To the editor:

Our society has created a culture of intolerance, preventing our mind from holding multiple views of the the same issue. Increasingly, society pressures us to keep only one belief and condemn all others.

The Bristol Christmas Festival article by the Bristol Phoenix became the prisoners of three ideas, a Religious Christmas, a Secular Christmas, and a Holiday Celebration. The writer wanted to portray my description of Christmas Festival as having one and only one of those meanings, an embrace of the secular and an elimination of the religious. I am writing as the Chairman of the Bristol Christmas Festival Committee to correct the record.

Christmas as used in Christianity celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago. Celebration of his birth is one of the most sacred times of the year.

Christmas as used by me when describing the Bristol Christmas Festival, means the secular celebration which views Christmas through the prism of Christmas trees, Santa Claus, and spreading joy and good will.

Christmas as used by a growing number of people means a celebration that is non-inclusive and discriminatory to many.  They subscribe to the thought that the word Christmas must be replaced by the word Holiday.

Once our minds become prisoners of three ideas, when only one can survive, the others must be cancelled. I reject that premise.

When I talk about the Bristol Christmas Festival I am describing our secular celebration, which embraces the tenet of spreading joy and good will, but that does not mean that I have rejected all others. I accept and respect the true meaning of Christmas as part of my religious beliefs in church or with family. But It also  means I can wish others a happy holiday season as a greeting or in a message.

The writer tried to parse my words to create controversy and division where none exits. Don’t allow people to define what values and beliefs you are against by what values and beliefs you are for.

Unlike singular thoughts , competing thoughts are a sign of openness, acceptance, enlightenment and understanding.

Don’t allow others to tell you otherwise.

David Scarpino
932 Hope St.