Re Mann on Friday, July 15 ALTHOUGH I agree with most of the sentiments expressed by Charles Mann in today's column, I disagree with him fundamentally on one point.

I certainly "pray for the victims," but rather than "damning the bombers to hell," as a Bible-believing Christian I pray for them too.

Firstly, that by the grace of God, any of them who are still alive will realise that their actions and beliefs (perverted as some would claim, or fully in keeping with similar actions taken by fellow believers right across the world, as others would sadly have to point out) will take them to hell anyway. Secondly, that they will turn instead and follow the path of repentance and thus find the forgiveness, love, joy and peace which is to be found in the Lord Jesus Christ alone.

Like Charles, I also, of course, "hope that it never happens again," but I'm afraid that it is a vain hope.

All the criticisms of our nation which Charles rightly lists, plus many, many others, are simply manifestations of the terrible truth that as a nation we have very largely turned our backs on God and rejected his Son (whose name many use as a swear word).

I fear that the statement in the Bible (Nehemiah Chapter 9) is coming true for our land in these days: "they were disobedient and rebelled against you God. They turned away from your law, killed the prophets who told them to return to you, and they did many other terrible things. So you gave them to their enemies."

Unless we as a people, from the very top down, repent of our evil deeds and turn back to God, this downward spiral into evil will continue unabated.

G R Hargrove, Flackwell Heath