Alan:"You assume a supernatural being".."my conscience tell me what is inherently good "

Where does your consience come from? You are claiming a divine attribute: self-authority.

And you lie about christian assumption as I've often told you that we believe that God reveals himself.

Greg Lorriman, Leatherhead, UK

Steven - from your point of view, maybe.
But from my standpoint as a 100% atheist, a belief in a supernatural fairy-tale dictator in the sky is no basis for my moral values.
You may need an imaginary overseer to prevent you from murdering and lying.
I don't.

alan, germany,

Alan, assume what supernatural being? God is Divine. For many come to belief in God through reasoned and rational thought. They choose to follow God's lead and are not dictated to by God, whom you imagine does not exist.

Steven, Buckhurst Hill,

Nathan - what arrogance!
You assume a supernatural being, and attribute to him the right to dictate what is good or bad.
My intelligence plus my conscience tell me what is inherently good or bad.
This is infinitely better than an imaginary overseer.
(I have no more characters to elaborate.)

alan, germany,

Alan,

Can you tell me WHERE these "inherent" values come from and what makes them innately "good" ?

n.b. evolution cannot give a coherent, reasoned answer.

Now explain why western society is slowly collapsing as our secular enlightenment grows?

Observation disavows your argument

Nathan, Inverness, UK

George - yes, we are answerable for what we choose to believe (or not to believe),.
But we should be answerable to our own consciences, and not - as Allan put it - to some imaginary "Celestial dictator".
There are too many of these imaginary celestial dictators around, and their followers are not well disposed to one another.
Aha, so you say our consciences can be no guide to our actions without a celestial dictator to tell us what is right and what is wrong ...
Well, it's self-evident that murder, lying, hurting are bad. Compassion, selflessness and love and good. Without these inherent values, no society could exist. Do you disagree? Do you really need a celestial dictator to tell you this?
Apart from that, there's no guarantee that that the dictator's words will be heeded.
An evil person will do evil whether he has a celestial dictator or not.

alan, germany,

Allan may care to note John Henry Newman's words, before he dismisses all religious believers as indoctrinated automatons;

"We can believe what we choose. We are answerable for what we choose to believe".

George, London,

Jeb Bush isn't governor of Florida anymore. He served two terms, which is the limit.

M.C., Washington DC, USA

"Give me the Archbishop of Canterbury any day", says David Carr, Halifax, Canada.
He's yours, brother; he's yours.

Brian Champness, Callington, United Kingdom

"Predictions of its decline have failed to materialise." ?

Just look at the number of churches that are being turned to homes, offices, restaurants and even nightclubs. Testimony to the decline of faith and religion. There is no arguing the reduced number of bums on seats, im afraid.

Its the 21st Century. We can think for ourselves now, we no longer need a Celestial dictator.

We are free.

Allan, Stavanger, Norway

Church and state related but distinct, with the primacy of the spiritual life in Christ- in this vale of tears, civilisation can still be built.

Chris Gillibrand, Brussels, Belgium

Not sure what I can say about a "man" (just that) who obviously whilst preaching to the masses, has a hair stylist and is driven around in a glass cage.

Give me the Archbishop of Canterbury any day.

David Carr, Halifax, Canada

"Benedict lacks the showmanship of his predecessor, John Paul II, yet a phenomenal intelligence glows from his features like the more nuanced charisma he undoubtedly possesses."

Thanks, I think that qualifies as this week's entry for the Pseud's Corner section of Private Eye. Gushing and embarrassing.

Mike, London,