Considering the sharpening debate about atheism it seems necessary to remind ourselves as Humanists - it is perhaps different for those who are committed to atheism as such – of the advice given by Sir Hermann Bondi in 2002. He said: "I think in this country (Britain) we are too impressed by the concept of God. Many religions, like Buddhism and Confucianism, don't have a God at all. On the other hand, Communism in its heyday had a 'sacred text' which were the writings of Marx and Lenin, and you justified an argument by referring to these writings. So it seems to me that the important thing is not the concept of God - indeed we cannot quarrel with an undefined God, for how can we disagree with a concept that is undefined. No, what makes a religion is a "revelation". And it is the belief in a revealed truth that is the source of religious problems - that the Koran is the word of God, or the Holy Bible is the judge of everything. So in arguments with Christians, when you come to the word God you have already lost the battle. You must stress the revelation, that's where the real disagreement lies, because if you are driven to a position where you have to deny the existence of an undefined quantity you are in a logical absurdity."

As Bondi said, in the fight against dogmatic religions the right target to attack is revelation. And the point about 'logical absurdity' cannot be brushed aside. It is a pity that not much attention is being paid to Bondi's advice these days.

Vir Narain