Alan"..and I'll become a believer like Greg."

But how long will you persevere (a mark of sincerity)? Just until you are fed up? Then conclude He doesn't exist (which doesn't follow), like David? Think you are truly open? Think you deserve to know? Think God will make it easy, for you? Let's hope

Greg Lorriman, Leatherhead, UK

David:"stopped..when I was seeing conincidences as 'answers'"

Christians do that too, even when they already have authentic faith, but you already know it doesn't happen like that. God is always annoyed, in the Bible, by requests for signs, which like coincidence prove nothing.

Greg Lorriman, Leatherhead, UK

Alan, I think you also have to persistently ask. Perhaps you have to prove your sincerity and earn your reward. Or, alternatively, you have to work at creating your delusion and it will develop. That's when I stopped: when I was seeing conincidences as 'answers' and saw the real process at work.

David Jones, Loughborough, UK

Thanks for your comment, David.
But if god is omniscient, he's got my (sincere) message. It's up to him now.
I'm waiting.

alan, germany,

Alan, you need to pray and read the Bible for a long time first I think. To 'prepare' yourself. Actually, I spent 2 years working on belief with, not against, a Christian. I also spent 18 months with the JWs in 'Bible study'. Nada. We're born skeptics. Probably predisposed to being without a god. :)

David Jones, Loughborough, UK

Message:-
"Listen, god, if you exist, you must be reading this. Please reveal yourself to me too, and I'll become a believer like Greg."
(I'll let you know if it happens, Greg.)

alan, germany,

alan:"Why do you believe in your particular god? You were conned to do so..."

Since you can't prove that God doesn't exist, you can't know that God hasn't revealed himself to me. Since most faiths worship a personal god of love, justice, mercy, heaven and hell: it would seem to be the same God.

Greg Lorriman, Leatherhead, UK

Morgan:"A true atheist ..leaves..room for doubt - it's evidence we use to drive our beliefs"

Evidence is only enough for an opinion: rational belief needs proof. If a God exists, and you don't know either way, then proving his own existence wouldn't be a problem. This is rather too obvious.

Greg Lorriman, Leatherhead, UK

If we work on the principle that religions were invented to keep a rabble in order, it's possible to see that without religion the rabble is let loose. However, this does not account for Muslim terrorism which is religion used for ill.

I think I'll stay a hopeful agnositic.

leila, manchester, uk

Greg - as a true atheist, I no more believe in your god than you do in Jupiter.
Why do you believe in your particular god? You were conned to do so - and you're gullible.
Born in Salt Lake City, you'd be a Mormon.
Born in Haiti, you'd believe in voodoo.
But I wouldn't.
I'd still be atheistic

alan, germany,

Greg Lorriman

Your grasp of logic is twisted at best.Nobody can 100% disprove anything. A true atheist has to leave some room for doubt - it's evidence we use to drive our beliefs. I also can't 100% disprove the existence of fairies at the bottom of the garden, I don't believe in fairies do you?

James Morgan, Bolton, Lancs

David:"Even people like Dawkins are not 'true' atheists, being num 6 in his words on a scale of 1 to 7 ."

Only number 7 agrees with any real authorities (not wikipedia, for goodness sakes). The rest is just Dawkins being unwilling to call himself an agnostic. It's one of his weaknesses.

Greg Lorriman, Leatherhead, UK

alan"I'm an atheist, Greg. Your definition doesn't fit me."

All the proper authorities disagree with you. You are peculiarly desperate not to be called an agnostic, but technically you are one. Ride off in to the sunset thinking whatever you like, poor lonely cowboy.

Greg Lorriman, Leatherhead, UK

"True atheism is to believe that God does not exist, which is unprovable, therefore they are irrational." Even people like Dawkins are not 'true' atheists, being num 6 in his words on a scale of 1 to 7 . Practical atheists look at god hypotheses, leaving deism open and even a future god hypothesis.

David Jones, Loughborough, UK

"True atheism is to believe that God does not exist, which is unprovable, therefore they are irrational." Even Dawkins is a 6 by his own words on a scale of 1 to 7. Practical atheists assess god hypotheses and reach a conclusion. This leaves deism open and even a future god hypothesis if supported.

David Jones, Loughborough, UK

I'm an atheist, Greg.
Your definition doesn't fit me.
In my opinion, your god is imaginary.
I can't prove it. I don't try to prove it. I don't need to prove it.
I simply don't believe your god exists.
I've come to this rational conclusion using my eyes, my ears and my brain.
That's rational.

alan, germany,

Their is more crime in the Bible belt of America than the more secular East coast.Religions last throw of the dice is the morality card. Most people lead moral lives without the Big Brother threat of hell by an indifferent almighty.

iain rae, Tunbridge Wells, u.k.

Greg Lorriman

True Atheism is to believe God does not exist based on the available evidence and there is no evidence for the existence of God. 'Divine revelation' is not evidence, proof or evidently reasonable. what planet are you on?

James Morgan, Bolton, Lancs

"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful" - Seneca. here we have the Rabbi advocating religion - any religion will do, it seems - because it is useful in keeping social order.

