Madam, - Rev Robert MacCarthy, in his personal capacity, is certainly entitled to his own opinions about other religious faiths, but for a man of his stature and position to express such blatantly incorrect and grotesquely offensive views in public is utterly regrettable (Letters, April 17th). Intemperate language and gratutiously offensive statements based entirely on incorrect assumptions are hardly conducive to a civilised discussion. Perhaps he does not subscribe to the view that civility costs nothing but buys everything.
He also appears to be blissfully oblivious to the famous words of Samuel Johnson to the Earl of Chesterfield: "No man is pleased to have his all neglected, be it ever so little".
The famous Tamil scholar Thiruvalluvar (c 50 BC) says: "An aquatic flower is only as tall as the pond on which it floats and every person is only as lofty as his thoughts".
I wish Rev MacCarthy had done his homework more thoroughly before pouring scorn on values dear to some other people. - Yours, etc,
K.SRINIVASAN,
Dublin 14.
Madam - Shahzad Ahmed of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (April 22nd), rebuking Dean Robert MacCarthy, quotes Pope Paul VI's Declaration of the Relationship of the Church with Non-Christian Religions: "The Church looks with esteem on the Muslims. They adore the One God, living and enduring, merciful and All Powerful". Rev MacCarthy claimed the Islamic education system was not being interested in teaching religion but in the "indoctrination in the worship of a cult".
If this debate was taking place in school, a child would ask: "If they all adore one God, what is the argument about?"
Is it time we took the advice of atheist Daniel Dennet and taught all religions in schools? This would give children the opportunity to decide for themselves what constitutes a "cult", and what faith, if any, they decide to follow. - Is mise,
VINNIE QUINN,
Drumcondra,
Dublin 3.