then, on more mature and personal reflection, decide to choose for themselves and that is as it should be. Some people spend their lives associated with the same denomination while others simply become what the Christian church calls "Christmas and Easter Christians''. There are all kinds of other permutations including those who give up religion altogether and those who choose to join groups which the majority of other people look on as almost beyond belief.

That is their right and that is a part of religious freedom.

But there are times when we all have to remember that religious freedom is not licence. There are sometimes dangers to individuals and to the general public perpetrated in the name of religion and even in the name of religious freedom.

Recent history is littered with examples, from those in California who poisoned themselves hoping to fly away on a comet, to the people who died in the Guyanese jungle at Jonestown. It can be argued that general respect for religious freedom can allow groups to move to mass hysteria and death. The families of the people who died in the two examples we have used certainly wish someone had intervened.

The dangers do not always exist on the fringes of madness because they can be found associated with the generally established religions. There are fringe groups within the Roman Catholic and the Anglican communions which are quite capable of raising alarm bells just as there are in most of the established religions. History is littered with the most horrible acts committed in the name of religions of all kinds. Even the slavery perpetrated in this part of the world was cloaked in religion. Religion is capable of straying into thuggery and worse.

Because of history, religion and its attendant groupings should not be exempt from examination and criticism any more than our other institutions, government and the law, should be exempt. Freedom of religion is the freedom of individuals to choose without hindrance and that appears to us to be alive and well here in Bermuda. It does not include nor should it include the freedom of the various groupings or their leaders to offend against their followers or against the followers of other groups or denominations. Nor should it include the freedom to impose their will on people who do not want to be imposed upon, thus destroying their freedom.

Thus we were disturbed during the past week when some people gave the impression that they see one of the most horrible men of modern times as a religious figure. By the nature of his own actions Saddam Hussein has to be abhorrent to any religion or any truly religious person. A mass murdering monster cannot be seen as a religious figure. Hitler pretended to be a Christian. Are we to look on him as an acceptable figure in the Christian faith?