Militant humanists
Sir: Thank God for Douglas Murray (‘Call off the faith wars’, 9 February). It is possible that I have been counting myself an atheist for longer than Richard Dawkins — if only because I am almost a decade older than he is. It is only fairly recently, though, that I began subscribing to the Humanist Association, of which Professor Dawkins has long been vice-president. I confess that I joined largely in the hope that membership might one day reduce the likelihood of some well-intentioned priest spouting mumbo-jumbo over my coffin.
Having signed up, I was faintly shocked by the ferocity of the humanist movement. I recognise, for example, that faith schools are intrinsically unfair, but I would be disinclined to deny parents their choice. The children will in any case make up their own minds later. (The world seems to be full of lapsed Catholics.) I cannot even get wound up by the prospect of a handful of bishops occupying seats in the House of Lords. Almost everywhere one looks in the west, religion is losing ground and seems set to go on doing so. With most things going their way, it is unnecessary for humanists to behave like a frustrated minority.
Geoffrey Foster
Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire
Fallen angels
Sir: Ross Clark’s analysis of the NHS in the wake of the Mid Staffs scandal made dispiriting reading (‘Death on the NHS’, 9 February). There is indeed sickness in the health service and there is no doubt that ‘fundamental cultural change is needed’. But no matter what management changes are made, how can one legislate for compassion? The Mid Staffs scandal exposed its virtual absence. It is nurses who are in the front line of hospital care. There was a time when the press described them as angels.
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