I HAVE to admit that the letter from ‘Santa Claus’ in last week’s paper made me very sad. 
What an embittered person the writer must be! He suggests that we should celebrate the Winter Solstice rather than Christmas, and is opposed to ‘organised’ religion. He seems to have forgotten that in ancient times when those pagan ceremonies were common, they were the ‘organised religion’ of their day.
It seems to often be the case that people like ‘Santa’ feel such an urge to denigrate and attack beliefs and feelings which they are unable to understand or share.
All the major religions teach, to a greater or lesser degree, love and charity. It is sadly humans who wilfully use their religion as an excuse to persecute others. People will persecute or abuse in the name of religion, politics, ‘love’ or because others are from a different background, race or simply because they follow a different football team. It is the nature of men and women that needs to change, not the simplistic suggestion of doing away with religion.
I should also like to point out to Mr Claus that the atheistic societies of which he is in favour, such as Russia under Stalin, China, Cambodia and many others, were responsible for the torture and death of countless millions of people. Not really much of a desirable example.
When I join the happy, kind, packed congregation at my church (RC) on Christmas morning, I will wish Mr Claus a happy day, and a more tolerant and loving new year.
Pat Sutton
Forest Walk
High Street
Chapmanslade