Spectator letters: On the Pope, Jesus and Mandy Rice-Davies

Papal blessing

Sir: In his excellent article on Pope Francis (‘Pope idol’, 11 January), Luke Coppen mentions the satirical rumour that the new pontiff had abolished sin. It could never be said, however, even in a spoof, that he has abolished the Devil, whom he has named and shamed on a number of occasions. What Coppen calls ‘the cockeyed lionisation of Francis’ is surely itself a trick of the Devil: so too the ‘older son problem’ — the disgruntlement of obedient Catholics at Francis’s embrace of sinful prodigal sons and daughters. Virtue is surely its own reward, and no one who has experienced grace hankers after the fleshpots of Egypt. Piers Paul Read London W12

Straight talking

Sir: I have always liked what I know of Matthew Parris, so it is entirely without malice that I venture to link the title of his piece in the issue of 11 January (‘It’s gay men who contribute most to society’) with Mandy Rice-Davies’s comment, quoted in William Astor’s article in the same issue: ‘He would say that, wouldn’t he?’ As for the thesis itself, it may or may not be true — but it’s worth pointing out that without heterosexuals and their reproductive proclivities, there would be no society at all… Febrin LePadden Surrey

What would Jesus tweet?

Sir: I was puzzled by James Bartholomew’s comment (Diary, 4 January) that Jesus would have lost his dignity had he been reduced to condensing his great thoughts into 140 characters. I put his statement to the test, and counted the characters in three of his quotes from the King James Bible. — It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. (111 characters; Luke 18:25) — Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.