This new religious hatred law...

Was just reading this article on the BBC about children being tortured and murdered for allegedly "being witches". Now how did these kids get labelled as "witches" and who suggested as a result that they should be mis-treated? Well, it was members of the clergy, as described in this article, in which Pastor Modeste Muyulu from the Pentecostal Church of the French Christian Community in Harlesden (north London) says "There are people who are used by the devil to bring a curse or bad luck to other people's lives, even to kill them ".

Now articles on the subject are a mish-mash of lies and conjecture about witch-craft as far as I can make out. There is a significant UK wiccan population, actually I know some British witches and they're a very peaceful, friendly bunch, interested in herbalism, candles, crystals and in spending time outdoors. Much as I generally oppose religion, I think witches are alright. They're often the first ones on the scene to fight against environmental degradation, they are very active promoters of women's issues. They're also practitioners of the UK's original and indigenous religion. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism have all been brought in over the centuries from overseas. And they're a non-evangelising religion, there's no knocking on doors trying to recruit new members, which is a winner with me. Most witches I know are evolutionists rather than creationists. Contrary to popular perception they have very strict rules, such as the wiccan rede "an harm ye none do what ye will" and don't do things to harm others. You can read more about them on the Children of Artemis site.

So can I take Pastor Modeste Muyulu to court for inciting religious hatred against practitioners of wiccanism? I'd really like to cos I think "incitement to torture and murder small children by insisting that 'God' wants you to" should be very much against the law. It even fits with one of my "Seven Big Lies" of religion.