Madam, - Even the most sanctimonious person cannot deny that the medical sciences of the past 200 years have delivered more efficacious benefits to humankind than all the prayers of all the religions of the past 10,000 years. Smallpox, "the most terrible of all ministers of death" (Macaulay), has been eliminated as a clinical disease. Polio, cholera, tuberculosis, and many forms of cancer and other once fatal ailments are now, thanks to scientists, controllable, curable or preventable.
Scientists have also delivered better foods, reliable supplies of electricity, cleaner industries, safe long-distance travel and many more benefits to the advantage of the people of this world. Perhaps these benefits would have been delivered to the world earlier if religions had not spent so much time inventing new sins to torment human minds.
Christianity taught that plagues and famines were punishments from God for the waywardness of mankind. Eleventh-century Muslims hounded their greatest medical scientist, Avicenna, into hiding - partly because he recommended a little wine as an aid to digestion, and partly because he dared to doubt some of the teachings of theologians.
Fortunately, a few brave people decided that by observation, reason, development, examination, tests and demonstrations, the lot of mankind could be improved, and our place in the universe be better understood. These were the forerunners of our modern scientists who continue the tasks of making the world a better fed, healthier and more comfortable place to live in.
When a religion meets ambiguities in its creed it turns them into holy mysteries, or invokes infallibility, rather than admit that it does not have the answers. Scientists are much more honest and modest. They can admit their errors and welcome corrections from more knowledgeable people. Mistaken claims are forgiven when sincerity is beyond doubt. - Yours, etc.,
JOSEPH HACKETT, Victoria Road, Greystones, Co Wicklow.