You are free to disbelieve, God’s no puppeteer

G Cunningham (Letters, Aug 3) proposed that to be religious is to have a virus. Is this the religion that abolished slavery; promotes justice and equality; cares for the sick, homeless and poor; encourages love, compassion, honesty, family values and community?

Is it also the religion that believes in good and evil, right and wrong? I’m glad to have that virus. Mr Cunningham seems annoyed that we can’t prove that God exists. If we could, we wouldn’t have faith, we would have certainty.

Nobody can disprove his existence. Some scientists and philosophers believe there is evidence of ‘His’ existence. Some were atheists and changed their minds.

Judging from Mr Cunningham’s aggression, he has been reading the ‘new’ (intolerant) atheists, like Richard Dawkins and the late Christopher Hitchens. He should read both sides of the argument. I recommend John Lennox, John Polkinghorne, Alistair McGrath [author of the best-selling ‘The Dawkins Delusion’], Keith Ward and Dr John Blanchard, for scientific and rational arguments for believing in God.

Mr Cunningham cherry-picks a quote from Darwin. Darwin also said that his theory of evolution was not to dismiss religion. God sees the outcome of our actions, but he can’t interfere with our free will. He isn’t a celestial puppeteer controlling us.

P McDonagh

Blackrock

Co Dublin