Talk to people who have experienced it. Reports of nightmares and chronic fear are common, and the effects often last much later in life. Guilt, low self esteem and depression have all been linked to religious threats during childhood.

That really depends on what is being taught, and the manner in which it is being taught. Religious groups should comply with UK law in the same way that others are expected to. Street preachers often breach public order laws; and no religion should be used as an excuse for bullying or harassment, particularly where children are involved.

The Government commonly makes exceptions for religious groups. They are allowed to discriminate, preach religious hatred, distribute books which incite violence and intolerance and generally get away with behaviour which would not be tolerated under any other circumstances. All we are asking for is fair treatment for everyone, and the same laws for everyone.

There is a line. Parents do not have the right to abuse their children. Abuse comes in many forms, and nobody should have the right to inflict psychological damage on a child purely because their superstitious beliefs lead them to believe that it is acceptable.

While things are undoubtedly worse in America, religious bullying has been part of our society for centuries. Using threats of damnation is regarded as being a perfectly normal tactic for religions wishing to ensure that young people do not feel able to choose their own beliefs. The effects of this have only been apparent relatively recently.

Extremist religion is on the rise in the UK. A combination of targetting by American extremist Christian organisations and immigration from devoutly religious societies is making the UK less and less secular. We already have schools teaching extremist, creationist syllabi, and the Hell House phenomenon is not far behind.

It is better to act now when we may be able to control this rising problem than to let the pro-abuse lobby gain a significant foot-hold as they have in the USA.

The fact that this impression is so widespread is evidence of an astonishingly successful advertising campaign by religious organisations. Nobody who has read the Bible, the Quran or the Torah can honestly say that they just preach love. These books (which contain the teachings adopted by an overwhelming majority of religious people in the world) all contain instructions to torture and murder people of other religions, and describe dreadful punishments which should be meted out for the most innocuous of crimes. When someone says that they believe in the teachings of the Bible, they are saying that they believe that non-believers should be murdered; adulterers should be stoned to death; and that genocide is acceptable. All of these are repeatedly and enthusiastically condoned. This is a book which contains more violence and gore than an average 18-rated film, and yet we allow it to be used to teach children morality.