WITH regard to the recent exchange of letters in your pages concerning religion, I would like my opinion to be heard.

I would like to make my position clear at the outset, I am an atheist, that is to say I have no religious belief or as Nick Clegg would say: “I am not a person of faith”. I am not in any way anti religion like prominent atheist academics.

Everyone should be able to follow their own religion, with provisos of course. Female genital mutilation cannot be allowed in a civilised society. Doctors at abortion clinics cannot be murdered. Christians who work in environments with moving parts cannot wear huge crosses on long dangly chains, but of course everyone should be allowed to wear safe religious symbols.

J Adams is concerned that Christians in this country may be persecuted, it could happen. Religious freedom is guaranteed in this country under the Human Rights Act (Jeff you might like to lobby our two new MPs as their party has promised to repeal the Act and this would allow religious persecution).

Regarding the tale of the converts in Iraq being murdered, if this is true then of course it is an outrage. It must be borne in mind however that the Sadam regime, however cruel, had Christian ministers and Christians on the whole not persecuted, the death of these converts must also be partly the fault of the war criminal Blair.

Having said all that, I demand the freedom to conduct my life as I see fit, to use contraception, eat bacon and if I contract a hideous disease, that will take my mind away or leave me dying in agony, to kill myself. I would also demand the right not to be harangued on my own doorstep by somebody trying to convert me.

Mr Adams worries about the persecution by the Pagan Emperor Nero. Do not worry modern Pagans will no more persecute you, or anyone else, than they would knock down Stonehenge.

Come on guys there are lots of problems in the world, let’s leave each other beliefs alone.

STEVE THOMPSON Norman Road Swindon