It is with regret that I once again have to write to you as a means of replying to an article written in the Alvechurch parish magazine Grapevine by the Rev David Martin, questioning the morality of people who, like myself, have no religious beliefs.
I can assure him that I did not need the help of the Church to instill in me the issues of what is right and wrong; as I said in my previous correspondence a couple of years ago, my parents taught me the values of right against the negativities of the wrongs in life.
I, like every person on this planet, have flaws; it is only human nature, and to be condemned as morally wrong because I don’t believe in a god is frankly insulting!
I said last time that I have friends of many types of religion, they know my views and they respect them, as I respect their need to have a belief in a god. We do not berate each other for those beliefs.
I suppose we atheists should be pleased that we were not compared to Hitler or Stalin this time, as we were previously, another point which to me was very insulting.
On the occasions when I read these articles by the good reverend, I have to question whether he has actually ever met or sat down and chatted to those he accuses of being of low or loose morality, because if he did he would discover we are not all bad people – as in all cases, it is the few who spoil it for the rest.
As previous occasions have shown, many “good” Christian people have proven to have very low moral values, some of the worst being people closely connected to the Church.
We cannot all be perfect, Reverend; we are all just trying to get on with our lives as best we can. I do quite well thank you, I am not wealthy; I work, always have, and I have some very close and worthy people in my life.
We help each other, with or without faith; after all, that is what life is about, is it not? Being there when people need you, supporting them as best you can, belief or no belief.
That, to me, is morality and is very satisfying.
Harry Poole, Alvechurch