Insults miss point
Richard Lucas is right that the National Secular Society seeks to remove religious privilege from the public sphere, but appears to equate this with the view that religious people should be allowed to state the case for their faith without any challenge whatsoever.
However, religious views do have to be questioned, particularly when, as happened in Paisley this week, the non-denominational Williamsborough primary school cancelled Halloween celebrations because some parents might object to it on the grounds of their religious beliefs. In cases such as this, it is absolutely right that these beliefs are subject to scrutiny and question, since their exercise impacts adversely and unfairly on the rights and freedoms of others.
As to my alleged misunderstanding of the Trinity, as a former Christian myself I have read extensively on the subject of whether Jesus was God Incarnate and the view Richard Lucas expresses is by no means universally accepted.
There is a vast quantity of literature on the subject, as theologists and apologists have disagreed and argued back and forth for centuries. He is entitled to his opinion, and I to mine.
Alistair McBay
National Secular Society
Atholl Crescent
Edinburgh
