LETTER : When is a sin not a sin in the varying religions of the 20th century?

From The Rev Kieran Conry

Sir: Your game attempt to simplify the notion of sin in your chart guide to morality in different religions is at odds with what Alan Storkey says in the text that "the picture is complex".

There are also one or two details which are wrong. Divorce is not a sin for Catholics: the Catholic Church does not recognise divorce as a way of ending a marriage, but a divorced person is not barred from the receiving communion, for instance.

And I think that many Catholics would be upset to think that they are allowed to be cruel to animals. The catechism of the Catholic Church makes the position clear enough: God has entrusted animals to our "stewardship" and so we "owe them kindness ... It is contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer or die needlessly."

Yours faithfully,

KIERAN CONRY

Director

Catholic Media Office

London, SW1

8 June