Few British film or play directors seem to come up with anything that is both controversial and relevant in political and social matters of importance. Although we have a wealth of such material, it seems that the age of new labour seem to now keep most voices of popular dissent from any mainstream media outlet. Controversy now means simple sexual titillation, or celebrities eating kangaroo testicles. Controversy means some artist has filled a glass tank up with formaldehyde and placed a dead cow in it. England was once a place where controversy would mean people being outspoken in political, religious or social matters. Our history is filled with great controversial speeches and incitements to rebellion from the English working class and radical intellectuals. There are great poems and stories and accounts of history which line each shelf of Kirkby Library. The greatest scientific discoveries came from societies which allowed people to challenge accepted opinion. This is the heritage of freedom of speech.

For many of us, Freedom of Speech is something we take for granted but we are building our own funeral pyre if we simply assume that this right, supposedly enshrined in British law and tradition, will always be there.

1000 Sikhs - 1 Freedom of Speech - 0

Freedom of speech also manifests itself in various forms of the arts such as plays and pieces of theatre, be they fictional or depictions of factual events. Behzti, which is Sikh for Dishonour, is a play written by Sikh playwright Gurpreet Bhatti. The play had a scheduled run at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre until the end of December. Over 1000 Sikhs took great offence at the play which was set in a 'Temple' which was part of the stage set. No-one is denying them the right to protest, but sadly, hundreds of the Sikhs decided to storm the Theatre, causing damage and even injuring a few policemen who seemed prepared to let this mob brush aside riot cops and invade the theatre.

The play itself explores issues of sexual abuse, manipulation and relationships inside a Gurdwara, which is a Sikh place of worship. Enough people stormed the Theatre to stop the play and cause the theatre to be evacuated. Many families were in the theatre at the time as the building itself has several function rooms and was busy before the Christmas period. Damage was also caused backstage were the intruders gained access. The actors could have been killed by some of the worse hotheads - and the police seemed to not anticipate this. Around 50 police officers - including 30 in riot gear and dog-handlers with Alsatians - 'rushed to the Rep to restore public order as a police helicopter hovered overhead'. (BBC) But the demo was advertised in advance and angry exchanges on internet forums indicated that trouble might well be expected as Sikhs from all around the UK planned to make there way to stop what they see as a form of 'blasphemy'. This wasn't a spontaneous demonstration. The police knew it was going to happen.

The West Midlands police, or indeed any police force, would have surely beaten the absolute crap out of a gang of 1000 white working class people storming anywhere. West Midlands police are the force who investigated the South Yorkshire police role in the Hillsborough football 'disaster'. A lively picket would be soon closed down with extreme force or just banned. However, the police in Birmingham seemed shy with the truncheons on this occasion, and only nicked up to 2 or 3 people according to the BBC website. Other reports (Birmingham IC website) state 5 were nicked. No reports of charges are so far mentioned. No reports of injuries to the demonstrators. So why the softly, softly treatment?

Political correctness?

Orders from above not to intimidate the 'sensitive' religious crowds?

The Birmingham Rep Theatre eventually had to cancel the play due to the religious fascism which manifested itself. The police caved in maybe for fear of being seen as racists, and another theatre manager who offered to host the play, received a death threat fairly promptly.

Bishop loses the plot.

The BBC quoted Roman Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham, Vincent Nichols, who said the play was "offensive to people of all faiths". But, isn't being denied freedom of speech offensive to all people not of faith? It's an insult to the hundreds of thousands of British who died to protect Freedom of Speech, that's for sure. Christians have put up with a deluge of plays, songs, books, poems, paintings, statues, cartoons, comics and movies which depict Christ himself in a less than 'respectful' manner. Priests and popes and Bishops have been portrayed fictionally and factually as sexual perverts, swindlers and charlatans.

Did we see mobs of Christian's or Jews storm cinemas when the Passion of the Christ was on?

There was a movie released last year called Magdalene Sisters. Did Christians storm cinemas when that film was shown?

