To the editor:

In response to Glenn Hinkle’s letter, “No religion?”, I believe Mr. Hinkle’s taking it a little far with “We’ll all be reduced to animal survival of the strongest.” Where does that come in? Why would we be reduced to that? No religion does not mean people don’t have morals. I’m sure there were plenty of atheists who marched for blacks’ rights. And plenty of agnostics are helping out with the results of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Just because they don’t believe in God does not mean they don’t know right from wrong. I know plenty of atheists who have good morals. They may be more relaxed than those of more religious people, but they know right from wrong.

People would stand up against sweat shops and discrimination regardless of their religion. People would have figured out that the slavery of African-Americans and the oppression of women was wrong. Someone would have said, “Hey, we don’t like this, and we’re going to do something about it.” It’s not hard to see wrong from right.

Mr. Hinkle makes it seem that the world would be this dark, scary place, where everything is wrong, and no one has morals or is kind. Religion may play a big part in many people’s lives, but without it, I’m sure we’d make due.

As a Christian, I am taking into account all lessons learned in my many years of Sunday school, confirmation and sermons. I know wrong from right, my atheist friends know wrong from right; it’s not hard.

Taylor Fulton,

Lawrence