Sir, - Humanism is common sense, says Paddy Leahy (June 18th). Christianity is for those who have reached the end of their ability to live a life of common sense by human power alone.
Christianity could be called a religion for failed humanists. In Romans 7, St Paul describes how his sharpened awareness of what is good and reasdnable drove him to despair, as he kept on doing, the opposite. "I don't do the good I want to do . . . who will rescue me from this? . . . Thanks be to God, who does this through our Lord Jesus Christ!"
Much popular Christianity is more like humanism. After all, isn't the quality of our lives more important than our beliefs? The logic of this can't be faulted, until people discover for themselves the limits of human capabilities. Until this happens, as Dr Leahy suggests, there may seem to be no limits.
In the practicalities of daily living, Christianity and humanism, at their best, have a lot in common. Among other things (despite what Dr Leahy says), many Christians value honest search and inquiry, and are prepared to admit limits to their knowledge. They have also struggled with those unpalatable parts of the bible. His comment about the typical theologian denouncing the philosopher carries a hint of prejudice.
Consider the story of the prodigal son. After the moment he came to his senses, he would have had broadly the same views as his brother as to responsible behaviour involved. The older brother, like the humanist, would tell you that this was mainly common sense. The prodigal son knew that he needed his father's acceptance, as he was, before he could live the way he knew to be right. - Yours etc.,
Mulgrave Street, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.