Sir, – Dee Delany (Letters, April 13th) writes that “Catholicism is considered fair game but if the same happened to other faiths, it would be considered racist and identity-based bullying on the grounds of religious beliefs”.
People have rights. Beliefs do not. Every person should be treated with respect and dignity.
There should be no requirement to respect all beliefs. We should respect others’ right to hold a belief, but beliefs themselves should not have to be respected.
Some people contend that religious beliefs should be afforded special category status when it comes to challenge, satire, freedom of speech and freedom of expression.
New Irish citizens: ‘I hear the racist and xenophobic slurs on the streets. Everything is blamed on immigrants’
Jack Reynor: ‘We were in two minds between eloping or going the whole hog but we got married in Wicklow with about 220 people’
‘I could have gone to California. At this rate, I probably would have raised about half a billion dollars’
Ballsbridge mews formerly home to Irish musician for €1.95m
Why should religious beliefs get a free pass and others not?
All beliefs – including religious beliefs – should be open to challenge, satire and yes, ridicule. – Yours, etc,
ROB SADLIER,
Rathfarnham
Dublin 16
Sir, – It should be no surprise to Dee Delany that, among religions, Catholicism is subjected to the most disdain and disrespect in Ireland.
As she points out herself, it is the dominant faith in the country.
And, for many of us, it has caused the most damage. – Yours, etc,
DR JOHN O’SULLIVAN,
Stoneybatter,
Dublin 7.