

Richard Townley, London, UK

I've been involved in Christian healing prayer a few years now - we've seen God giving results - I can think of one lady last year healed of shingles right in front of my wife & I's eyes.

I'm sure you can read similar stories from ordinary people in church magazines up and down the land.

Prayer isn't a slot machine, but it's amazing how often coincidences happen when Christians pray.

Peter, Bedford,

God has given us the freedom to live our lives as we wish so Mr Parris is at liberty to do and say whatever he likes (within the confines of civil law) and it is no skin off my nose.
Not everyone is called to faith: happy are we who have heard His call and and welcomed it.

Belinda, London, UK

Good article well argued. Doesn't stop me believing in Christ though.
If God is omnipotent, God can do anything- Creation, miracles, evolution, anything at all.
One day he may create a church worthy to represent him on earth.

Jonathan Wilton, Singapore,

What number of men "of unquestioned good sense, education, and learning" do you think would be sufficient to David Hume to prove a miracle? And where would we find these wise men? Sounds pretty subjective to me.

Gary Pasley, Bodden Town, Cayman Islands

Matthew, Some of us actually support your view on this. It does need influential scepticals to ensure the fundamentalists don't cure us all our sanity.

Bernard, Birmingham,

I also was a member of the Boys' Brigade and still rejoice in the friendships it offered and the stability in a fatherless family. It also gave me a wife ( I later married the Captain's daughter). I spent almost all my life in and around church life and have many happy memories. However I am now a born again atheist after several years of indecision and much appreciate your excellent article.

alan frankcom, Solihull, UK

If you define a "miracle" as an exceedingly rare event then it is illegitmate to draw conclusions from fact that they are rare. It is is every day observed that humans are conscious. There appears to be no biochemical basis for this phenomenon. However we don't call it a miracle because miracles are rare. It doesn't follow that the immortal soul is not somehow involved.

Malcolm McLean, Bradford, UK

Thank you Matthew. Again and again when theists are backed into a wall with the irrationality of their arguments they will respond with some type of 'its my belief; I have the right to hold it; leave me alone'. Well yes, we would if you left us alone. But as the examples already given show many of our social policies are influenced or shaped by these fairy tales (e.g. discrimination, assisted dying, stem cells, the middle east, etc). This being the case it is our moral duty to expose the fallacies or lack of evidence behind the various justifications for theism (such as the claims of miracles.) Matthew, please keep shouting out the truth!

W Clifford, Cambridge, UK

The evidence that exists suggests that religion springs from the culture in which we grow up. I sat for ten years in an Anglican church and it would be surprsing if nothing had rubbed off on me, however much I wish it hadn't. Religions seem to contradict each other. Those who do not believe the truth get eliminated! I would believe more if religions could reach some sort of consensus on what the world is and who controls it. In fact recently I have wondered why I am always wrong, and yet there are some people who are almost infallible. It must take a great deal of supreme self-confidence and ignorance to be able to defend only one point-of-view usually based on where you were born. If a watchmaker exists, then he is indeed blind. We are now emerging from 2000 years of large distances between religions. From now on they will be face-to-face. It will be a difficult time for believers who think they only know the divine secret when they will be contradicted everyday.

Brian Lewis, Manila, Philippines

Rationally one must accept that something very odd seemed to happen to Jesus after his crucifixion, and on the available evidence the Christian explanation is valid. If one accepts that, then perhaps the Judeo -Christian explanation of reality is also valid. After all modern physics, based on observing nature, tells us we exist in 11 dimensions. Being able to see only 3 of them I find this hard to take, but I’m told it’s the current view of reality. “Miracles” may be a rational expression of such a reality. Odd things happen and we cannot yet explain everything.

Mike Kelly, Milton Keynes, UK

This sounds like the kind of faith the Apostle Paul was talking about when he said "They have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof."
He also said that the kingdom is not a matter of words, but of power. (I Cor 4).
It is truly sad when a professing believer has neither heard from God nor seem Him move in power. Or even has any expectation of it.

John Woodrow, Geneva,

I suspect that there are rather many of us who, whilst not believers, are still immensely fascinated by the issues that arise around faith, and, as one such person, I frequently find myself enjoying and applauding your articles. The need for polemicists such as yourself, Richard Dawkins and Bruce Bower can hardly be understated given the current rise of the religious right in positions of power around the world. So please don't feel that all your audience is against you!

Luke Wilcox, Reading, UK

Congratulations on your Shout Aloud Your Doubts article (particularly in a major National newspaper). It`s probably what the vaste majority of people in this country think. Why should`nt we have a rational debate about this "last" taboo subject. On the same day, the article in the Faith section of your paper by Rabbi Dr. Johnathan Romain seems to bear out that even the Faiths are beginning to doubt the validity of books (including the Bible) which were once regarded absolutely and literally as Gods word.

Malcolm Shaw, Sturminster Newton, England

I suppose its up to the individual. I personally don't respect bishops and books, I don't see how they can speak for God. However, I am interested in astronomy and therefore, through my telescope, regularly confront the immensity of the universe in terms of space and time. Some would look at the glory of the Orion nebula and see a mere matrix of radiation and gas conditioned by accidental mathematical law. Others, like myself, might instead see the hand of God, a real miracle.

As I say its up to you, is the glass half full or half empty, is the universe mathematical by accident or design??

David Baldwin, Forest Row, East Sussex

Come on, one woman cured of Parkinson's disease. Our fading NHS cures scores of cases every day. So much for infinite divine power. Is that not a miracle? No it isn't because it happened by the effort of peoples brains and intellect. Hard thinking beats divine intervention every time does it not?

Mike Sedgwick, Eastleigh, Hampshire

A brilliant article which mirrors my own experience, especially the part about the BB. He rightly questions the idea of a "master plan" on the macro scale. When my beloved wife of 30 years died nine years ago Christian friends tried to console me that it was part of God's grand stategy which would be revealed at some point in the future. How dared they!
When you have religion inextricably linked with politics, as here in Northern Ireland, the combination is explosive, literally in many cases. Surely our experience of fundamentalist faith combined with intolerant politics should have killed outright any expansion of faith schools in the rest of the UK.
However I will never know whether my standards, such as they are, are intrinsic to me or are a product of having been been born into a Christian family.

seamus mcneill, belfast,

The more we put own religion, the more we eventually lose our grasp by overestimating our own abilities. Better to put aside what we at present find hard to stomach in the religious message and follow as much as we can that sounds sensible- there's plenty of that. Closing the mind is not a prerogative of 'religious ones'.

Father Bryan Storey , Tintagel, UK

This article summarises my views precisely. I have noticed that the C of E now appears to regard "militant secularists" as their true enemy, rather than, for example, Islamic extremists. I believe that the actions of the Islamic extremists have stirred the non-religious into action, and this has led to the reaction from the C of E. For too long the religious have dictated to others. It is now time for them to recognise that most of the population of the UK simply do not believe in their fantastic stories, for which there is absolutely no evidence, nor do the religious have a monopoly on morality, as they would like to assert.

Cathy , Bristol, UK

What is generally described as a miracle seems to happen the world over on a regular basis - and not just within a religious context. Many people are "healers" either professionally or among friends and results are amazing and well-documented. All would tend to acknowledge a power which is far beyond our understanding. My feeling is that the word "miracle" elevates the event to being something exceptional whereas it is God at work in and around us.

Steve Brown, Girona, Catalunya, Spain

Terrific ar