Dear Sir,
Some readers of the article reporting the Mexican bishops’ call for teaching religion in the public schools (September 22-28 issue) might infer that religious belief is necessary to encourage moral and ethical behavior. Such an inference is unfounded. Millions of people conduct themselves morally and ethically without any religious belief. In the words of the American Humanist Association, they are “good without a god.” Some 60 of them are members of the Lakeside Freethinkers.
These people do what is right not because of hope of reward in heaven or fear of punishment in hell, but simply because it is right. No religious belief is needed to adhere to the Golden Rule: act toward others as you want them to act toward you. On the other hand, some of the drug gangsters responsible for murdering thousands claim to be devoutly religious and strong supporters of the church. Religious belief is neither necessary nor sufficient for moral and ethical behavior.
Kenneth G. Crosby