The Magdalene sisters

The Magdalene sisters were young Irish women forced to endure unpaid slave labour in a series of profit making Laundries run by the Catholic Church in Ireland. The 'venture' was only closed in the 80's and legal cases are ongoing. Various paedophiles used the church run laundires as a covert cover for raping kids and the laundries themselves were a natural hunting ground for the few depraved perverts who were supposed 'trusted' men of God. Sexual abuse has taken place in churches, synagogues, mosques and every other temple and place of worship you can imagine. The BBC reports today (23 Dec 2004) of a Muslim cleric who raped a 12 yr old girl in a Mosque. Manzoor Hussain, 42, of Ashley Road, Bristol was convicted of one offence of rape and four of indecent assault and got a pathetic 10 years in jail. We wonder would this sick paedophile have been convicted in a Muslim Country, or would religious leaders cover it up like ours done for so long? The Catholic Church covered there own abuse up, because it tended to spoil the image of what a church or faith should be. We have no reason to presume other religions are any different. Even Popes have committed rape and murder and done so in places of Worship. Institutions like the Church - any Church - always have abuses of power. To pretend otherwise or try to stop criticism of any religions, will make people wonder what is being hidden.

The Bishop also stated that "The right to freedom of expression has corresponding duties to the common good". But given religious leaders have indulged in the atrocious abuse of people throughout history, surely criticism of religion is the foundation stone of any civilised society. Many of us do not believe in religion, and we must surely have the right to speak out. Our freedom of expression is as valid as the Popes or any religious leader. Those who hold Gods so called words as the highest authority, have no right to infringe upon the liberties of those who see those words as a mere method of social control.

Also on the BBC website, Mohan Singh, a local Sikh community leader was quoted as saying "When they're doing a play about a Sikh priest raping somebody inside a gurdwara,(Sikh temple) would any religion take it?"

Yes. Try Christianity.

When in Rome?

For all the faults of Christianity, one of its saving graces perhaps is the tolerance shown. Jesus himself took a lot of abuse in his life and apart from turning over a few tables whilst people set up a market in a Temple, he was tolerant. There is a danger that with a Multicultural Society, we allow our very tolerance to be replaced by a myriad of laws which seek to protect a myriad of religious and cultural beliefs and eventually destroy OUR secular based culture and freedoms. Whatever happened to 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do?'

We have too many laws. But this law is another backward step to the medieval days when religious leaders could not only rape us in Temples and Churches, they enthusiastically embarked upon torture and abuse that was done in the name of God. Religious followers often have no understanding themselves of the history of there religion or even the holy books themselves. All the thinking work is done for them - and for poor people and ignorant people, it stifles intelligence and manifest itself in religious fundamentalism. Only when the working class got educated and challenged the Christian and Catholic Church, did they eventually fall in line with popular opinion. The Catholic Church was dragged, kicking and screaming into the 21st Century. Many lives were lost and hearts broken and lives destroyed before the Church could even be questioned by the common man and woman. Having won this right, we'd be damn fools to throw it away and to start over the process again with other religions who are ultra sensitive as regards criticism. Catholicism and Christianity weathered the storm of criticism and social commentary and even ridicule, and so too must other religions. Given that many of these people of faith have supposedly come here claiming political asylum due to persecution in other Countries, it is insane that English people, and others, might now be persecuted for speaking out against ideas and customs which we find annoying and often immoral and sometimes illegal.

Life under the Swastika or the Sword of Islam

If, in the past, any other cultures had conquered us, perhaps the shelves in Kirkby Library would be filled with less controversial books. Had Hitler won, perhaps we'd see no books by Marx or Lenin or English/British socialists and anarchists. No George Orwell or Aldous Huxley. Definitely no books on the Jewish holocaust. In fact, it would not be called a Holocaust - it would be called a 'Great Victory'.

Had the Muslims, buoyed up by seeing off the Crusaders from the Holy Lands, conquered France and set sail over to the UK in the past centuries, perhaps Kirkby Library (or Islamic Centre of learning) would see none of those love and murder books, much loved by women, and plenty of men. (who read the wives books) We'd have no Marx or Lenin nor Orwell, who all portrayed religion as a mere government inspired means to steer the masses under an elite leadership. There would be no Christian Churches. If we look at Saudi Arabia, spiritual home to all Muslims due to Mecca being situated there, we find not one Christian Church or Jewish Synagogue although Christians and Jews walked the land before Muhammad, the Muslims Prophet, was born. In the UK, a Christian Country, we find over 1000 Mosques. Some 80% of Muslims in the UK feel they suffer discrimination, but a Christian in a Muslim Country suffering persecution is in a far worse situation.

