‘Intolerant of religion’ is too sweeping. I’m a Catholic and feel that debate between different philosophies and ideologies is inevitable. Whether such debate is good or not depends on the quality of the debate which, for me, requires constructive conversation. Generalising in this way does not help the discussion of any belief.

‘Intolerant of God’ would be emotionally loaded language and unhelpful. Disbelief in God being integral to it, atheism is antithetical to religions to which belief in God is integral. However, it is only antithetical in certain respects: for example, many aspects of humanist beliefs and those of Christianity would coincide. Shared values are hardly surprising: we are all human and have to live similar lives in common.

I say let the debate happen without sweeping accusations of intolerance and ask a more specific question.

Freedom doesn’t come cheap and ours is under threat from those who would choose superstition over reason. Many of our politicians and a substantial portion of the media, including the BBC, want religion to have even greater influence in public life. They are blind to the inevitable divisiveness of faith schools, they prefer to appease islam rather than confront its threat to democracy and happily ignore the catholic prohibition of condoms in Africa where they use could save millions from the “curse” of Aids, the list goes on.

When I was a student in the 60’s there were huge issues to face, the rape of Hungary and Czechoslovakia by the Soviet empire, civil rights in the US, the Vietnam war and the ever present threat of nuclear armageddon etc. Religion seemed unimportant and in the UK at least, an idea whose time had past, I assumed that 40 years hence it would be an historical curiosity, how wrong I was.

In the post 9/11 world it is not just the violence but the ignorance too, there are huge swathes of the USA who believe the earth to be less than 10,000 years old and where in some states an atheist is barred from any public office. Nearer to home, in an act of craven cowardice the British government has banned a sitting MP (however unsavoury) from another EU country from entering the UK. They have done so because of threats made by a peer, Lord Ahmed that he would ensure that 10,000 Islamic demonstrators would be on hand to prevent it. If the Satanic Verses were to be published today this government would doubtless try to ban it.

Freedom of speech is the cornerstone of our democracy and it must be continuously defended. In a world preoccupied with economic meltdown ever more vigilance is needed so it is great to see a group like the AHS emerge. I wish you every success and if you ever need a bit of moral support, this is the man to do it: http://www.patcondell.net/ The Billy Bragg of the godless and no I am not on a retainer!