The Da Vinci Code: I suspect that nothing appearing here will make a scrap of difference to the level of publicity this controversial book attracts. It is by no means unfortunate for its author Dan Brown in financial terms but, not being the judge of his

The Da Vinci Code: I suspect that nothing appearing here will make a scrap of difference to the level of publicity this controversial book attracts.

It is by no means unfortunate for its author Dan Brown in financial terms but, not being the judge of his activities, I do not begrudge him the proceeds of this utilisation of his undoubted talents as a writer. Knowing basically what his book contains, however, I choose not to put any of my God-given resources towards the enterprise.

Besides serving as a Stevenage Borough Councillor, in real life I am an Elder (and thus a holder of the holy priesthood) in the Lord's Church. That is how it has been since 1971, yet I find myself sympathetic towards everyone expressing views on this matter in The Comet. Not that I agree entirely with any of them, but I know that the most precious gift our God gave to man, and fundamental to His Gospel, is our absolute freedom to choose what we will do, what we will say and what we will uphold and indeed stand for. It is only this which will make any sense of the final judgement and make it a fair trial.

What I do not want to happen is for there to be any unseemly contention in these columns about religion, either in general or in detail - so often uninformed and presumptive as that can be. It is not religion itself that has caused trouble, as suggested by one writer. No, it is the intolerance of those who do not respect this God-given right to hold and indeed to express a personal view on anything and everything, which causes the trouble.

As for me, I hope I would not be so foolish as to stake my life and my eternal prospects on a mere opinion.

If you choose to read that book, just keep a level head as you do so, is all I would advise.

LEONARD A LAMBERT