TRUE to form, CT Riley is back in his "blame for all things on religion" saddle.

Let's bash religion for all woes present and past, especially the past where yet again he scours the historical barrel to satisfy a morbid interest in witch trials and the Inquisition (HAS, June 25).

The point at issue is discrimination about which he wades into religion with a demolition ball, blind to all the good that is done.

Yes, injustices were done. But surely our business is to build harmonious relationships for the future? Religion is not going away and Mr Riley's unforgiving memories are unimaginative and divisive.

Given his unambiguous sense of injustice and obsession with past wrongs will Mr Riley explain to readers how, given the historical context and the political, social religious and intellectual climate and temper of those austere times (1603, Stuart England when witchcraft inspired endemic fear and the Inquisition flourished in the Spain of intensely Catholic Ferdinand and Isabella) he would have expected the civil and religious authorities to have behaved differently?

Indeed, can he name a single regime of that age which tolerated practical, social or religious opposition/dissent respecting people's "right to be treated as human beings, to think, speak and believe as we wish". (Mr Riley's own words). I think not!

Michael Baldasera, Darlington.