London, England - Public opinion is divided over controversial plans to ban incitement to religious hatred, according to an ICM poll for the BBC News website.
The poll, taken in the days following the London bombings, found 51% in favour of such a move but 44% against.
The proposed new law is meant to protect people of all faiths from abuse but critics say it curbs free speech.
The poll of 1,005 people found those who were religious almost as likely to be against it as those who were not.
Gay clergy
The survey, which was commissioned as part of a BBC News website series on faith in the UK, found strong support for laws that respect and are influenced by religious values.
There was a more divided picture when it came to the broadcast of material that might cause religious offence.
It also explored attitudes to homosexuals and women holding religious office, following the recent controversy over gay clergy and the Church of England backing the ordination of women bishops.
The survey suggests:
* 61% of people believe Britain's laws should respect and be influenced by religious values
* 78% approve of women being given high religious office
* 48% approve of people living in a homosexual relationship holding high religious office, with 39% against
* 1% more Christians were in favour of gay clergy than against
* Women are 8% more likely than men to approve of gay people holding high religious office
Approval for laws respecting religious values was, not surprisingly, high among those who belonged to religions, but even among those with no religion 3% more were in favour than against.
Some 49% of all respondents said broadcasters "should not avoid language or story lines which might cause any of the main religious groups to take offence", with 45% saying they should.
Among religious people, 45% thought broadcasters should avoid causing offence, but a greater number, 49% thought they should not. Among non-religious people, 45% thought offence should be avoided, and 51% felt it should not.
There was a gender divide on this issue too, with 42% of men saying broadcasters should avoid causing religious offence, compared to 48% of women.
The Racial and Religious Hatred Bill currently going through parliament would create a new offence of incitement to religious hatred and would apply to comments made in public or in the media, as well as through written material.
The aim is to protect people from incitement to hatred against them because of their faith.
But ministers insist it will not ban people - including artists and performers - from offending, criticising or ridiculing faiths.
Public support
In the BBC's poll, 51% supported legislation "aimed at preventing abuse or inciting hatred of people because of their religious faith".
But 44% thought "stopping people from criticising those with other religious beliefs is an unjustified limit on free speech".
Among people belonging to religions, a category which included Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Jews and other faith groups, 43% were opposed to a ban, compared to 44% among people with "no religion".
In January an ICM poll for The Guardian newspaper suggested stronger public support for incitement to religious hatred laws.
The poll found 57% agreeing a ban was "needed to stop those who want to stir up hatred against people of particular religious faiths".
It found 36% said the new law was "wrong because people should be allowed to express their opinions freely, however hateful".
# The BBC/ICM poll is based on interviews with 1,005 people between 8 and 11 July this year.