To the Editor:
Re “Peace Within the Texts” (column, Nov. 17):
David Brooks writes: “The secular substitutes for religion—nationalism, racism and political ideology—have all led to disaster.”
So it appears that, if I am not religious, I must be a nationalist, a racist, and/or a political ideologue. Am I the only secularist who is deeply offended by this implication?
The true secular substitute for religion is reason. If that is not enough to get us through this current terrorism crisis, then we might as well say goodbye to civilization.
S. T. JOSHI
Seattle
The writer is the editor of “Atheism: A Reader.”
Note from KBJ: Has it ever occurred to the letter writer that religion is based on reason? May I suggest a work in philosophy of religion?
