In the dark

Does God exist? Professor John Haldane writes an interesting and thought-provoking article (Opinion, 22 April) on this intellectual debate. However, in these columns (Letters, passim), the debate has been sometimes more emotional than rational.

Logical thinking would suggest neither the religious believers nor the atheists can prove conclusively the other side is wrong in its beliefs until, like Hamlet, we shuffle off this mortal coil. When that happens, if the atheists are right and death is the end of both corporeal and spiritual life, then the religious believers will never know disillusionment. Conversely, should they be wrong, the atheists may be in for a pleasant surprise. Personally, I am in no hurry to find out!

JOHN MURDOCH

Aldour Gardens

Pitlochry, Perthshire