A partly Christian and mainly secular based society, like ours, gradually protected the rights of the individual to have there say. There are moral limits to what can be published (child porn for instance) but nothing much was banned once we reached the 1960's or so. Everything was open to question and rightfully so. Christianity had to weather this storm, and in the final judgement, the ones who were true Christians and followers of Christ would forgive most of the tide of criticism. They have to do this according to the very foundation stone of Christianity, i.e. - forgiveness. A lot of evil was rooted out of the Churches due to people being educated and having the right to criticise. There is more to come. Some injustices committed by the Churches had to be answered, but some older Priests were locked in a pattern of denial, and sometimes complicity. The separation of the Church from the State was underway in earnest from the 60's onwards, but now there are religious forces looking to once again force the Church, or the Mosques or Temples, to be more protected by and aligned with the State. With Islam - the Church IS the State and has the ultimate say in all matters. We will look at this later in the article.

Killing in the Name of God

To prove the folly of simply accepting religion, we need only look at Japan in the 80's, which was a Country forced to recognise a growing cult as a religion. The subsequent special treatment allowed this cult to build up a massive weapons program which in turn led to them buying chemical and biological weapons which were eventually unleashed on the Japanese public. Shoko Asahara who led the Aum Shinri Kyo (Supreme Truth Sect), managed to persuade thousands of Japanese that his new religion was 'the one'. The people who bought his story of mystic end of the world new age bullshit, were educated and professional Japanese from all walks of life including police, army, young and old, professional and backpacker. Asahara set up his cult in 1987, mixing the usual peaceful Buddhist and sometimes temperamental Hindu teachings with a good old fashioned bit of Biblical doom and gloom with the inevitable end of the world. Asahara made hundreds of millions of pounds, but money was only a means to an end for him, namely a means to ending the World, or part of it. The 'good works' of Mr Asashara came to an end in 1995 when 12 people died and about 5500 people were injured, some permanently, after devotees of the Supreme Truth Sect released sarin nerve agent in Tokyo's rush-hour trains on March 20, 1995. A previous small scale attack killed another 7 residents when a van equipped to spray sarin and other agents, set off on its mission and blew lethal toxic substances over residential areas. The cult also pumped out what they believed to be lethal germs by using air vents on a building they owned. Horrific as the total of injuries sounds, the Japanese were very lucky that the sarin was not used in a more effective manner. Thank God these religious lunatic were not blessed with too much insight into weapons delivery systems. They had enough chemicals to kill millions. They wanted to do this for religious reasons.

Had this religion been established in the UK. It is likely that Liverpool City Council would consider having a 'Supreme Truth Sect day' and humour these 'decent people of faith'. Councils in Japan certainly did so.

Liverpools 'miracle babies'

Celebrating religious diversity in the City of Faith?

We've actually been host here in Liverpool to a church which allows people to have miracle babies - gifts from heaven which are born to women in Africa, and belong to parents here, but come 'from God'. Some would call it a crime to enable people from the third world to sell babies to 'evangelists' based in Liverpool or elsewhere. UK-based evangelical pastor Archbishop Gilbert Deya (He's an African by birth) claims that the women get pregnant because this fine upstanding man of God "exorcises their demons."

Archbishop Deyas group has more than 36,000 deluded followers, I mean, members, in Britain. The group was reported to be building a £1 million church in South London - he told the BBC that there was "no explanation for the miracle babies". Kirkby Times has one. The man is obviously a liar. And if there is still a church here in Liverpool, it should be closed down. He can be seen in his Mercedes with its personalised number plate so he obviously likes hi materialistic indulgences. Do you think this so called 'Archbishop' should be 'respected' merely because he is a 'man of God'. Do we accept that 'miracle babies' are being born to childless couples in the UK due to some 'act of God?'. I repeat again, this Church should be closed down and local police should be tasked with investigating the congregation with regards to any 'miracle babies' here in Liverpool.

Dutch Courage

Whilst the mainstream media fills up the TV screens and papers and radios with triviality and mind numbing propaganda, some people want to make serious points. In England and the UK we have few documentary makers and commentators and journalists who seem to touch upon the Muslim religion since the Salman Rusdhie affair. But in Holland, one man had taken it upon himself to look at the Netherlands population of Muslims and the religion of Islam. He researched the matter accordingly and set about working with a former Muslim woman who had written a controversial script. The subsequent film he directed was called 'Submission' and it was upsetting to Dutch Muslims who thought there religion had been blasphemed or belittled. Holland itself, like most of the old and proper Europe, has a famous tradition for defending freedom of Speech, not least because the Nazis once gave them a taste of what tyranny and lack of such freedoms could be like. The Dutch pretty much speak out against everything and anything so therefore, people who live there should expect various criticisms of religion. This seems obvious, but sadly the consequences of speaking out against Muslims were deadly. Theo Van Gogh was brutally murdered for merely criticising a religion. He is not the only one. It is safe to say that religion has set back mankind by the fact that there intolerance and the pack mentality often turns on anyone who differs and speaks out. John Lennon once asked us to 'Imagine no religion'. Perhaps the song might have been banned today.

