The Scottish Bible Society (SBS) has come under fire from the National Secular Society for sending thousands of Bibles to Scottish law courts and judges.

The campaign was launched in July by the organisation’s honorary president, Lord Mackay of Clashfern, to make the Bible readily available to judges as a reference book.

Terry Sanderson of the National Secular Society said the campaign “could put the Sharia laws of the Middle East to shame”, according to the Scottish Herald.

SBS is sending Bibles to judges in the Court of Session and each of the Sheriff Courts in Scotland, as well as the Faculty of Advocates Library, the Crown Office, and countrywide offices of the Procurator Fiscal Service.

SBS has produced a pamphlet, entitled The Bible in Scots Law: A Guide for Legal Practitioners, to accompany the Bibles.

In it, Lord Mackay, a former Conservative Cabinet member, speaks of how “vitally important” the Bible is in giving guidance for daily living.

“What it says about human beings is as true today as it was when it was originally written all these years ago,” he states in an introduction to the pamphlet.

The pamphlet describes the Bible as the “foundational source book” for Scotland’s legal system.

SBS said it was pleased “to have the opportunity to donate a Bible to courts so that it is readily available for reference in any case which may arise in future”.