santa claus the evil and dangerous deceiver

[Citizen]

If you go back and read my post about what happened to me in my childhood - when I learned that my faith in my parents teaching me things was being used against me by teaching me a lie and then laughing at me because I actually believed them - I slammed the door on ever trusting anyone again.

Because they caused me to do that by their actions - I went down a road of denying God and scripture and living life without any accountability - committing many, many sins.

It wasn't until I was 45 years old before God was finally able to reach my heart and it was a painful time to bring me back to Him.

I know from talking to various people over the years that they also found that being 'duped' by their parents about Santa was the end of their innocence too and it cost them their ability to trust.

The sad thing is - is that when I share this with people who 'laugh' at my situation - they do the exact same thing my mother did and laugh at me for being so stupid as to let that happen to me.

Well I was SIX years old and my reaction was perfectly normal and I know I wasn't alone.

So, if you think this is funny or a joke then I guess you will know which of us is viewing this correctly when we face our beloved Lord.

[LadyRaven]

Here is the scripture that we are held accountable to. There is no 'qualifier' in it as to our intentions or that it wasn't done in malice, or that it was done for 'fun.' God does not differentiate in these scriptures. So, we best take it exactly as He says it and be careful in how we teach our children and playing out a lie with them that will cause them to struggle to find their ability to trust again - all the sins those children commit we will be held accountable for. We may be forgiven and exempt from the wrath of God but as Christians, we are still held to a level of accountability and I may not understand it, but we are told that somehow - our behavior as Christinas will affect our eternity. Does anyone doubt that we are held accountable for our behavior as Christians? You guys can laugh it off all you want - but fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.

Here are the scriptures about children:

Matthew 18:6

But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

Mark 9:42

[ Causing to Sin ] "And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck.

Luke 17:2

It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.

If a person used the santa legend as part of their christmas and did so without lying to their children (which is not BTW, teaching them to lie, they figure that out on their own...but teaching them something worse...that lying is what grown ups do, or what they do to children...depending of course on the child's temperament) then we are not teaching children to sin.

"pretend" when everyone knows that it is pretend is not sin, therefore you aren't in violation of these verses if you do that.

[LadyRaven]

Here is the scripture that we are held accountable to. There is no 'qualifier' in it as to our intentions or that it wasn't done in malice, or that it was done for 'fun.' God does not differentiate in these scriptures. So, we best take it exactly as He says it and be careful in how we teach our children and playing out a lie with them that will cause them to struggle to find their ability to trust again - all the sins those children commit we will be held accountable for. We may be forgiven and exempt from the wrath of God but as Christians, we are still held to a level of accountability and I may not understand it, but we are told that somehow - our behavior as Christinas will affect our eternity. Does anyone doubt that we are held accountable for our behavior as Christians? You guys can laugh it off all you want - but fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.

Here are the scriptures about children:

Matthew 18:6

But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

Mark 9:42

[ Causing to Sin ] "And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck.

Luke 17:2

It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.

Agreed, but how does Santa Claus cause a little one to sin? I believed that eating spinach would make me strong like Popeye; I didn't quit believing in Christ simply because spinach didn't make me strong, lol! I'm sorry, but I see no difference there.

For most of the children I knew when I was little, they figured out Santa was their parents before they were ever told and continued to "play along" so as not to upset them. Obviously no harm was done here to the children... once you get around the lying issue.

For some of us who are very sensitive, the idea that the parents would lie to you was a big disappointment and disturbing to me. I spent a long time trying to figure out why this was done, when in my case where we dealt with fantasy alot, I loved superheros and stories about knights and dragons and maidens n distress, and when I got older fantasy stories. I haven't practiced it much since I had children, unfortunately, but when I was younger I'd become a "story teller" memorising old legends and telling them orally to people. My experience would have been so much different if I'd just been told the truth...Santa was about as real as Wonder Woman.

I do not and never will believe that fantasy is bad...as long as we know that it's FANTASY and not reality.

[Scarletprayers]

Until I came here, I NEVER heard people blaming Santa Claus for their loss of faith. Or that he was evil and demonic, I just find this mind boggling!

