Incitement to religious hatred

Once again, folks, new labour has decided to attack free speech. They have announced new laws to 'combat' incitement against religious hatred. Forgive me, but this smacks of opportunism by new labour. Thy invaded Iraq, pissed off a lot of muslims, saw their share of the muslim vote decrease in certain areas, and now to please the muslims: they have decided to introduce this legislation.

I'm utterly disgusted, because religion, unlike race, is an ideology. Whilst i cannot change my black colour( Michael Jackson notably excepted), i can, and have changed my belief in the supernatural. Why do i now need protection as an atheist?
There are sufficient laws to cover incitement against individuals, we do not need new laws to cover superstition.
Liberal democrat MP, Evan Harris, introduced an amendment which would have significantly reduced the risk of damaging free speech. The government voted against it, and imposed a whip on all labour MPs.
This law is unnecessary, dangerous, and is against the enlightenment. Suddenly, we are drawn back to the dark ages of theocratic power. Our only hope is the unelected House of Lords whom, in their collective wisdom have repeatedly protected our civil liberties from reichsfuhrer Blair's assault on the constitution.

I sincerely hope the House of Lords will dispense with the Salisbury convention and vote with their conscience against this insidious bill.

Religious fundamentalism among african immigrants

I was disgusted by the case of the Angolan( yeah, right) refugees who tortured and abused a child because of the alleged possession by' evil spirits'.
In what must have sounded like the Arthur Miller play 'The Crucible' , this casehas highlighted the Christian fundamentalism within our midst in this great city. I'm no enthusiast of middle eastern syperstitions, but this is not the first case of evangelical bullshit resulting in the serious injury and near death of children because of superstition.

Wood Green and Bounds Green are awash with posters of 'evangelical crusades' with self styled prophets, and healers form the African continent. They offer some sort of community amongst newly arrived immigrants in their churches, and exploit the vulnerable and naive culture shocked congregations with tales of healing and exorcism.
The authorities, as ever, seem to bend overbackwards to accommodate religion and are often reluctant to prosecute these religious barbarians until it is too late.

I am fed up of this nonsense, and it is time there was a clampdown on these churches which exploit vulnerable people.