Ron Jenkin's bizarre rant (Christmas is Christian, Oct. 10) makes a number of unsubstantiated statements that require a reply. In the first instance, Jenkins says that, "Christians are fast becoming obsolete." False. According to the Pew Research Center (2020), Christians are the world's largest religion representing 31 per cent of the world's population, Muslims account for 25 per cent, secular (or unaffiliated) individuals 16 per cent, and Hindus 15 per cent of the world's population. And in Africa and Latin America, Christianity has expanded its base. We live in a religiously diversified world.
Second, Jenkins inaccurately states that, "Christmas is a Christian holiday." This is historically and anthropologically inaccurate. It is well established that Christmas was a Pagan holiday which was later adapted by the Christian Church. Third and last, Jenkins says, "Christians are not racist ... and have integrity of the highest order." Hopefully this is hyperbole. Because Western European history and the history of Christianity clearly demonstrate the opposite. Christian racism was used to exterminate the Indiginous population in the New World. Anti-Semitism has permeated Western civilization from the time of the Holy Crusades to the Holocaust, which was carried out by "good Christians." The KKK and holy roller Christian fundamentalists now burn their crosses and spew racism in the name of white Christianity. No doubt, Donald Trump is a model of a moral Christian "of the highest order." The history of Chritianity suggests that it has failed to live up to its high ideals. The world doesn't need religious True Believers, it needs more tolerance.
Richard Deaton,
Stanley Bridge
