Santa, Toothe Fairy, Easter Bunny, etc.

[GoldenEagle]

In bringing up our son in God's truth I cam accross this quesiton last night with my wife...

The question was this: How do we approach made-up figures like Santa Clause, the Toothe Fairy, the Ester Bunny, etc. when educating our children?

I have some thoughts on the matter but I would like to get others perspectives on this.

Before the thread get's going I was wondering if we could all who post on this thread agree to the following.

A. I agree God is love. (John 3:16, 1 John 4:9-12,John 13:34-35, Romans 5:8)

B. I agree God loves us. (Psalm 37:28, Proverbs 8:17, Deuteronomy 7:9, 1 John 3:1)

C. I agree nothing can separate us from God’s love (Rom. 8:37-39)

D. I agree we need to be sensitive to what the Holy Spirit teaches us through His Word. He primarily speaks to us through His Word which is good for teaching, correcting, rebuking, and training in righteousness. (2 Tim. 2:16-17)

E. I agree God uses other Believers to stretch us and grow us. (Prov. 27:17)

F. I agree sometimes we can do good things with good intentions with the wrong motivations. (Prov. 21:2, Matt. 6:1, Gal. 1:10, Phil 2:3)

G. I agree we, Christians, are ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor. 5:20) who should be known by our love for others. (John 13:35)

H. I agree we are citizens of Heaven as Christians (Phil. 3:20) passing through strange lands. (1 Pet. 2:11-12)

I. I agree we are to love God above all else (Matt. 22:37) and love our neighbors as ourselves. (Matt. 22:39)

If so just start your post by saying... "I agree" please.

[OneLight]

Always tell them the truth. Fun is fun, but truth is truth. Knowing the difference is important.

[other one]

Always tell them the truth. Fun is fun, but truth is truth. Knowing the difference is important.

Exactly..... and when they grew up our kids thanked us for doing so.

[LOVE SONGS]

"I agree".... ...and , to obey God is what we have to do...instead of following what is pagan or their ways or beliefs.

[ncn]

I'm fifty nine and recently have been to the dentist

If the tooth fairy was true, I'd have paid the dentist and had money left over

What a blessing I don't have to pay the dentist; but a bit of cash under the pillow during the festive season

[freeinnocentspirit]

With kids in all aspects its so important to stay consistent. I grew up in a multi faith family its the generation above me that had a lot of mixed faith marriages and my generation now has elements of everything. This is now a constant issue at family gatherings - I end up celebrating everything of most faiths.

Im answering the question from the other perspective that of the child. Keep their knowledge firm and solid, don't cloud their minds with everything.

[GoldenEagle]

For the record I agree that lying is wrong. When you take into considering Col. 3:9 and Lev. 19:11 I don't understand people that teach their children the fables are true. Some people adamantly do not want others to inform their kids about these lies and even adamantly insist on teaching their kids these fables are true. I just don't get it.

Col. 3:9

Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices.

Lev. 19:11

"'Do not steal. "'Do not lie. "'Do not deceive one another.

My parents always would say "Okay, who's going to be the santa this year and pass out the presents?" More of a joke really.

We were taught about St. Nicholas who was a very generous man who really did live a long time ago.

The Tooth Fairy was a joke. I'd often try to negotiate what I would get for my teeth... Didn't work though.

Never was taught much about the Easter Bunny. For Easter we always emphasized Christ.

[freeinnocentspirit]

See if I was asked this question what 3 years ago I would think whats the harm does it matter. Its all harmless fun.

But now I think of things in a different light. This is all based on my own experience. I think a lot of my childhood spiritual knowledge (if you want to call it that) was totally wrong. I was taught about all faiths in school, which is good. But also at home I was also some what following all faiths. So as an adult I had not true - this is what we follow this is your foundation and build from it. Instead I had what all the make believe things get treated in the same category as religion. I think the whole concept of a Dad dressing up as Santa in itself is a lie!

Edited November 1, 2012 by freeinnocentspirit

[Guest]

My Four-Year Old Grandson Is A Liar

Howbeit A Very Cute And Wide-Eyed One

So Why Can't His (Ugly) Grandfather Be One Too

Oh Yeah

Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. Psalms 121:3

There Is That

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Corinthians 5:20-21

I Always Thought The Easter Bunny Must Be An Illegal Alien.... A Mammal Laying Chocolate Eggs.... From Alice Springs, Australia?

[gdemoss]

Something is either of God or it is not. Show me that these things are of God and I shall rejoice in them and promote them unto my children and my children's children. Has God ever created such things anywhere to record? The root of understanding how these things develop is found in the core understanding of what it means to be in the form of a servant as a man. One must understand what is the difference between the body of sin and the body of Christ. Before I understood these principles as I do today, I was simply left to try and decipher whether or not there appeared to be any 'harm' in these things by looking at the things themselves.

Do any of you believe that these things will be present in the Kingdom when Christ rules with a rod of iron? I would like to hear how you conclude that they will if you think they will.

Gary