Pagan origin claims commit genetic fallacy

Due to past experience, I was amused by the “tolerance” speech in Jack DeBaun’s letter about Christmas. (Daily Bee, Dec. 19).

The article seems to state the obvious. That all religious beliefs can celebrate Christmas in their own way. However, the contrast made between the predominant Christian observation of the holiday and other pagan observations has a more subtle intention.

Often groups will claim that holidays such as Christmas have pagan origins. This commits the genetic fallacy. It is more relevant that we know that Christians transformed the pagan festivals and evaluate Christmas in its current context and merits. In so doing we can confidently claim that the true “meaning” of Christmas is the Christian one.

The relativistic notion of tolerance is the fundamental flaw in Mr. DeBaun’s letter. It is a self-refuting logic, and if true, would lead to absurd consequences such as lack of justification for any universal moral imperatives.

The biblical truth of the meaning of Christmas doesn’t rely on the belief of those who chose to be irrational. 

TIM KNAPP

Clark Fork