Varied responses

In fact, a week before that letter, in a discussion about the Danish cartoons at the mosque, I recited exactly the same verses. A few in the group dismissed them as irrelevant until the following Friday, when the imam explained for us the verse (6:34): "Prophets before you were treated as liars, so they clung patiently to what they'd been accused of lying about until God's help came to them..."

Ian Dawson expressed concern for minorities under Islam. I have lived with and worked for Arab Christians, attended their religious services, conversed with their monks and priests, shown visitors round Egyptian churches, synagogues and monasteries.

As a former York Minster chorister, I have never shied away from challenging unfounded false statements by some fellow Muslims about Christianity or, indeed, any other religion I've studied. For that, I have often been rebuked, even met with anger; but not once have I been threatened with violence.

My point then, as now, was simply this: Islam is a religion of tolerance even if, as Trisha Scott correctly argues, Muslims, like Christians, Jews, Humanists, Buddhists, Sikhs, Hindus, etc, seldom live up to all the lofty principles of their faith.

But oh dear, Geoff Carr, what of poor old Aunt Sally? If again she goads you into parading her tired, anti-religious bigotry in public, do yourself a favour. Check she's understood what she's read as a whole, in context (eg for Koran 5:33, read from, say, 5:32 up to 5:34 minimum), and mind she hasn't deliberately altered or omitted words that undermine her prejudice. I'd hate you to look foolish.

Dr Roderic Vassie,

Belle Vue Cottages,

York.

Updated: 09:18 Tuesday, February 28, 2006