The Editor, Sir:

Peter Espeut points to the superstitious nature of people purported to be Christian in his article 'The Cross and the horoscope'.

The Roman Catholic deacon cited the example of the widescale belief in horoscope, which basic premise is that "your future is written in the stars", and rightly calling the practice anti-Christian.

Non-christian traditions

A judicious study will confirm that many of the rituals and observances in Christianity are borrowed practice from non-Christian traditions. In a few weeks, we will celebrate Easter, the most solemn feast of the Christian calendar.

But whom do we honour in this celebration? Is it Jesus Christ or Ishtar/Astarte that translate Easter in English. Why would we use the name of the heathen Babylonian spring goddess (Easter) to commemo-rate the death of the Christian Saviour? Yet, that is the paradox of Christianity.

To complicate the issue, the same Christian Saviour used his own prophet Jonah's misfortune as the sign to prove his messiahship. Paraphrasing, he said, like Jonah in the belly of the big fish three days and three nights so I will be in the grave three days and three nights. Therefore, the Easter observance of two nights and one day, Friday night to Sunday morning, consequently disproves Jesus as the messiah.

This and many others are examples supporting Mr Espeut's point that traditional Christianity is, in many ways, anti-Christian.

I am, etc.,

CLAUDE WILSON

jaclaudew@yahoo.com