Some Maltese people consider themselves to be Christian, even though they still deem it their right to manipulate and/or belittle Divinity. Our Muslim brethren/co-citizens are instructed to distinguish between monastic and other Christian folk.

Common Christians nowadays pick and choose what they will or will not practise. Yet, according to official teaching, each baptised person is to carry out a distinctive life of holiness.

What do common Muslims then deduce from the scene of an unhappy character who chooses to be known as Maltese and Catholic and, yet, curses and swears referring to the Divinity, the Holy Mother and her Divine Son.

All sorts of unholy pronouncements are made to scare the wits out of neighbours and s/he expresses his/her contempt and displeasure, entirely insensitive to whoever is hearing.

We need to realise that, though we could have tolerated such misbehaviour when there were only Catholics in this country and we believed redemption was still possible, we now live in a pluralistic society. To Muslims, for example, it is a big offence to speak ill of characters linked to religion and, especially, text and traditions found in the Koran.