Letter: Science and theology: material and spiritual questions that are worlds apart

Sir: Richard Dawkins is much too nice to the theologians. If all their achievements were 'wiped out tomorrow' we would certainly notice a difference. Human culture would no longer contain the whole libraries of absurd nonsense proclaiming that women are only 'partial' human beings, that all sexual acts are inherently sinful, that 'soulless' animals cannot experience pain, that monarchs are necessarily virtuous, that slavery is ethically right, that condom use to prevent Aids is immoral, that heretical authors should be executed, and that most human beings will be tortured in hell for all eternity - to mention but a few.

Yours sincerely,

GEOFF SIMONS

Stockport,

Cheshire

20 March