MIKE Smith accuses me of ignorance, intolerance and hypocrisy. I will not respond in kind; once name calling begins, reason departs.

I repeat, any harassment of self-proclaimed "white witches" is intolerable.

In a free country we are free to believe what we want. Early Methodists were beaten, stoned, jailed and transported to help win civil and religious liberty; it is precious to us.

And so I am free to say that any link between ancient paganism, centred on sacrifice, and modern "pagans," must be fanciful.

Pagans who don't sacrifice are like Christians who don't pray, and Buddhists who don't meditate - not the genuine article.

Mr Smith asks, who are the scholars who support me? Here are three: Professor Keith Thomas; Dr Ken Dowden; Robin Lane Fox. I will give him a fuller list if he wishes.

Children learn about the world religions in school partly because these faiths can demonstrate unbroken traditions of teaching down the ages.

Why should anyone think they can invent a religion and then demand to propagate it in school?

Heather Barwick, in her courteous and helpful letter, says all ancient religions sacrificed. May I point out that this was not true of ancient Christians, Jains or Buddhists?

I share her sorrow at the intolerant bigotry which religious people have sometimes fallen into.

If offering some reasoned criticism of those who make large claims, and defending a public servant whom they accused of intolerance, makes me a bigot, then so be it.

The Rev Peter Hatton,

Corbett Street,

Droitwich,

Via e-mail.