In response to Emma Gee’s plea to “reintroduce Christ into the meaning of Christmas because without him there would be no Christmas” (Letters, January 14), this is not true.

“Christmas” was a pagan festival long before Christ appeared on the scene, at which point the festival was hijacked by Christianity.

The original festival was to celebrate the passing of the shortest day and the return of the sun.

No wonder the religious significance holds little interest for most people now.

Free-thinking people are waking up to the idea that none of it is true. The scriptures were written by Iron Age peasants who believed in magic and did not even know where the sun went to at night.

It is probable that there may have been a person called Jesus. He would have had exceptional leadership qualities and legends would have built up around him. He certainly had no supernatural powers, could not work miracles and was not the “Son of God”.

I believe that religion has an awful lot to answer for and in all its many forms it is extremely harmful to our society.

It’s a common misconception that atheism diminishes us in some way but the opposite is true.

Christianity does not have the monopoly on altruism or morality or spiritualism.

I’m an atheist but I get my spirituality from looking at the beauty of nature and pondering the scale of the incredible universe we inhabit.

It’s a much better kind of spirituality because it’s true.

Religions have all the “answers” to the big questions. Science does not. That’s great but it’s all about finding out the truth and science has certainly found out a lot so far.

We live in an age of enlightenment. In the 21st century it is time for the human race to come of age. As for teaching religion to children, who will believe anything?

Corinthians 13:11: “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things.”

Ricky Shaw, Aberdeen Road, Brighton

I have to disagree with Emma Gee concerning what is now known as Christmas.

The pagan midwinter festival, which included feasting, drinking, the use of holly, ivy and mistletoe and other decorations, preceded the hijacking by Christians of the period around the winter solstice during the darkest period of the year.

It was to celebrate the move towards longer days and the oncoming birth of spring.

Additionally, it is well known that the birth of Jesus did not take place at this time of year, despite legendary accounts.

Whatever one’s beliefs, the grafting of Christ’s name on to a pre-Christian celebration is not historical proof of such events.

Roger Hudson, Devonshire Place, Eastbourne

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