sweethomeliving

It has been my experience that many, if not most believers don't fully accept that they are 100% saved by the works of Jesus and not by their own works. When this is the case, they use biblical instruction on holiness as a standard of whether or not they are saved rather than as a lifestyle to foster after being saved as they were intended. Anyone who questions their own salvation, wonders if they are "good enough" for heaven or considers themselves in need of improvement before they can be totally accepted by God picks up on the legalistic attitudes of others who also doubt the validity of their salvation and uses these as a justification for their own doubts. Churches can become legalistic in culture this way, despite holding to doctrines and teachings on grace. I also have seen how people with little inner strength and self-esteem see others as more "spiritual" than themselves and feel that they need to do what they do in order to be accepted. It's often difficult for people to seperate acceptance by people from acceptance by God. Most churches can be a wonderful place for fellowship and growth if we can only see through this trap and once-and-for-all believe what the Scriptures plainly state about our acceptance by God through faith in Christ.

I think it is about as likely that children that are told Santa Claus is real will turn out to be patholigical liars as it is that children that are not taught Santa Claus is real will turn out to be analytical, logical and boring. I don't think there is any connection. It comes across like you are thinking your children would have turned out better had you done things different. Are you saying they are logical, analytical and boring, and you think that is because you didn't let them use their imagination enough? The only reason I am asking is because you said you have changed your opinion in retrospect concerning how you did things. No my brother, I am not disappointed in what my children have become or the fruits of my parenting (and I thought I said as much in an earlier post). I simply view the whole issue differently from what I used to. and I was simply trying to provide other information to give people food for thought. I have no problems with people choosing not to tell their children about Santa Claus. I take no offense and don't wish to cause any.

I don't think you are really suggesting that children who believe in Santa Claus become pathological liars!! And you are correct in saying that children have plenty of time to develop their imagination without Santa. As I said, I did not let my children believe in Santa Claus. My contribution here is from my experience in parenting children who are now in their 20's. In retrospect, if I had my parenting years to do all over again, I would lighten up on a lot of issues--Santa being one.

I don't believe you have to make up stories to cause kids to be imaginative. I believe all children will use their imagination regardless. Its just part of being a kid. The only way you can stife a child's imagination would be to punish them for making up things on their own, and nobody is suggesting we do that. BTW, I have no problem with children growing up to be logical, analytical and somewhat boring. There is nothing wrong with that. There are other kids that grow up to be patholigical liars, and they are often the life of the party. Everyone is different.

Two of my three daughters were servers. In the restaurants they worked at, the other servers would try to pick out the Christians and purposely try to not have them sit in their section. The reason was that Christians were notoriously terrible tippers. Sometimes they would leave $5 and a tract for a $75 meal. So, the moral of this account is if you don't want to tip correctly please don't identify yourself as a Christian--don't leave a tract and don't pray for your meal!!

These are really interesting ideas and I've mulled the idea of whether to perpetrate the Santa myth. When my kids were little we told them Santa was not real. If I had to do it all over again, I would let them believe in the fantasy. We can explore the Scripture on this and invariably we end up with discussing whether a lie is right or wrong. I don't think that's the issue at all. Children develop their imagination through fantasy. Without make-believe and fantasy fun, they grow up being logical, anaytical and somewhat boring. If that's what you want your children to be, then ok. I prefer seeing imagination fully developed because invention, innovation and creative thinking require imagination.

I believe Jesus would enjoy churches most that are most like Him. He laughed, enjoyed life and enjoyed people. Churches that do the same would be most like Him. As to which church He would attend? I think He would laugh at the question because at the root the question is about which church has the most correct doctrine. Truth is, each one has it's one doctrinal and practical problems.

I believe that church attendance is important, especially in the beginning of your walk. But not all churches are healthy and as a believer matures, it's important to be more discerning in what we accept as truth. Just as a child becomes increasingly more responsible for his life, so we become more responsible before God.