CHURCH MUST HAVE ITS SAY

WHO does Mr Kernahan (letters February 23) think he is, telling church leaders to keep their traps shut (sic)? Is it not then a contradiction for him to state that religion is “at the root of the present remorseless drift towards war.” According to the latest statistics available on the internet, 2.9 million people in Britain attended Anglican churches on Christmas Eve/Day 2000. I feel sure that nearly 3 million churchgoers, as well as the millions more who go to church for baptisms, weddings and funerals, are interested in what church leaders have to say. Then there are the eight or nine million Catholics in Britain and Ireland who are also interested in their leaders' opinions. And why did Tony Blair make time to discuss current events with the Pope? The fact that Bush, Blair and I believe Aznar, are practising Christians makes the views of religious leaders especially relevant in the present situation. “What authority or supporting logic” leads Mr Kernahan to decide that the religious representatives of a sizeable proportion of the British public should not be heard? I suspect that even in Iraq, Christian leaders are allowed to have their say. Perhaps Mr K and his ilk should (to quote his own coarse words) keep “their traps shut.” Yours sincerely

George Tunnell

Calle Llaud

Cas Catala