IT is a source of great sadness that the Catholic Church in Scotland stands in opposition to a ban on smacking children.

Beating children is utterly inconsistent with the principles of Christian teaching. Biblical scripture make a nonsense of any suggestion that justification for the physical punishment of children is somehow rooted in the gospels.

The New Testament tells of the disciples rebuking parents bringing their children to Jesus to be blessed. In response, Christ told them: "Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of Heaven."

Whether one believes in a god or not, the Jesus of the bible, in his love of the meek and poor, saw children as especially in need of protection and love. His teaching stands as much today as it did in the Holy Land of 2000 years ago.

It is baffling then that those who believe in the teachings of Christ - a man of peace - should not wish to see the smacking of children consigned to the dustbin of history.

With all due respect, then, this newspaper believes the Catholic Church is on the wrong side of the argument. One would be forgiven for wondering if the church's failure to participate in a consultation on the legislation and a reluctance to state its position to the media indicates a knowledge of inconsistency.

On this crucial issue of children protection, we would ask, as a paper which espouses humanitarian values, that the leadership of the church thinks again.