Madam, - As a sixth-year Leaving Certificate religious studies student, I feel I must express my indignation and disgust at Dean MacCarthy's letter of April 17th referring to the Muslim and Hindu religious traditions as "cults".
This viewpoint utterly shocked me, as Islam and Hinduism are widely accepted as two of the world's five great religious traditions. I have studied cults and sects in detail as part of my religion course and I think it is fair to say that these religions do not fit the criteria or characteristics of a typical cult or sect.
It is this sort of comment that leads to religious differences and intolerance. We should be doing all we can to promote inter-faith dialogue, rather than making insulting, throw-away remarks. - Yours, etc,
LUCY TWIGG, Amber Hill, Kilmeaden, Co Waterford.
Madam, - Robert MacCarthy, Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, laments that Muslims and Hindus wouldn't want to join in with the religious education classes he proposes for secondary schools because "to them religious education has no meaning; instead they wish their children to be indoctrinated in the worship of a cult."
By calling two major world religions "cults" and implying that Muslims and Hindus worship those "cults" and not their respective deities, Rev MacCarthy demonstrates breathtaking ignorance and intolerance. It makes me embarrassed to be a Christian.
I consider Rev MacCarthy's letter irresponsible and unhelpful in an Ireland attempting to welcome strangers to its shores. - Yours, etc.
D.S. CLARE, Shankill, Co Dublin.
Madam, - It has been quite some while since I've enjoyed as good a belly-laugh as the one I had on reading Dean MacCarthy's hilarious hypocrisy towards non-Christian faiths.
I wonder how he would react if a Muslim or Hindu wrote a similar letter to the national press in their own country, decrying the cultish nature of Christianity? The verb "to worship" is indeed an irregular beast. - Yours, etc,
NICK HILLIARD, De Courcey Square, Glasnevin, Dublin 9.