Atheism and theology

Sir, – Richard Morton (October 27th) and Dr Hugh J Masterson (October 17th) both put the onus on the other to prove or disprove…

Sir, – Richard Morton (October 27th) and Dr Hugh J Masterson (October 17th) both put the onus on the other to prove or disprove the existence of God. This will never be possible to the satisfaction of both because the atheist requires a physical scientific proof which is never going to happen; we as creatures, cannot demand or expect that the Creator will submit to being the subject of repeatable controlled experiments. Even if he did, it is unlikely that it would have much effect: an atheist friend of mine once told me that even if he was reliably informed that someone had risen from the dead he would not believe.

On the other hand, the types of evidence which are fully acceptable to Dr Masterson, scripture and other contemporary writings which refer to Jesus and 2,000 years of the written experience of people who have for a multiplicity of reasons, added to their own personal experience, likely mean nothing to an atheist. As Christ himself said: “My ways are not your ways”. – Yours, etc,

Dr PATRICK DAVEY,

Dublin Road,

Shankill, Dublin 18.