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| Alex Salmond says he prefers 'people of faith' | Alex Salmond says he prefers 'people of faith' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Scotland's former first minister Alex Salmond has revealed that he prefers "people of faith to people of no faith or people who have lost their faith". | Scotland's former first minister Alex Salmond has revealed that he prefers "people of faith to people of no faith or people who have lost their faith". |
| He made the statement in a video for the Church of Scotland. | He made the statement in a video for the Church of Scotland. |
| Mr Salmond, who is now the SNP MP for Gordon, also said that he believed all denominations had a key role to play in society. | Mr Salmond, who is now the SNP MP for Gordon, also said that he believed all denominations had a key role to play in society. |
| However, the Scottish Secular Society said the politician's remark was "controversial and divisive". | However, the Scottish Secular Society said the politician's remark was "controversial and divisive". |
| Mr Salmond, who is the SNP's foreign affairs spokesman at Westminster, was featured in the video alongside the Rev Stuart MacQuarrie, the Church of Scotland's chaplain to the University of Glasgow. | Mr Salmond, who is the SNP's foreign affairs spokesman at Westminster, was featured in the video alongside the Rev Stuart MacQuarrie, the Church of Scotland's chaplain to the University of Glasgow. |
| The clergyman had been at Holyrood to deliver the first "time for reflection" of the new parliamentary year. | The clergyman had been at Holyrood to deliver the first "time for reflection" of the new parliamentary year. |
| Mr Salmond recalled that he was a champion for the chamber event, which features religious and humanist speakers. | Mr Salmond recalled that he was a champion for the chamber event, which features religious and humanist speakers. |
| Speaking during the three-minute video, he said: "I am biased, of course, because I am a Church of Scotland adherent and I prefer people of faith to people of no faith or people who have lost their faith. | Speaking during the three-minute video, he said: "I am biased, of course, because I am a Church of Scotland adherent and I prefer people of faith to people of no faith or people who have lost their faith. |
| "All denominations have a key role to play in society and we are very fortunate in Scotland because we have a tremendous ability, among religions and denominations, to come together and support good causes." | "All denominations have a key role to play in society and we are very fortunate in Scotland because we have a tremendous ability, among religions and denominations, to come together and support good causes." |
| The chairman of the Scottish Secular Society, Spencer Fildes, said he was unhappy with Mr Salmond's comment. | |
| He said: "For Alex Salmond to say he prefers people of faith is a controversial comment to make. | He said: "For Alex Salmond to say he prefers people of faith is a controversial comment to make. |
| "With one sentence he has separated the religious and none religious, affording special place to the religious in his own world view; preferring one half of the country to the other. | "With one sentence he has separated the religious and none religious, affording special place to the religious in his own world view; preferring one half of the country to the other. |
| "It's an incredibly ill-thought and divisive comment to make." | "It's an incredibly ill-thought and divisive comment to make." |