Letters: Equal religious freedom for all

The recent suggestion by the Crown Prosecution Service that it is “no longer appropriate” to quote certain parts of the Bible in public should be a matter of great concern to all who cherish liberty.

For a start, the curtailing of one man’s liberty is an encroachment upon liberty in general.

To be consistent, the CPS would have to press the case for limiting what is quoted from the sacred books of other religions, not just the Christian Scriptures.

Whether or not it has the will to be consistent remains to be seen. The pressure of political correctness may make it partial.

From my point of view, I don’t ask for liberty to express what I believe only to deny the same liberty to others of a different persuasion.

If what another man preaches offends my sensitivities, it is not for me to shout about it in such a way that that man becomes afraid to speak what he thinks or feels.

And it would be extremely harsh to expect the powers-that-be to sanction my bias by telling those who differ from me to keep shtum.

The bottom line is: equal religious freedom for all.

We must not forget that the CPS has cited just a handful of texts it deems inappropriate for the public ear, from Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy.

But what of those passages in the New Testament which some folk find offensive?

In particular, what about the record of the crucifixion and the call to repentance, which are most offensive to pride?

If in days to come there was enough of a protest from awkward people, would the CPS want to make these things unmentionable too?

What is more, if certain things are ruled inappropriate for the public to hear, would that ruling apply to the public who come into churches and not just to those who hear outside the confines of a place of worship?

It would be good to have a little more clarity on the extent to which any law might apply. People deserve clarity on such a crucial issue.

This is also time for preachers to reflect. In particular, street preachers.

Personally, I feel there are certain subjects it is better to address directly in a church service rather than in sermons on the street. Unless, of course, the street preacher is put on the spot and asked his view on whatever the controversy may be.

In which case he should not hesitate nor be ashamed to give a clear answer, regardless if the law forbids him.

And when he speaks about Hell in his preaching, it should not be done in such a way as to give his hearers the impression he is glad they are making the journey.

Liberty should be used responsibly. But at the same time, if liberty is going to be chipped away at continually, in the end we will have very little to be responsible for.

David Smyth of the Evangelical Alliance in Northern Ireland, is right. It is not the role of the CPS to govern what is appropriate or offensive.

The CPS calls on people to act responsibly, then goes beyond its remit.