Sir, - Eddie Holt mentions President McAleese's "rudely trenchant reference" to the birth of Christ (News Features, November 15th). He feels it ruled out Muslims and Jews. He forgets that Muslims do honour Christ and the Virgin Mary. The Koran states:
"O Mary, God has chosen you and purified you. He has chosen you above all the women in the world."
Muslims also believe in the virgin birth.
Jews accept that Christ existed and was born in Bethlehem, though they do not accept him as the Messiah. However, there is a sect of Judaism which does accept his role as Messiah. They call themselves "Jews for Jesus".
The President simply made a transparently honest reference to a fact of history. - Yours, etc.,
M. F. O Conchuir,
Christian Brothers, Baldoyle, Dublin 13.