Submission

Submission is a 10-minute film by directed by Theo van Gogh and written by Miss Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Liberal party member of the Lower House of the Netherlands Parliament. Ayann is a Somali refugee who fled an arranged Muslim marriage. Given that we have a growing population of Somalian and other Muslims in the UK, the film might well be as topical to us as it was for the Dutch.

The film itself sought to symbolically highlight the mistreatment of women born to some Muslim families. The film was shown on the Dutch public broadcasting network (VPRO) on August 29, 2004. VPRO have collaborated with the BBC on many occasions. The film displays the bodies of Muslim women who have been beaten. On there bodies are painted verses taken from the Koran which are used by Muslims to determine husband-wife relations. There is the same instruction on social behaviour in the Jewish Talmud and the Old Testament which, if followed, would lead the follower into trouble. Those who follow the letter of these old codes of conduct will clash with most Western Modern Civilisations. The Koran is in effect an instruction book on all aspects of social behaviour and as with all religious books written by men hundreds of years ago, the general outlook for women can be interpreted as less than liberating. The Koran itself and other important Muslim writings are interpreted in various ways. Women play no role in this interpretation.

The women featured in Submission include one that is beaten up regularly by her husband and another that is raped by her uncle. These things do happen to Muslim women, and therefore the forward thinking Dutch were always going to see someone from a Muslim background speak out at some point. It is perhaps fitting it was a former Muslim women who would find the courage to speak out against the backward wife-beating husbands who think raising there fists to women is all well and good. This is not directed at Muslim men, it's directed at all men who hide behind religion and treat women like second class citizens. All Theo done was to direct the short film that one of the sufferers of Islamic female abuse had scripted. This short film of approx 10 minutes or so, cost him his life.

Film Director Murdered

On November 2, 2004, Freedom of Speech in Holland saw a dark cloud hover over the horizon. Intolerance raised it ugly head and film director Theo van Gogh was brutally murdered by a Muslim upset with the short film he directed. Van Gogh was distantly related to Holland's most famous artist, he was a popular yet controversial figure, a Dutchman who, by his own admission had in the past over-indulged in coke, 'e' and Dutch beer, and was apparently a big fan of a few pints down the local boozer in his latter years. He wasn't some stuck up arty type who just mixed with the snobs and luvvies like many UK directors. He'd been sacked from almost every major Dutch newspaper with his frequent insults to the good and the great. He was a controversial figure, he had his faults for sure, but don't we all?

Blood On The Streets

Theo was shot whilst riding his bicycle. This bicycle has been pointed out by Dutch people as being symbolic of the Dutch lifestyle. Even the Royals ride bikes over there - and this act of riding a bike seems to give the Dutch some humility, as the rich and poor can be seen peddling along, old and young, with many mums and dads with babies on some sort of seat. A bike offers little protection, but most Dutch don't need protecting. There's nothing to fear. Or there never used to be.

Theo was shot several times at close range. As he lay mortally wounded on the ground, the murderer slashed his throat without mercy, perhaps his intent was to slice off his head, a favoured form of execution by some Islamic Countries. Not content with shooting Theo several times, and slashing his throat, the killer then stabbed him in his chest with two knives, which were left protruding from his body. A note was found pinned to his chest on one of the knives, containing death threats against three other public figures. These figures, and one would suspect, others, are now having to look at the prospect of an armed guard for the foreseeable future, not to mention the added fear that there families might be harmed. There freedom itself is effectively curtailed. Our politicians are keen to offer us a 'replacement' freedom which is in effect one more step on the path to tyranny.

Village Idiot

A few days before his murder, Theo told his co collaborator in the Submission movie...."I'm the village idiot; they won't touch me. Be careful, you're the apostate woman." An 'apostate' is someone who has rejected and left the Islamic faith. Sadly, Theo was already marked for death as he spoke those words.

