Frederick may have gone, Zoe – I now notice he posted his ‘thing’ (not quite sure how to describe it) nearly four years ago.

Frederick Christiansen – I’m an atheist. I don’t believe gods exist.

I’m also not trying to clobber you in some sterile debate.

Despite the fact that those words come from a Bible I don’t believe in, I try, however imperfectly, to follow them. I’d be one heck of a hypocrite if I was to use these words uncharitably, as weapons against you.

I’m too busy trying to remediate my own many errors and faults to worry overmuch about anyone else’s, real or imagined. Nonetheless, may I please ask you to read that passage, and ask yourself whether your words of admonition to us were spoken charitably? For if not, I fear you’ve missed the point.

1 Corinthians 13 (KJV)

1. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

Pope Francis I has made clear that atheists (and others outside the Church) who are ‘people of good will’ can find a path to heaven, through sincerity of heart and good works; his pronouncement on this matter is entirely consistent the (fundamentally biblical – see Matt. 25 : 31 – 46) teaching of the Church (see Lumen Gentium).

The Church also teaches us that every human person is possessed of intrinsic dignity that must be respected. Of course, we might disagree with someone and wish to express our disagreement in ‘colourful’ terms, but to lose sight of the core Christian values is to lose everything – including in proper recognition of our own dignity and maybe even our own salvation.