Public expression of religious beliefs

Dear Sir,

I was interested to read your article on public expression of religious beliefs in last week's Chronicle.

It is a good example of the dilemma between freedom of expression and the possible implications of such expression.

Though we are a Christian country, a substantial number of people with other faiths and none live within our shores.

We must be willing to allow equal expression of all faiths, even and perhaps especially those that perhaps we have issue with when we exercise those rights.

I hope that hypocrisy is not one of those fundamental British values that some are so keen to impose on those coming to this country.

It is in considering the results of our actions on others that we express the Christian traditions that underlie the celebration of Christmas.

There is always also the danger that in expressing religious beliefs one steps over into the realm of persuasion and starts to undermine the very private and personal nature of them.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Peter Hirst

Middlewich