So far as I know none of us would genuflect in a bank. But I take it we are all captive to things, to concepts, to figments of our imagination from which we need release, to which we will no longer genuflect. We may make much as religious believers of refusing homage in the last analysis to what may hold us captive. Whatever we think of this provocative suggestion, I do want to rescue one point from it, with which I want to close. Think of Northern Ireland and Yugoslavia.
Religions are as much vehicles for human wickedness as for positive politics and public life.
We might, for instance, exchange views on the subject of children, women and religion. But I will conclude by suggesting that while we are wondering about religion and public life, we could usefully start negotiations with some of our nearest and dearest.