The Editor, Sir:

Recently we had the Da Vinci Code novel come out to speak of Jesus as the boyfriend of Mary Magdalene. Now we have someone quoting the DNA code as the 'survival code' and even going on to say as the 'Golden Rule'. (refer to the Letter of the Day, 'Religion as mental slavery', October 27, 2008).

Does this sound like a new religion - the DNA Golden Rule: 'Do unto others as you would have done to you'? Probably, we cannot get away from religion. The author of the Letter of the Day is dumping the longstanding traditional religions like Christianity to replace them with new ones - 'Follow the DNA code, please look at the animals and their young ones and learn from them, for we, humans, are mere dummies'.

Cruelty

This is not the first time that someone has mocked religious beliefs. This is not the first time someone has taken the symbol of the Cross to defy religious piety and extort cruelty. This will not be the last time when someone takes religious beliefs like 'life after death' as a concept, concocted by men, to control and enslave societies. This will not be last time when someone comes up with the same old thing - 'calling good evil and evil good'. Isaiah the prophet wrote, approximately 2,600 years ago, of people who would call evil good and good evil.

What do we do? Christians do not crucify others. They are often crucified like Christ. Their simple response is prayer for those who do not understand religion. Their important response is 'show us a better way (do not just talk about it) and we will follow'.

By the way: the DNA Code 'Golden Rule' - 'Do unto others as you would have done to you', is as old as Confucius, Biblical and as new as Gandhi.

I am, etc.,

Fr. CHARLES SUSAI, MOP

Kingston