What about the agnostics?

Your letters of March 8, “The God Question” by L.S. Cattarini and Ken Frankel, respectively, again confront the overly polemical view on the existence of God: atheism vs. theism. I feel slighted because agnosticism wasn’t even given mention.

Surely, if the existence of God were a certainty, it follows then that his mandate would be known, or even suggested. Then, it also follows, that we would summarily lose our free will, no questions asked. Would I then dare to indulge in the various improprieties of life? Upon death, I might be sent to that “other place”?

Likewise, the atheist might lack an appreciation or an empathy towards others who may, for example, offer a fine chorus of gospel music or a performance of Handel’s Messiah. But Mr. Frankel offers a laudable summary: “In the end, the only thing that counts is how we treat each other.” His summary is general nonetheless, and contains subjective overtones—life just ain’t easy.

As witnessed recently on a bumper sticker, “Life’s a Beach.” It sure is; no one has the answers. As one who was raised a Catholic (but is now agnostic), I was required, at least periodically, to confess my sins to a neutral person—a priest—to avoid some deceptive notion like, “God made me do it!”

God is the focus, but conspicuously omitted in Christopher Khan’s letter “Everyone Is to Blame” [March 8], where he counters Mr. John Dirlik’s earlier letter pertaining to the injustices inflicted on the Palestinians in the occupied territories. Sufferings are inflicted by the religious fundamentalists of Israel—many of whom are American—who evoke biblical history to claim: “This land is mine. God gave it to me.”

Noteworthy are the biblical enclaves in the occupied land referred to by these illegal settlers as “Judea, Samaria, Galilee etc.” Khan justifies this land expropriation with historical half-truths and gymnastics, while dismissing the indigenous population who refuse to adapt to Western “ideals” and who are detested by the monarchs of Jordan and Egypt.

What a safer place this world would be if only we’d dispense with all of our holy books. These books seem to present us with only the good folks, the evil, the naïve and nothing in-between, like us agnostics! 

>> Edward Abramic

Prospective Premier pointers

Regarding “Election Notebook ” [March 15]: I watched the televised debate between the three candidates and found Mario Dumont quite impressive in some segments, but incredibly naïve in others. In any case, Dumont will very likely lure away many votes from both PQ and Liberal supporters, thereby making the three-way race even tighter. In such a tight race, eligible citizens should be all the more motivated to get out and vote.

In this election campaign, more pressure must be applied on all the three principal party leaders to increase funding for mass transit. Montreal has decent public transportation, but the under-funded system posts a significant deficit every year, and the price of the bus pass rises every year. The price of a single ticket at $2.75 is already way too high. More than 42,000 cars are added to Montreal roads every year, continually adding to the gridlock and air pollution. If public transportation continues to get more expensive, fewer people will feel like using the metro and buses.

Also, the three party leaders need to be reminded to expeditiously legislate the numerous abusive puppy mills in Quebec out of existence and improve animal welfare, as well as introduce refundable deposits on wine bottles for the sake of the environment. Quebec is one of the few Canadian provinces still without refundable deposits on wine bottles.

>> Manish Patwari

Body to soul

John Custodio slams Cashback’s “retrograde sexual politics,” but I see it differently [“Freeze framed,” March 15]. True enough, the central character, Ben, is mesmerized by the female form, in all its parts, as a child and adolescent. But he matures during the course of the film, in contrast to his immature pal Sean, and falls in love with Sharon’s soul, her hopes and dreams, and not her physical attributes.

This is also evident in the evolution of his art, from its early focus on the feminine torso to its later, sensitive renderings of Sharon’s tender gaze. An impressive growth curve in any young man.

>> Heather Dubreuil

Circumcision vs. amputation

Matthew Hays reports a scene in The White Masai as a girl being “circumcised” [“Tribal love,” March 15]. It’s not circumcision, which is the removal of foreskin. It’s actually the ablation of the clitoris, an amputation. Get it right.

>> Carolyn