“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.
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