ABQjournal Opinion: Letters to the Editor
Cancer Patient Has Many People To Thank in 2007

I am an atheist. As you could imagine that it is hard for one of my persuasion to want to give thanks to anybody for any reason. About a year ago I was diagnosed with CLL, one of the forms of leukemia. …

All of the above and many many more deserve my best wishes. I wish there was a Santa Claus so I could send a letter to him in your behalf.

BOB DYE
Albuquerque

I am always interested in public declarations of atheism. While there is no need to convert people to atheism, other atheists need to know it’s safe to come out and speak up. So bravo to Bob Dye for opening with that. Further, I’m very glad he has survived his cancer. (And, I add ruefully, without some sickbed conversion.)

My only quibble is as “one of (his) persuasion,” a fellow atheist: I am grateful every day. I see no reason that atheism should play any role in reticence to give thanks, to love one’s neighbors or strive to live by the Golden Rule. These are humanity’s best qualities, not god’s or religion’s. mjh