[Abigailwc]

Much ado about nothing.

Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing...........

I agree 100%, I don't understand how some "Christians" live their entire lives with nothing but fear about everything.

Amen!

[Citizen]

Here is the scripture that we are held accountable to. There is no 'qualifier' in it as to our intentions or that it wasn't done in malice, or that it was done for 'fun.' God does not differentiate in these scriptures. So, we best take it exactly as He says it and be careful in how we teach our children and playing out a lie with them that will cause them to struggle to find their ability to trust again - all the sins those children commit we will be held accountable for. We may be forgiven and exempt from the wrath of God but as Christians, we are still held to a level of accountability and I may not understand it, but we are told that somehow - our behavior as Christinas will affect our eternity. Does anyone doubt that we are held accountable for our behavior as Christians? You guys can laugh it off all you want - but fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.

Here are the scriptures about children:

Matthew 18:6

But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

Mark 9:42

[ Causing to Sin ] "And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck.

Luke 17:2

It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.

If a person used the santa legend as part of their christmas and did so without lying to their children (which is not BTW, teaching them to lie, they figure that out on their own...but teaching them something worse...that lying is what grown ups do, or what they do to children...depending of course on the child's temperament) then we are not teaching children to sin.

"pretend" when everyone knows that it is pretend is not sin, therefore you aren't in violation of these verses if you do that.

Are you seriously saying that when someone stands before God and is asked about lieing to a child that causes that child to stumble - the person is going tell the creator of the universe that their excuse was that it was just 'pretend?'

I hardly think that is going to fly as an excuse. Adults should never use a child's trust to play a game with them where the only result is the child is going to eventually learn that they were lied to.

If we lived in a world where all the grown ups were mature and handled it with complete honesty from the get go - I may agree with you. But we don't and the chance that promoting this game of pretend where people will literally lie to their children because they think it is cute - are gambling with something serious.

[Citizen]

Much ado about nothing.

Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing...........

I agree 100%, I don't understand how some "Christians" live their entire lives with nothing but fear about everything.

Amen!

It seems that just because you cannot grasp the seriousness of this in some people's lives is absolutely no reason to scoff at it or laugh it off.

[MrsSealedEternal]

Let's take the focus off of santa clause for a moment.

Is lying a sin, whatever it is about?

What does God's Word tell you about lying?

That is what should guide a believer in conscience and behaviour on this issue.

There are even fantasy roles that I believe are dangerous for us to entertain.

Jesus illustrates that with these words:

Mat 5:27 "You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY';

Mat 5:28 but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

[MrsSealedEternal]

Odd thing about this topic is santa clause didn't decieve anyone, since he isn't the one spreading the lies...it's other people that did that...

[LadyRaven]

If a person used the santa legend as part of their christmas and did so without lying to their children (which is not BTW, teaching them to lie, they figure that out on their own...but teaching them something worse...that lying is what grown ups do, or what they do to children...depending of course on the child's temperament) then we are not teaching children to sin.

"pretend" when everyone knows that it is pretend is not sin, therefore you aren't in violation of these verses if you do that.

Are you seriously saying that when someone stands before God and is asked about lieing to a child that causes that child to stumble - the person is going tell the creator of the universe that their excuse was that it was just 'pretend?'

I hardly think that is going to fly as an excuse. Adults should never use a child's trust to play a game with them where the only result is the child is going to eventually learn that they were lied to.

If we lived in a world where all the grown ups were mature and handled it with complete honesty from the get go - I may agree with you. But we don't and the chance that promoting this game of pretend where people will literally lie to their children because they think it is cute - are gambling with something serious.

Um excuse me, I said pretend, not deception. I've gone to great lengths here to explain that I do NOT endorse endorse telling lies, in fact I have now highlighted in the post you are quoting where I specifically made that distinction. If you are going to quote me and then try to rebut me then read what I said first. I have tried in recent past to tone down my posting because I'm rather outspoken But on this i will not, since you have attempted to portray me as endorsing a sin I specifically said I did not endorse and I won't stand for it. I daresay that's just as bad as telling your kid there really is a Santa, if not worse.