OPINION: Sunday trading laws

It's bad enough that Christians impose restrictions on shops on a regular Sunday, but, of course, this weekend includes one of their "special days" and rather than the usual restriction if just 6 hours that shops can open, this Sunday they can't open at all.

This is a monstrous imposition on the rest if society - the majority of who don't believe the mumbo jumbo of a fictitious man coming back to life.

Sure, there are those who will say that shops are open often enough and people have ample opportunity to spend their earnings. Yes, to a point I agree.

But the problem I have is one group of people, in practising terms a fairly small minority, imposing their beliefs on others - particularly when their beliefs are nothing more than lies and indoctrination.

I think shops should be allowed to open when they want and for as long as they want. There is every chance that some shops might choose to restrict their trading hours on a Sunday. Similarly there's a chance some shops will choose to be completely shut on some days during the year.

The point is, it should be their choice. It shouldn't be dictated by a pushy church, legislated on by 70+ unelected bishops in the House of Lords. And it mustn't be dictated by people who talk to imaginary friends and live their lives in fear if going to a non-existent hell.

Sure, there might be a need for some localised laws do that shop openings don't disrupt the lives of people who live near them. And, absolutely, there must be laws that protect the rights of workers from exploitation by bad bosses.

But we live in a 24/7, 365 day a year world and if the Sunday trading laws can be relaxed in the build up to the Olympics they can, and should, be relaxed all year round - including Eastee Sunday.

How dare Christians force their faith on those of us with reason and knowledge on our side.

Let's hope that tomorrow is the last time the loony tunes from Lambeth Palace are able to dictate what the rest of society can do.

COMMENT: The UK is still a medieval country with modern nick-nacks

Most living in the UK would say that it is a modern nation, with modern politics and freedoms, with a modern world view and with a modern outlook.

I'm one of those who disagree.

I think the UK is still little better than a medieval country with a population that is being conned.

Yes, we don't have an absolute monarchy but the monarch and heir to the throne are given vetoes over new laws. Elected officials bow down to the Royals who have done nothing more to be given their position of privilege than pass through a particular vagina.

We still have umpteen unelected peers in the House of Lords, including umpteen unelected bishops, who oversee what laws are passed. The bishops ensure that the church has a voice way beyond the size of the nation's "faith community". Quite why any superstition is given legal powers is beyond me.

The UK has a large aristocracy, headed by the Royal Family, for whose benefit society is organised. "The Establishment" isn't just a silly Hale and Pace joke but a real strata of society who look down on the rest of us while they reap the benefits of passing through various birth canals or licking up to the right people.

Don't be fooled by our democracy - it is tokenism. It is a fraud. It is electing different flavours of the same crisps.

And then there's the UK's foreign policy. Surely it's to just me that sees recent involvements in Afghanistan, Iraq and, in particular, Libya as nothing more then modern day Crusades - spreading "our" way of life because "we" know best - oh, and, of course, oil!

Commentators and newspapers often look at other nations and refer to them as "third world" or "medieval" in the way things are organised - the UK is hardly different. Yes, in the UK we have a wealth and have developed in many ways - the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution enabled this, plus the evils of the Empire which, thankfully, has now ended - but this is nothing more than a generous dose of blusher on the bad skin of our society.

The UK needs fundamental change: we need a genuinely democratic system of government; we need to remove the powers of the Royal family (and their numerous hangers on and yes men) completely; we need to stop the insanity of religion from imposing it's nonsense to the rest of use; and we need to have a more sensible, caring and grown-up world view.

The UK is ready for change. Stop being conned!