Your post, Richard, demonstrates that you follow a faith as devoutly as the adherents of those religions whose 'imaginary gods' you mock. Your faith, to which Jonathan also subscribes, though he expresses himself in more moderate terms, is the religion of woke. This religion regards anti-racism as the most important virtue. It's chief commandment is 'Thou shalt not speak ill of any group who threaten Britain or seek to undermine British values'. Anyone who does speak up is immediately castigated as 'bigoted' and 'ignorant'.Since 2000 Islamists have carried out 12 major terrorist attacks in Britain, killing 90 people and injuring almost 2000 others. Since 2017 the security services and the police have foiled 18 Islamist terror plots which could have resulted in serious loss of life. The Islamists responsible for these crimes are a tiny minority of the 4 million Muslim population of Britain, the vast majority of whom are law-abiding. But behind the terrorists there are a significant number of Muslims who, though they would not commit acts of violence themselves, support or justify those who do. Poll data, for example, showed that around 6% of British Muslims, around a quarter of a million people, expressed some level of support for the London Tube bombings of 2005. What is your reaction to these shocking facts? You point out that Christians, Hindus and Buddhists are just as bad. So what? All these religious groups may have chequered histories but they are not attacking us now. I can imagine that if you were ever caught up in a terrorist incident, you would be saying to your companions, ' Remember what the Christians did in the crusades'.
Steven Rose ● 3d