�Follower� of RD is probably not the most apt word to use, Vic. But I know what you mean and fully agree. I too am grateful for the valuable work he does.
As a long-term, �foreign� resident of this country, one of the things I like very much about it � apart from its inherent liberalism that I think is still strong � is that it is in fact a largely post-religious society! Pockets of the extreme opposite I don�t think really undermine or threaten that; nor do they have much potential to do so. That is of course unless, as Ian rightly stresses, some charismatic fascist comes along and succeeds in harnessing such narrow-minded zealots.
So what I�d like to know from those who describe this country as �Christian� actually mean, or indeed want. Are you really a Christian, or are you one of the many who lamely describe themselves as �C of E� when asked their religious affiliation? �C of E� is of course never spelled out in such cases, because that would mean having to say the word �church� and that would be going much too far. It is I think a knee-jerk thing, not based on any thought.
I think it was Roy Hattersley who said something like: �The English are not religious; they are merely sentimental about religion�. Good. The more religion dies, the safer we will all be from extremism.
|
|
