Non-believers will never believe without evidence — even if the plane is going down

LIAM PLANTE (Letters, October 1), in a very short letter, managed to be wrong on a number of issues.

Firstly, Fr Con McGillicuddy (Letters, September 17) was not ridiculed.

Only his ideas on the orbits of the planets were.

Secondly, it is not true to claim non-believers will never believe. It would be better to claim non-believers will not believe without evidence. After all, that is how the mind of a rationalist works.

I am not sure how Mr Plante knows there are no atheists on crashing planes. Perhaps he is relying on faith without evidence again.

For my part, while not knowing how the passengers of United Flight 93 split between believers and non-believers, I do know their reaction was a rational one, attempting to take control back from the hijackers.

It made more sense than sitting in their seats praying. And let’s not forget who the deeply religious ones were on that ill-fated flight.

Michael Furey

Coolratty

Oranmore

Co Galway