Letter: We don't need the carrot of Heaven or the stick of Hell we need to learn to be moral We should not throw religion's morals out with its myths

We are in the middle of a moral crisis, and science does not give us a complete answer to this. Colin Tudge thinks that a new religion might ("If the Pope can find Darwin why can't Dawkins find God?" 27 October). In fact, all the major religions broadly agree on the fundamentals of a moral code based on the principle of treating others as we would wish to be treated. The problem is that as science has exposed the myths of religion, people have thrown out the morals as well. Trying to convert them back would be fruitless. What has to be understood is that moral behaviour should not need the stick of hell, or the carrot of heaven. Humanists have good reasons, which they are happy to share with others, for moral behaviour as normal behaviour.

James R Adams

Weybridge, Surrey