From Mr V. Cini

Robert Soler’s outpourings in his letter “The Preca minority and Musicus (TMIS, 8 July) smacked strongly of archaic Christian intolerance reminiscent of the terrible times when the Holy Inquisition held sway for hundreds of years throughout most of Europe. May I remind our Reverend friend that this was the time when most believers kept reluctantly and inevitably silent! Had they not done so, the alternative was the stake!

With an air of arrogance so typical of his ilk, he proceeded to chide Daphne Caruana Galizia for venturing to air her views regarding the Preca saga in the wake of the canonization of Malta’s first ever saint the previous month.

In one confused sweeping attempt, Fr Soler tried to portray a local situation in which, according to him, the long suffering, rational, balanced, not bigoted religious centre shall now come to the fore and stop what he described as religion-bashing. Furthermore, Fr Soler depicted justice, the ecological environment and charity as the prerogative of the Catholic faith. If one looks at the last few decades, one could be misled to believe so thanks to the modern means of media propaganda. However, historical facts state otherwise.

To give just two glaring examples: Was slavery abolished by the Catholic faith? Did democracy come our way thanks to the Catholic faith?

In truth I personally assumed and expected that a religion that is founded on the maxim of brotherly love, should have been instrumental in bringing about these two fundamental necessities for the happiness of humanity. This was definitely not the case and I am sure that Fr Soler is just as familiar with the historical facts as myself and the greater majority and therefore there is no point in delving any further into this matter.

Finally I would like to add a few words of advice. Instead of feeling, in his own words, outraged at Daphne Caruana Galizia, these pathetically injured people cited by Fr Soler, should change their medieval mentality and appreciate the fact that in this narrow-minded island of ours, we can boast of two or three women who have the gall to fearlessly write the facts black on white, whatever the subject. For this we should be thankful.

Vladimir Cini

MARSAXLOKK