Faith in funding

The Glasgow and Edinburgh Inter-faith Councils are advertising for inter-faith workers. No doubt public funds are involved in this and other activities of these bodies.

I have calculated that Scottish Government grants of at least £826,000 have been made to such bodies over the past decade and no doubt now they are to receive a tranche of the £20 million for “equalities” funding in the budget for this year.

Since the need for inter-faith work arises from the activities of religious bodies themselves why should they not pay for it from their own resources?

Many of these religions and denominations are very well endowed and could fund desirable initiatives by suitably streamlining to adjust to reduced demand for their services.

Should not religions and Christian denominations share the austerity and cuts that the general population is experiencing and endeavour to right any wrongs that their activities have generated from their own often not insubstantial resources?

Norman Bonney

Palmerston Place

Edinburgh