7 JANUARY 2006, Page 17

Is ‘belief’ beneficial?

From Dr John Stoneman

Sir: I have considerable regard for Mark Steyn’s views on the world. However, I fear he has been rather confused in his article on rationality in your issue of 17/24 December (‘O come, all ye faithless’). There is a genuine debate as to whether ‘religion’ (take your pick) is true, and second, a quite distinct debate as to whether a belief in religion (true or not) is good for human societies. It’s worth stressing the distinction between truth (whatever it is) and the effects of belief in truth or untruth.

John Stoneman Exbourne, Devon