Moral truth's vital for survival (From South Wales Argus)

Moral truth's vital for survival

1:53pm Tuesday 18th September 2012 in Letters

POINTING out the fallacies of the pious who profess moral outrage on issues of homosexuality, euthanasia and abortion, I suggest that if one’s ethical views don’t originate from empathy and careful consideration towards other groups, then contention among the creeds is bound to endure.

Enter religion and its constant failings throughout history to do the right thing in protecting and preventing the misery of those in their care. Insidious is the obstruction of humanitarian and scientific progress because of religious doctrine, refusing to revise their positions and pointing diversionary fingers at charity. After centuries to hone their policies and develop a conscience, what are they doing to garner favour in our communities? Rallying at the Vatican to expunge paedophiles? Apologising to Africa? Embracing secularism? No.

State-funded faith schools! Twelve of them this month fostering culturally ignorant and cognitively deficient adults who may continue to slow mankind’s endeavours to escape this destructive legacy of our forebears. I think that objective moral truths exist, albeit uncultivated, but maturing in the right direction and paramount to the survival of humanity. We can all agree that there is definitely a wrong direction to go when considering the best possible wellbeing for all.

Paul C Neilson, Dorset Crescent, Newport