Daphne’s The growth of unreason (TMID, 6 December) should have chimed with anyone conditioned by religious indoctrination from birth and then fortunate enough to discover the enlightenment of science.

Though, maybe, those oblivious to science and incurious in their religious bubble really are the fortunate ones.

And, of course, as long as they do not expect me to believe that their quoting the Tanakh or Bible or Koran proves anything, least of all the existence of a supreme being.

But, for a non-atheist, the question is how to live squaring any intermediating religion with rational scientific method.

Biologist J. B. S. Haldane had something to say about that in his 1928 essay, Science and Theology as Art Forms: “Religion is a way of life and an attitude to the universe. It brings men into closer touch with the inner nature of reality.

Statements of fact made in its name are untrue in detail, but often contain some truth at their core. Science also is a way of life and an attitude to the universe. Statements of fact made in its name are generally right in detail, but can only reveal the form, and not the real nature, of existence.

“The wise man regulates his conduct by the theories both of religion and science, but he regards these theories not as statements of ultimate fact but as art forms.”

Now I am not foisting his view on anyone, but it may help some as it has me.

Alex P Galea

Woking,

Surrey

England