SOME common sense spoken by Brian Austin and all of sudden it s atheist-bashing time again. The Rev Eales risible silliness about atheism being only skin deep is nonsense. Atheists, myself included

SOME common sense spoken by Brian Austin and all of sudden it's atheist-bashing time again.

The Rev Eales risible silliness about atheism being only skin deep is nonsense. Atheists, myself included, have thought long and hard about religious issues and the more honest one is about reality the less room there is for an all-benevolent deity.

Atheism is not about throwing supernatural myths aside on an overnight whim and the arguments for disbelief are too long and in depth to explain here but the Rev Eales should be aware it has nothing to do with 'I just don't go to church anymore'.

How typically patronising. Besides, how does that explain the countless atheists who were once priests, vicars, preachers and apostates?

For example, Joseph McCabe, a Catholic priest who gave up God and wrote more atheist books than anyone else. It is quite clear the Rev Eales is totally unaware of just what an atheist is.

Rev Eales, follow your God if you want to, no-one's stopping you but if that same supposedly all powerful deity is happy to allow the pier to burn down, depriving numerous Westonians of their income, then accept the fact that people like myself, Brian Austin, and others are going to think a prayer service is woefully silly and somewhat insulting, especially when there are millions of starving children in the world of which your benevolent God also seems spectacularly ignorant.

There are no excuses for that. Yes, we all miss the pier but praying to non-existent entities to kiss it better will not help the town.

NICK HARDING - Milton Road, Weston