More on Life as an Atheist

I am a member of two despised minorities: I’m gay and an atheist (“Atheist Chic,” by Dan Neil, 800 Words, Dec. 17). My parents were not so upset about their son being gay, but the atheist thing really bothered them since they thought they brought me up to be a good Methodist boy. Gay Christians! I don’t get it. There is nothing remotely supportive in the Bible in favor of homosexuality; in fact, it is quite to the contrary, so why join their club?

I don’t “militantly . . . challenge religiosity” wherever I meet it and I am not on a “quest” to convert people to atheism. But if people start blathering about their religion being “truth,” I will remind them that their belief in religion is not based on intellect but on a gut feeling or a simple hunch and that the ball is in their court to prove otherwise.

Bob Tucker

Westminster

A tragic irony in Dan Neil’s life would have to be that he has no one to thank, really, for his having arguably the coolest job in the universe. But God has His reasons for putting Neil where He did, not least of which is that Neil is a splendid writer. I’ll pray for you, Dan. Lord knows heaven needs all the good writing and humor it can get.

Preston Oliver

San Gabriel