"Liberal secularism is a safeguard against the tyranny of any one given faith."

6.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 29th Aug 2008

European Liberals and Democrats are discussing "Secularism and Religions (vis-à-vis fundamentalist violence)" during a seminar organised in Brussels. The event brings together personalities from the political, religious and scientific sphere with the aim to gauge the impact and evolution of the current pontificate of Benedict XVI.

ALDE Group Leader Graham Watson started the conference by declaring that: "For Liberals secularism is the starting point. Liberal secularism is a safeguard against the tyranny of any one faith.

Watson stressed that the Church has the right both to spread its word and to lobby governments with its points of view on matters like abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. But Watson believes that "for policy makers reason has to be the basis. Faith should not underpin policy-making. Policy positions that derive from doctrine, impinge on liberty and undermine freedom of conscience have no place in the liberal secular state."

He praised the Pope for his railing against the "temptation to racism, intolerance and exclusion... ". Watson said: "Those words were broadly interpreted as an attack on the Berlusconi government, including its recent treatment of Roma people."

Graham Watson concluded: "Ethics are not the preserve of atheists any more than the property of the religious. Reason and rationality are European values."