Religion, law and the constitution
Balancing beliefs in Britain
“I find our culture a bit quick to rush to judgement; we seem to be becoming increasingly judgemental. Maybe it is the result of email and the internet and Twitter, people are very quick to give you a 140-character judgement on something.“
“The question is whether freedom of expression has got weaker or stronger, in my opinion, it hasn’t changed. And it shouldn’t change. Only the people who make a decision to express their artistry, will change probably. Because we’re all human, even if someone will die we still have got choice. “
“I think we are seeing law changing to reflect the increasingly secularisation of society. I think that your generation and my generation will be the last to remember a time when shops were shut on Sundays and Good Friday was observed by people as a Holy Day when nothing was open, even if they weren’t regular participants in acts of worship.”
“I think being an Agnostic is easier probably than having a strong belief in this society. I don’t really know lots of people who have strong beliefs. I think it is probably easier sometimes, maybe, to have non beliefs. “
“I think everyone can participate in the political system if they have the talent and if they have ideas of what the majority wants.”
“Terrorism being used an excuse for the suspension of human rights is a very worrying development. Detention without trial, increased use of surveillance; prevention strategies that are clumsy at best and Islamophobic at worst – all of these contribute to the problem, not solve it. “
“It doesn’t bother me what religious people believe, and I can take on board what they think. However, if there were not people like me who are neutral we would be at loggerheads. I can take bits of everyone, but I am not bound by any faith.”
“I was always under the impression that we’re stronger together. How can we unite and stop all the hate when we’re drifting away from everyone else and closing our doors?”
“Instinctively I think I am bound by the Rule of Law and in general the Rule of Law provides a mechanism by which society can function peaceably. That said, I think there are countries where I’d say that the Rule of Law is immoral and unethical and counter to human rights and religious freedoms.”
“It is very important to not put yourself in an isolated box, you have to reach out and see that decisions have repercussions right down the line to the poorest person begging in the street. “
“I think fundamentally it is important to be a law abiding citizen. I think one’s personal opinion of the law shouldn’t come into that. Merely because one thinks a law isn’t just that isn’t a good enough reason to break it.”
“People who resort to violence in Islam are a very small minority and they don’t represent Islamic values at all. The thing with Islam for me is peace and tolerance. If someone is ridiculing you, take the higher position… leave it. Don’t listen to him. If you don’t pay attention, you don’t give him the power. “
“Sometimes within the Church I think a benevolent dictator would be better, but within the country I don’t think that would be good. It is very important to me that we live in a democracy and we have a say in the way we are governed and I think the Church accepts that as well.”
“Immigration has meant that we have been exposed to lots of experiences. This society is, generally speaking, tolerant, although we should not fall into complacency, as there is an increasing number of cases of xenophobia, antisemitism, islamophobia, etc. We need to keep an eye on those problems.”
“I’m not sure that you can discriminate on people on the basis of religion, but I certainly wouldn’t want them to be in a privilege position when it comes to making laws.”
“I am proud of the English legal system which I am a member of and I think that it has been a beacon and an example for other societies around the world, especially in relation to the quality of our legal profession and the independence of our judiciary.”
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