Theo van Gogh's death stirred up by the use of the Internet

On August 30 2004, a day after the transmission of "Summer Guests," including "Submission, Part 1",Theo van Gogh's photo was put up on an Islamist Web site under a photograph of Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Her photo was captioned "The Wicked Infidel Mortadda," and Theos named as the "The Wicked Infidel Ribald." (Infidel means unbeliever, or non muslim).

Ayaan Hirsi Ali made a statement to the Dutch police, and the person who uploaded the photos and the message to the Islamist website was actually caught and was sentenced to nine months in prison. No-one even knows as of yet if Theo was consulted about this. These threats are obviously taken more seriously now.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali stated in an interview after Theos murder that "I am angry because I know that the perpetrator is not alone: He is a member of a network of Muslims who are deeply wrapped up in their belief, who walk around with intentions to kill innocent people. Furthermore the perpetrator could prepare his killing in the knowledge of friends and acquaintances, people who would never murder anyone themselves, but who do not care about Theo's death."

Blashphemy Laws lined up for Muslims in the UK

The submission film, like any film which criticises religion, is controversial and perhaps similar to the many films, plays and books which criticise the Christian religion or perhaps Judaism. I feel confident I could write a very critical article on the Jewish faith without too much pressure. Likewise, I would not feel 'in danger' too much if I criticised Christians. In fact I'd feel no danger whatsoever and cartoons of Jesus have appeared on this website - perhaps God has a sense of humour (I hope so!). If I visit a place of worship - I would abide by the traditions dictating my behaviour. My conflict comes when the religious walk out of there places of worship and try to apply laws governing what we can and cannot say in public.

I feel sure that Buddhists won't catch me in Kirkby Town Centre and beat me up, nor would Hare Krishna's or the Jehovah's give me much concern if I opened up with some article which criticised them in a serious manner or made fun of them. But, if I criticised Islam, or perhaps made fun of it, I very much run the risk of upsetting some defender of the faith - or - it's quite possible that Tony Blair's new labour Gestapo will simply jail me for upsetting the applecart of so called multiculturalism. Bear in mind that new labour are bombing Muslims on one hand and are negotiating, with the other hand, to bring in 'special' laws for the Muslims here in the UK which will in effect stop a movie like Theo Van Gogh's being released. The new law would take England backwards, pandering to the fears and superstitions of Muslims by allowing English Law to give this religion, and others, even more credibility and political power.

Cherie Blairs battle for 'human rights' unveiled.

Cherie Booth QC, is representing her client latest client for 'human rights' a 15 yr old girl called Shabina Begum. Her cause is to win the right for Muslim schoolkids to continue the foreign Muslim custom of girls wearing a jilbab, which is a veil designed by men to take away temptation as it were. It's similar to headwear worn by Nuns. Kids born to strict Muslims won't have any real choice in deciding IF they feel Islam is the right choice. Many would say this veil is more about sexual control than liberating women and given the very strict laws in Islam dictating sexual behaviour, there seems to much truth in this, although Muslims will offer there own interpretations. One interpretation is that the veil stops women being seen as sex objects. Our State school have a strict dress code, most parents in Kirkby agree with this code as it prevents school becoming a fashion competition with kids from less well off backgrounds getting stick for not wearing £500 worth of LaCostly Tracksuit. Kids who are dressed differently feel awkward, and although this 15 yr old may well think she is mature enough to make a decision, she has become a political lever and her cause will be used by strict Muslims to make sure that our schools allow Muslim girls to wear this head-dress. If Cherie Blair wins this case, we will have Satanists demanding a few 'devil worshipping' ceremonies and the right to wear pentagons. All it needs is one 15 year old schoolgirl to read a few books on witches and spells in Kirkby Library and it's off to the Human Rights Court we go. Witch craft and paganism is the UK's indigenous religion and older than Christianity. Most Christian holidays are superimposed on the old pagan celebrations and festivals. If this Muslim girl wins, next job for Cherie and her crusade for human 'rights' will be places of Worship in schools for Muslim students and permission to pop out of class to pray with the prayer mat.

Islamic Customs which conflict with UK laws.

