WILLIAM Scott writes that “the human race has got beyond Christianity, understands itself better than any religion ever did” (Letters, August 23). There are more Christians in the world today than ever, 2.3 billion and counting. Christians form humanity’s largest identifiable voluntary social grouping. More Christians are persecuted in the world today than ever. Research indicates that 322 Christians are killed, 772 Christians suffer violence and 274 Churches are destroyed every month.

Britain and western society have departed from Christianity but this has not brought health and happiness. Why is there such an increase in mental health issues, especially among young people? Why is social life fragmented, dislocated and personal life confused? Why are there such rates of mortality from alcohol and drugs? Why is there an acute shortage of vocations in the caring professions such as nursing, medicine and teaching? Why is centralised political control increasing?

Mr Scott offers the perspectives of a micro minority disproportionately influential in the media and in politics whose creed has become the default ideology of the times. This is a strategic victory for campaigners who began with a mission to replace Judaeo-Christian teaching, which continues to serve humanity well where it is practised.

Rev Dr Robert Anderson

8 Old Auchans, Dundonald.

YOU report that in what is called a drive for fairness, one proposal in the Barclay Review is that charities would have their rates put on the same footing as private enterprises. If a charity survives essentially on donations of money and goods from the public, a chunk of the value of those donations would thus pass straight to the council to spend as it chose, rather than the charity spending it on its beneficiaries. I cannot see the fairness in that and believe it would simply be a huge disincentive to the public to continue donating at all.

Alan Fitzpatrick,

10 Solomon's View, Dunlop.

BARRY Stansfield (Letters, August 22) tells us that “as a non-denominational secondary school Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies (RMPS) teacher, I regularly initiate class discussions on topics such as abortion and same-sex marriage”.

Some of the pupils required to discuss same-sex marriage will be growing up gay. It is wrong that they should be subjected to lessons designed to get them to regard their feelings and their future relationships, not as unremarkable aspects of themselves and their lives that they should be encouraged to develop with prudence and integrity, but as the subject of controversy and condemnation. The parallel would be subjecting black pupils to a discussion of whether racism is or is not a bad thing.

Paul Brownsey,

19 Larchfield Road, Bearsden.