MORE than 600 people went to Hereford Cathedral to share experiences with the BBC's Mark Tully, well known to listeners of Radio 4's 'Something Understood' programme.

Mr Tully said he had come to realise that to be dogmatically certain of the correctness of one particular religion or philosophical conviction can only lead to confrontation.

He urged people to become more open to new philosophical and spiritual truths, in the same way scientists had to adapt previous knowledge in the light of fresh discoveries.

Referring to the tragic events in the United States he said after the initial horror of terrorist action and the sympathy felt for those involved people should ask the vital question WHY?

He was of the opinion that spiritually based people of the East and the Middle East had become gradually more apprehensive as the West had become more secular and materialistic.

Mr Tully thought the U.S. had come to symbolise the divide between the secular and spiritual and between wealth and poverty.

Violent retribution could not be the way to ease the world's tensions.