Joy of Christmas

I don’t know whether the city of York has jumped on some kind of bandwagon, but I was saddened to see that our civic leaders have succumbed to the prevailing political correctness by making reference to several faiths around the area of the Christmas tree (if one is permitted to call it that), located in St Helen’s Square.

May I ask if this is really necessary, when Christmas is, after all, essentially a Christian festival?

When discussions of this nature take place, it is said that unless we either water down Christmas, or at least make reference to other faiths, people of other faiths might be offended. [The Criminalization of Christianity]

However, I have noticed that we only ever hear this from white, Anglo-Saxon local government officials. I have never heard of any Muslim, Sikh, Hindu or adherent to any other faith being offended.

Quite the opposite; I hear them saying on radio, TV and in newspapers “celebrate Christmas and remember the birth of Jesus Christ at this time of year”.

It would appear that certain government officials would like to see the end of the Christian faith in this country, while hiding behind the excuse that we might offend somebody.

As a leader of a medium size to large Christian Church in York, I have respect for all faiths and the people who live by them. Indeed, I worked among people of a mainly Muslim community for three months in 2003.

However, I see no reason to make a hotchpotch of an important Christian festival in the name of political correctness.

Paul V Westlake, The Salvation Army, Gillygate, York.

I have noticed the Archbishop of York’s name cropping up all the time in The Press.

I think this man should be running the country, and just do a bit of church work in his spare time.

Too many people with titles don’t say what they really think in case they offend some one, I think some times you have to break a few eggs to make an omelette.

I wish John Sentamu and his family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

A Stephenson, Huntington Road, York.

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