I LIKE reading Mr Readman’s letters. He gets my juices going, perhaps that is why he does it?

I have a few questions regarding his letter in Saturday’s Echo, May 9.

What would a "loving and merciful deity” do to help in the fight against Covid-19? Or to prevent millions being exterminated, or millions of children suffering starvation etc?

When would the deity step in; before or during?

Finally, why would the deity step in?

Perhaps the clue is in the “loving and merciful”. Would you agree that generally it is wrong that people should suffer?

If it is wrong that anyone should suffer then the deity would have to step in before the virus jumped to man, in other words the deity would have to interfere in this world.

Then the deity would have to work on a sliding scale of when it is acceptable to interfere i.e. what is a serious wrong and what is not so serious?

For instance, a man drinking himself a little tipsy or worse is acceptable so no interference; but if he then attempts to start his car and drive off, the deity should step in and block the fuel flow or drain the batteries and prevent him driving into a bus queue.

Therefore, if the deity did interfere at times, that would be acceptable to you and you would believe?

Unfortunately, the deity does not work like that. Well, the one I believe in doesn’t. (I do believe that God does sometimes interfere especially if people have been praying for something, but I have no evidence that would stand close scrutiny, only coincidence and after time when I look back.)

He has given us a ˜highway code of behaviour” to keep us and our neighbour safe. At its basic is Love Thy Neighbour.

This is the centuries old problem with mankind, he will not do what is safe. Just as now there are people who will not consider trying to keep everyone safe and follow guidelines. They believe they know best and cry freedom and do not care enough to follow safety advice.

BERNARD HOLLAND

Runnymede Avenue, Bournemouth