Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Third of people in Scotland believe religious freedoms are being restricted

March 18, 2010

Nearly a third of people believe that religious freedoms have been restricted in this country over the past decade, a new survey shows.

The results came as an influential think tank warned that keeping religious voices out of public life "undermines democracy".

In a paper for the public theology think tank Theos, Roger Trigg, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Warwick, called for more respect to be given to the right of religious freedom when it clashed with secular rights and principles.

He wrote: "A free society should never be in the business of muzzling religious voices, let alone in the name of democracy or feigned neutrality."

The professor added: "We also betray our heritage and make our present position precarious if we value freedom, but think that the Christian principles which have inspired the commitment of many to democratic ideals are somehow dispensable."

The survey conducted on behalf of Theos by ComRes found that 32 per cent of people believed religious freedoms have been eroded over the past ten years.

• Full story at the Daily Telegraph.

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I grew up in Chautauqua County, NY. I graduated from Edinboro University of Pennyslvania in 1981 with a BFA in Jewelry and Metalworking. I have been married 31 years. I currently run a small business with my husband. We both enjoy the outdoors and animals a great deal and live on a tiny farm in Western, NY.