Letter: Bishop vs BBC

Sir: I find the recent letters from the Bishop of St Albans (21 December) quite astounding.

He seems unable to accept that Christianity represents only a minority of people in this country and imagines that the BBC's unwillingness to give more time to the religious significance of Christmas is due to fear. Fear, not only about the ratings war, but also of religious concepts of death, eternity, mercy or human meaning.

How much television does he watch? These topics are dealt with frequently, although not necessarily from the Christian point of view.

Does the bishop believe that Muslims, Jews and other religious leaders would be justified in complaining when their views are not aired as appropriately as they consider fit? And what about Humanists, who are rarely heard?

It seems to me that it is the bishop who is bewildered about his and Christianity's purpose, not the BBC about its purpose.

ALAN GOLDING

Brookmans Park, Hertfordshire