The Church of England is doing its own very efficient job of disestablishing itself with its fractures on homosexuality and women bishops.

Robert Lloyd, wirral, england

Jack in Reading, I couldn't agree with you more. The so-called 'Islamophobia' that Muslims complain about is in fact religiophobia. This is a secular society and most of us would like to keep it that way. We just need the Church of England to be disestablished as well.

Paul, Coventry,

I am a Christian, In Birmingham where I live the council tried to rename Xmas as Winterville so as not to offend different cultures. We used to have a Santa in all big stores but they have been stopped and a fee charging grotto set up so non christians will not inadvertantly stumble upon it. Gollywogs Banned, Piggy banks banned. Three little pigs banned. I could go on forever. The things and culture changes that are being forced upon us Christians, is accepted purely because we are Christians. If other cultures were forced to accept as many insults and racist acts as we accept without argument this country would be embroiled in civil war.

trevor, Birmingham, England

I think this is just a ruse by Asma Jahangir to get Islam established as the "Most followed" religion in the country and Sharia law introduced by default.

Marc, Harrow, UK

Why not get ride of Kings, Queens, Princes, Lords and Dukes before getting to God

Martin, Philly, USA

John of London and George of Bolton should know that Asma Jahangir is a wonderful and impressive woman, dedicated to freedom and human rights - and for her pains placed under arrest by President Musharraf during the state of emergency last year.

As to the 2001 census, it is so patently out of kilter with all other surveys and the question it asked was so biassed that it is a wonder it was ever taken seriously. An unbiassed question in Scotland's census found 28% were non-religious against only 15% in England and Wales - is that credible?

Asma Jahangir's report is sober and thoughtful. Among many observations relating to other groups it notes the legal disadvantages suffered by the non-religious in schools, charity law & marriage law and their frequent exclusion from consultation by national and local government with "faith communities". Shamefully I would add that the department
with the worst record is that responsible for equality and community cohesion, the DCLG.

David Pollock, London,

I think it is true that even those British people who are not atheist and believe in a Supreme Being are not attached to any religion because they are not impressed with religious doctrine, the behaviour of the religious, the behaviour of the religious hierarchy and they are certainly not impressed with religious MP's.

Keith, Rayleigh, England

Ok ... it starts out bland enough as well as obvious--Brits value freedom from as well as freedom of religion. That takes care of the title and the first sentence.

Then it gets a bit fuzzy. The 2001 census data which states that 72 percent of Brits are Christian "can no longer be regarded as accurate" the report says (no further data as to any source relevant to the inaccuracy cited). It calls for the elimination of an official Church of England not because the people of England want that to happen -- but because "research [indicated] that 80 per cent of Muslims in Britain feel that they have been discriminated against." And then uses the opportunity to criticize the Terrorism Acts. Am I dreaming or is there an alternative agenda here?

Cindy, (used to live in Harrogate), N Yorks

In my experience both the census and this research can be read to make religious adherence seem more common than it is. Far, far less than one in three people I've ever met (I'm 19, and admittedly the younger generations are statistically less religious) believe in the essential doctrine of any religion, even among the few that do profess one. How many people do you know who believe every line of the Nicene Creed? I've known few, and the majority of those have been middle aged. Maybe 1 in 3 people have at least a vague belief in a God, I find that credible, but I suspect they're merely naming the religion they culturally or nationally identify with. Some people call themselves Christian because of this vague God belief, and suppose that that qualifies them as Christian, despite knowing little if any Christian scripture. I as an atheist have read and researched the history of more of the Bible than any young 'Christian' I've met, and appear to have more interest in it, too.

Rachel, Kent,

A committment to anything other than the state would be a big problem wouldn't it? How fortuitous that so many people are willing to capitulate. Very shortsighted I would say. We need to be MORE religious just to let the politicians know that they're not going to get an easy ride with their drive towards stamping our foreheads with a number.

judy, Liverpool, England

Is this a Muslim plot to take over Britain?

Selena, Spain,

For a 'UN special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief' to talk of disestablishment, isn't this an oxymoron?

Julian Sweet, Brussels,

So, 80 per cent of Muslims in Britain feel that they have been discriminated against.

For the record, modern thinking people also feel people discriminated against by proponents of alien mythologies which seek to overrule democratic secular law, with rules rooted in a 7th century fable.

Jack Tabor, Reading, Berks.,

I thought that according to the British census report that Jedi was the up and coming religion of Britain

dij, Leicester,

" There are wars going on in different places, much of Africa is chaotic, and the United Nations has a report about Britain. It beggars belief.

George, Bolton., England"

We have had the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution, we are living in the Information Era and are supposedly a rational country yet we still have an established church and a monrachy? It beggars belief.

Paul A, Edinburgh,

The trouble with the religious types is that they mistake a lack of deference and favouritism to their particular creed as discrimination.

You're nothing special - get over it!

Homer, London,

I was born in this country, white, British and my ancestors were born here. Throughout my life (I am 55) I have found consistently that the Christian churches were not on my side. They effectively make me a fool when I shouldn't be and intelligent when I don't need to be. I have now been conscripted into "voluntary work" for a "charity" (supplying used furniture to people on benefits) run by - guess who ? Bournemouth Churches Housing Association. When I was at work I was in IT, yet all they can find me to do is shift washing machines. How strange.

The sooner they are disestablished the better.

calamico, Bournemouth, UK

What a complete waste of money. Asma Jahangir most likely went into this research determined to find something that needed changing or that was wrong, and already knew what he wanted to come out of it. I trust the 2001 census far more than I do the report by this guy. As for Asians being the subject of more stop and searches... so what? If people of Asian appearance are the ones plottiong terrorist attacks then of course they will be targeted. What's the big deal about being stopped and searched anyway? And as for Muslims feeling discriminated against... they should try dealing with their own prejudices first and perhaps they will become a little more popular.

john, London, UK

What on earth has the state of the Church of England to do with the United Nations? Who is this Asma Jahangir? I am not a member of the Church of England but I believe it should continue to be the established church with her majesty the Queen as its head. There are wars going on in different places, much of Africa is chaotic, and the United Nations has a report about Britain. It beggars belief.

George, Bolton., England