Letter: Real agents of intolerance

Letter: At the risk of being called a bigot or an Islamophobe, I am dismayed that at least three London councils have placed bans on singing hymns to worship God. Such councils are the real Islamophobes.

As a Christian in a multicultural society, I feel that it is wrong to place such a noise abatement order on our churches, particularly when the complaints come from Muslims. It is about time that someone spoke out about the origins of our ethnicity, or am I just a voice of one crying in the wilderness?

Britain, particularly England, embraced Christianity long before Islam was born and even before the Romans brought it into Britain through St Augustine in 597 A.D.

What is not widely acknowledged is that Christianity was brought to these shores by Joseph of Arimathea in 37 A.D. which is only four years after Jesus died. Joseph was a direct, living, link to Jesus —you can't get much closer than that!

I feel that it is a basic human right to worship whichever God you choose to, after all God invites us to "Choose this day whom you will serve" (Joshua 24:15). As such, it should be unhindered by other faiths. It should be noted that in Islamic countries such as Indonesia, Iran and Saudi Arabia to name but a few, you are totally forbidden to hold public services of worship and, if caught, Christians can be thrown into prison for very long periods of time. So much for tolerance!

What are they afraid of? People who know Christ have nothing to fear - it is really those who do not know him. If only the councils would have the backbone to say "I'm sorry but this is a Christian country first and foremost and you have the freedom to worship your god in the same way that they worship theirs."

Before Christ came, many people were walking in darkness. Jesus said: "I am the light of the world.". (John 8:12) and also; "I am The Way, the Truth and the Life." (John 14:6) It would appear that the dark ages are being revisited!

Trevor Mytton

Cross Houses

Shrewsbury