Norman, Anstruther, UK

I am a believer though I consider myself more spiritual than religious. I must say though, that I have encountered more prejudice towards me from religious people than I have from atheists. Mr. David Pinnegar of East Grinstead is spot on as to the reasons why this so.

Dilip Dhokia, Bradford, UK

Sally:"[Religious] feel free to be offensive towards atheists"

True atheism is to believe that God does not exist, which is unprovable, therefore they are irrational. Genuine faith is by divine revelation - ie. proof - freely assented to: therefore evidently reasonable. Atheists are fools.

Greg Lorriman, Leatherhead, UK

It's about time that the religious were called to order. They feel free to be offensive towards atheists either directly or as in this case indirectly by implying that atheists are immoral/unethical, however they scream as soon as anyone points the finger at religion.

sally marshall, bristol,

He forgot to mention the lack of moral fibre in government. A free for all society where the survival of the fittest is creating more and more poverty will also drive people away from religion and affect their faith. Trying to do the right hting leaves people at a distinct disadvantage these days.

judy, Liverpool, England

From the East London Observer, September 1857:

... 5 prostitutes aged between 13 and 19 years old were charged with drunkenness and causing a disturbance in the public streets etc etc

Read the newspapers from when religion had influence, and you will find the same stories of social decline.

Adrian, Sheffield,

Blah, blah, blah! Why are we continually subjected to the views of people who's views are considered to be important simply because they claim to be a friend of the sky pixies? Shame on the Telegraph for continually publishing the rants of these delusionals.

Andrew, Cardiff, UK

For so long, religions have competed and in such a way contradicted the basic teachings of love. What is important to civilisation is not the religions as founded, but upon the wisdom and teachings of their masters. Differences leading to not "loving thy neighbour" should be dropped from dogmas.

David Pinnegar, East Grinstead, UK

And what about the social problems, and in particular the brutality, which existed when Christianity was dominant in England through the ages? A central ideology and the power to force it solve some problems and create others.

David Jones, Loughborough, UK

<Almost all of Britain’s social problems are caused by a loss of religion, the Chief Rabbi told Anglican bishops last night.>

That bull can be refuted in one word................Scandinavia!

Alan C, Bixter, Shetland

It's not loss of religion per se that's the problem. Religion is dying because it has no place in the modern world. People today can see their religous leaders as charalatans who have no answers and can only preach blind faith. The problem is that nothing has been brought on to replace religion.

Chris, Derby,

The anti's have won the argument on a rational basis, but the fact remains that religious affiliation offered an indefinable 'something' now lost.

The 'baby' of belonging departed with the bath water of dogma.

I can't bring into further focus.

Tom MacFarlane, Thornton Cleveleys, UK

Has Sacks read the bloody Old Testament history of the Jews ? What of the Cities in which men, women, children and animals were all killed by God's order? Does he think that, were the boot on the other foot, Christian minorities would not have suffered in the past as Jews have? Enough already!

Kevin Straw, Leicester,

Of course the Rabbi would say it was lack of religion it that brings some of the social problems, it is in fact a greater problem relating to the social framework which this country has lost, adhrence to religious dogma is just a part of this lost framework caused mainly by political correctness

Tim, Worcester, UK

Unfortunately I think the Rabbi is suffering from a post hoc fallacy. A reduction in religion does not cause all these ills, in my view, but the reduction is caused by the same thing that increases the problems mentioned. The cause? The Welfare State, Socialism and Statism in general.

Roger Thornhill, London, UK

I say hear, hear, to him- the decline in religion is undoubtedly the cause of this country's moral and general degeneration. we are turning into a nation of criminals and perverts

peter c, devizes, wessex

The evidence in society is clear to see, there can be no arguing of the facts of rising depression and social incohesion etc.

I personally agree with the Rabbi's diagnosis, others wont but I can't see which scape goat shall get the blame, though I expect religion will get a suggestion.

Nathan, Cambridge, UK

What absolute garbage.

When the monotheistic religions stop their petty - and sometimes, not-so-petty - internal squabbles, then they can lecture the rest of us on how we live. Not before.

Ryan, Glasgow, Scotland

Paul, Milton Keynes, UK shows his ignorance and prejudices in saying that Chief Rabbi is a religious zealot etc. Anything but.

The real issues are materialism, the lack of the spiritual and moral dimensions. Yes, these are values fostered by religious orders but they do not have the monopoly.

Stephen Felce, Enfield, UK

Another religious zealot worried that he is losing power over the populous, because they have become more free-thinking and realised that belief in fairy tales is folly.

Paul, Milton Keynes, UK

The problem today is respect. There is none for the law, none for the family, none for teachers and none for self.

While growing up children and young adults need boundaries which they constantly push against but in this new age we don't punish so there are no boundaries and no rules.

joe, Edinburgh, Scotland

"Almost all of Britain’s social problems are caused by a loss of religion,"

True enough if you replace "Britain" with "The world" and remove
"a loss of" from the sentence.

Delboy, Dublin,

There are no gods. More and more people realise that. That is what is behind the loss of power of the religious organisers who they do not like it.

There are issues of humanity, morals and ethics. These just need clear thinking people to resolve them, they do not need the power-driven confused.

Ian, Solihull, UK