On a serious note, and on a matter I have personally researched - some Muslims in the UK also practice genital mutilation on girls, but only 1 prosecution has so far taken place in the UK because it's a 'sensitive issue' for British police or social workers or the NHS (including GP's) to accuse Muslims of allowing this practice to continue. To be fair, the practice seems to be derived from cultural traditions and tribal practices and the Koran itself does not advise Muslims to put young girls through this horrific custom. However, many Muslims seem to believe the operation is nessesesry in a similar way to the Jewish faiths practice. Some might argue Jewish people are guilty also of partaking in a religious practice which is unnecessary and cruel, they snip the foreskin off boys and although this does not hinder his sexual feeling in later life, it is strange for Jewish people to assume that nature has somehow built us wrongly. Some minor sects of Christians also practice this custom of female mutilation; most of them are African or Asian as far as I can tell and have twinned there indigenous customs onto the Christian faith. No European cultures mutilate the genitals of girls, but the practice is widespread throughout Europe specifically in immigrant communities. Over 90% of women in Egypt, a relatively modern Islamic Country, have reportedly been through one of the three main female genital mutilation procedures which range from a mere token pinprick (a Westernised version of the operation) to the worse form, which is a removal of all female sexual genitalia. The latter operation on girls can hinder sexual feeling. At its worse, female genital mutilation stops all physical sexual feeling and has been designed with this in mind. It is almost inconceivable that women began this practice. An article on this practice has already been put together and I guarantee readers that they will be shocked at what is revealed. We wonder would Cherie defend this custom in future? Will our vote scrounging MP's in areas of high Muslim populations just ignore aspects of the religion and cultural hangovers which are inhumane?

Muslims who read this website (and some do) have to accept that criticism is even more inevitable if this new religious discrimination law is bought in. Given it was included in the Queens speech it seems destined to do so. At that point, people who had no real concern at criticising Islam will doubtless ask why others cannot criticise it. Kirkby Times has painstakingly made clear why Muslims are not our enemy; the website has recognised that our wars on Afghanistan and Iraq were wrong. When injustices are committed against Muslims, this website has spoken out.

Tolerance is a burden sometimes. We all put up with listening to various things that we may not agree with. It could be someone down the local pub telling you what they think of religion or politics, or even what they think of you. Conversation itself can see a myriad of beliefs discussed, and public debate at its best and most thought provoking, always upsets someone.

Those who want to ban our right to freedom of speech always have something to hide. It is time that the people of this Country stood up and put a stop to the increasing limitations on what we can say and do. Given how no-one has EVER offered so much as one iota of proof that there is a God, it seems comical that you can be jailed for suggesting people who believe in particular religions are simply deluded and a have a system of beliefs which are based on superstition and, one could argue, some good old brainwashing. George Orwell portrayed religion on Animal farm in the form of a crow which promised the Animals there was a 'better place' called 'Sugar Candy Mountain' were animals went to when they died. The promise of heaven is perhaps an effective method of social control. The poor are told to endure being poor, but all the churches which exist here in the UK, seem to make sure there own bank accounts are very much in the black.

Maybe new labour might think there doing us a favour if we cannot criticise Islam, or any other religion. At the same time, they inform us that we will be attacked by terrorists, who almost certainly will be Muslims. New labour annoys 90% of the British people by the introduction of laws specifically lobbied for by the Islamic clerics in the UK to protect Islam's followers being 'discriminated against'. As seen in this article there are aspects of Islam which clearly discriminate against women and children and non believers.

Criticising religion is our right in this Country and NO religion will take this right away from us. Unless your God is willing to offer the people of this country more proof than a dusty old set of manuscripts - why should the rest of us play along with what could well be a grown up version of the tooth fairy or Santa Claus or leprechauns and all the rest of the acknowledged fables and myths?

We must reserve the right to criticise religion. Given the past damage inflicted by religion, it would be folly to allow religion any more rights than the ordinary man or woman on the street.

The working class has much unfinished business against the Churches. If we choose not to recognise the authority of your God, that's just tough luck.

There can be little doubt that these new laws to protect religion will merely provoke the English. We will speak out and the threat of jail is nothing when we compare that fate to that of our ancestors, who were tortured by religious leaders for speaking out.

The amusing Irish comedian Dave Allen had a routine which was full of irrelevant and undignified digs at the Catholic Church. He always ended his show with the words "May your God go with you" These words seem genuine and I've used them myself. However, uttering these words to the wrong people might well be a death sentence. Too many people have killed in the name of God. Too many lives have been broken and dreams trampled on by the strict rules which the religious force upon those who refuse to believe in there God. To give religions more power in this day and age is a backward step. It is inevitable that we will see more clashes between cultures in the UK due to this law. In the final analysis, it is likely to do more bad than good.

You can watch the Theo Van Gogh drama Submission online here

It is also available on file sharing networks.