Personally, I think we should respect people, not their ideologies.
So it's not ok to bar someone from a job, or beat them up because because they are christian/Muslim/ atheist etc. but it's perfectly ok to say, 'I disagree with religion x because I find its treatment of women, homosexuals and atheists very disturbing. Let's debate this openly.'
Free speech is a very precious thing indeed. And free speech includes the freedom to mock with cartoons. Once you're banning that because people are offended, you're on thin ice. So no cartoons that lampoon powerful but corrupt politicians? No eay. Humour is a powerful weapon and those who would ban it are dangerous.
And really, if you believe in a God that is simultaneously all powerful and yet has a tantrum when someone insults it, you've got a problem. If you have a faith, be secure in it. Why would other people's doubts, cartoons or mockery shake you, if you're truly faithful? That's what faith is! Belief without evidence.
What a lot of people don't know is that a few years back, Blair was calling for what was in effect a law against blasphemy. Not only is this the original victimless crime, but very eloquent folks like rowan Atkinson pointed out that if the law was passed, he could have been arrested for blackadder two.
I don't want to live in a country where everyone takes perpetual offence and even mild 'vicar of dibley' comedy is a crime. I want to live in a secular country that allows all religions to be practised, without any of them being promoted. I want there to be no persecution based on belief, or crucially, lack of belief. I want to be able to say, ' well, Christianity is a bit odd, eh? ' or ' not sure about the literalism inherent in Islam' without being branded xo phobic.
Rant over.