SIR – Apparently in response to his own earlier letter, when he wrote to inform us “Most humanists are blinkered, if not mad” (September 30), George Cowley again expands upon his honourable theme with the pithy observation that “I have talked in depth to several humanists in my 72 years and a few of them have definitely been unhinged” (October 17).

Perhaps he was disappointed by a lack of response the first time round so he had to reply to himself?

But, okay, you’ve got my attention. George, maybe people are just bored of you picking on and generalising about atheists and humanists, as you’ve done many times over the years. When I saw the first of your two recent attack letters I just thought “Hey, let’s turn the other cheek, maybe he’ll lose interest.” But at 72 it seems you can still be a schoolboy bully.

Here’s a variation on Kantian moral principles – before you write, stop and think “What would people conclude about all Christians if I was their model and they generalised from that?” (or all septuagenarians, men, or people called George). Perhaps this would help curb your enthusiasm for making unwarranted and untrue generalisations. Such generalisations are the root of prejudice, and you are chewing on it addictively.

Bob Churchill
London