Fighting for faith

“We NEED to make the positive case for secularism, which is that it’s the best way of bringing people of all faiths and none together.” So wrote Tim Maguire (Perspective, 24 March)

Is it really that simple? Can we usher in an age of harmony and co-operation by just excluding religion from public life? I don’t think so. Accommodating religious elements in wider society is a complex business, calling for tolerance and understanding.

While many secularists want to entirely eliminate any religious observance in schools, I’d prefer to implement a system that broadly reflects what families want, while also making alternative provision for those who are unable to subscribe to the broadly acceptable policy. And, yes, if the balance of opinion favours an entirely secular approach in an area, so be it. It is secularists who seek to impose their approach on everyone.

The current abortion law is a fine example of tolerance and understanding. While permitting and facilitating abortion, it seeks to allow (often religious) conscientious objectors to continue to work in midwifery and nursing without direct involvement in abortion.

The main area where Christians feel that this tolerance and understanding is not happening is related to homosexual practice. For example, when a registrar does not wish to conduct same-sex civil partnership ceremonies, the attitude is not “how can we work things out so that you don’t have to do anything contradicting your deeply held beliefs?” but, rather, “this is a heretic who should be made an example of.” I guess Mr Maguire would describe this as “human rights trumping religious bigotry”, but it’s really liberal intolerance trumping freedom of belief.

He calls for a more positive message about the benefits of secularism. If that entails refraining from the offensive and insulting style of secularists from Richard Dawkins to anonymous angry internet posters, then I’m all for it.

However, if he still chooses to describe orthodox Christian beliefs as “religious bigotry”, and wishes to expel every last trace of religion from public life, he can hardly complain if secularists are still viewed as “aggressive”.

Richard Lucas

Broomyknowe

Colinton, Edinburgh