I have never once met an atheist or a secularist who "despised the rest of humanity as having an unscientific mindset" (Letters, July 9). Brian Quail fails to realise that there is a vast difference between respecting a person's right to an opinion, and accepting carte blanche the veracity of the claim made therein. What we secularists do perhaps despise is the persistent efforts of the religious to enforce their views on those who do not share their particular belief. I could also cite Dawkins and regard Mr Quail as also an atheist in respect of the countless world religions he does not profess a belief in.

I also regularly find Ron Ferguson's column intelligent and thoughtful. As a secularist, I enjoy reading his educated take on world events from a religious perspective, and I defend his and indeed Mr Quail's right to believe whatever they wish. However, he also fails to draw an appropriate distinction between belief and fact.

Mr Quail also seems to misjudge on whom the onus of proof lies in this debate. It is not atheists who are "convinced that they and they alone, have encapsulated the truth", rather it is the theists who claim they have the answers. Atheism is a rejection of theism as an explanation of our existence in the universe - it is not an alternative explanation. Moreover, the values of humanism and secularism are increasingly coming to be welcomed in a society torn apart by religious conflict.

As Mr Quail states, looking for evidence may well be a Christian tradition. Unfortunately, disregarding or obfuscating that evidence can be a characteristic of Christianity. Even a cursory glance at international news will show that the world today has more to worry about from dogmatic theists than dogmatic atheists.

Iain Jas Miller, Saltcoats. It is interesting to learn from Brian Quail that "with its profound regard for logic, it was Christian theology that gave birth to the sciences."

What about the philosophical and scientific endeavours of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and Archimedes, to name only a few? Philosophy gave birth to the sciences long before Christianity came into existence, and Mr Quail's letter shows scant regard for logic.

Dr David Shaw, Lecturer in Ethics, University of Glasgow.