On Sept. 15, the Oxford evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins published a piece in The Guardian called "Religion's misguided missiles." With customary antireligious zeal, the Charles Simonyi professor for the Public Understanding of Science gave his explanation for the attacks on New York and Washington, D.C. -- one that placed the blame squarely on religion.

"Religion teaches the dangerous nonsense that death is not the end," Dawkins wrote. "To fill the world with religion, or religions, of the Abrahamic kind, is like littering the streets with loaded guns. Do not be surprised if they are used."

The Guardian was inundated with letters in response, and printed a selection, mainly critical, from readers offended by his sweeping indictment of religion. A common complaint was that Dawkins was heartlessly denying the consolatory power of religion at a time when it was most needed. After all, even atheists will admit that religion is a daily balm to millions around the world. Whatever you might think of religion, what it stands for and what it purports to explain, you can't deny that it has immense healing power . . . or can you?