HOW angry Alan Debenham got in his letter about those of us who, while claiming to be ‘modern people’, still continue to hold a ‘religious’ faith.

I wonder why my beliefs cause Mr Debenham to become so furious?

To be a follower of Jesus of Nazareth (as many scientists are), is to accept the teachings of a young Galilean Jew (Jesus was not “the first Christian”) who lived two thousand years ago, and who worshipped within the faith of his forefathers - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and David.

READ MORE: ‘Is this freedom?’

The earliest ‘Christians’ used the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) as their ‘scriptures’ but in the words of Professor John Barton (A History of the Bible; 2019, p 240), “it was in the second century that the New Testament books began to be seen not as informal documents but as scriptural texts”.

To accept the historicity of Jesus of Nazareth, and what those earliest followers remembered, and taught about him (that he was the Messiah, foretold in the Tanakh), does not mean one is “irrational”.

Indeed, it may be argued that if more people followed the teachings of Judaism and Jesus of Nazareth, the world might be a better place.

There would certainly be less vitriol and invective around, such as is typified by Mr Debenham.

MARK DYER
Wiveliscombe