Faith and hope

Let me start by wishing a very happy new year to all of The Scotsman’s regular contributors.

Irene Munro’s letter (30 December) made a series of good points. The ongoing persecution of Christians is worrisome for non-religious people too.

The recent Freedom of Thought Report highlighted the many cases of atheists being convicted and sentenced to death, mainly in Muslim-majority countries.

So Ms Munro is wrong when she talks about “bringing the persecution of religious communities to public attention”, unless she wishes to exclude non- religious people perhaps.

The truth is that when any ideology is given a privileged position in society, and when dissent or critique is stifled, the result is often totalitarian in nature.

This leads in turn to persecution of minorities who are unable or unwilling to go along with the party line.

Without wanting to appear brash, one would assume that we can all agree that persecution based on personal philosophical beliefs is wrong – in which case the only way to ensure a level playing field for all is in a secular society in which no religion or personal philosophy is favoured over any other.

Gary McLelland

Duke Wynd

Glasgow

Garry Otton (Letters, 31 December) complains that BBC Radio 4’s Thought for the Day slot is reserved for religious speakers.

Just to clarify, these “religious speakers” do not represent the spectrum of religious opinion, but must be willing to give a short talk that fits with the BBC’s liberal agenda.

Thought for the Day serves to sideline the views of most religious people, while promoting the vague platitudinous religion favoured by the BBC.

How’s this for a deal? Atheist speakers allowed on Thought for the Day, in exchange for the BBC ceasing to abuse its power by saturating its entire programme output with blatant secular liberal bias?

Richard Lucas

Broomyknowe

Edinburgh