Sunday sailing

A small inter-island ferry sailing between the isles of the western seaboard of Scotland - nothing unusual there, surely? Ah, but this ferry was sailing on the Sabbath and the god-fearing folk of South Harris think this violation of the Lord's Day marks the Apocalypse. Yes, you may well be bemused by this - some sections or fragmentary offshoots of the Wee Free Kirk will not even shave on a Sunday because that is work - that in a 21st century advanced nation there are religious fundamentalists who think that even providing a ferry service between the islands on a Sunday is un-Godly. Some of these folks come from the same group who condemned one of their number a few years back for attending the funeral of a friend and colleague because the friend's service was Catholic and his ultra-protestant (read joyless and dour) sect is not allowed to even be present at a 'papist' ceremony. Very understanding, the true spirit of Christian brotherhood, tolerance, love and compassion...

However, each to their own and everyone is entitled to their religious belief, no matter most of us consider them nuttier than squirrel droppings, but surely if they so offended by this ferry operation on a Sunday then the answer is simply don't use it! But that doesn't give them the right to stop other people who do wish to use it. It is only a small thing, but it is indicative of a growing number of (usually very small) religious groups in the UK who when offended by something, instead of simply not taking part in it, demand that it is stopped entirely for the rest of us - the furore over Jerry Springer the Opera is but one example. Well, we don't live in a religious theocracy but a liberal democracy and that means everyone has freedom of thought and worship but not the right to take your system and impose it on others. If you are a fundamentalist and you are offended by a play, a song, a newspaper, a ferry crossing on Sundays then that's your business, but why don't you simply not take part in them?!?!?