santa claus the evil and dangerous deceiver

[Bob Dole]

Santa isn't the problem with the degredation of Christmas. Atheism, Agnosticism, Post-Modernism, the ACLU, etc. are the problems.

Hehe I don't see how atheists, agnostics, and the ACLU are causes for the degradation of Christmas. I don't know any atheists who want to call Christmas trees "Holiday trees" and stuff like that. They generally ignore other people's religious beliefs unless they encroach on the atheists rights. Unless you were talking about something else that atheists and agnostics do?

[Guest mareesta]

Well, I spent 20 minutes reading this whole thread. I also read the Halloween thread(s) and I conclude this: you people are hilarious! Talk about straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel!

LOL Marine

Santa is not a problem, no matter how he came about (my thought at least). The problem is what WE make him into. We can make Santa into an icon for ourselves and our children or we can see him as tale as in Mother Goose tales and show him to our children that way. It is what we make him into that is the problem. Who is it that goes out buying everything they can find in the name of Santa.....US.

Oh, and I removed all Santa items from my house years ago because it bothered me that everybody talked about Santa and hardly anybody talked about Christ and they looked at me rather weird when I would say Christmas was all about the Christ Child being born and my Christmas was going to church.

[Joshua-777]

Well, lets see, one thing I've noticed, is that Santa does take the place Of Jesus, you hear about santa constantly, I mean think of the concepts

he comes bearing gifts if you've been good, and coal if you've been bad

he watches you day and night, making himself onmipresent

Now lets look at Jesus

He comes bearing the gift of eternal life for those who accept him, and those who don't will be thrown in a lake of fire,

He is onmni present, with us at all times

well, kind of simular,

Now heres one thign I've felt very Ironic, Is the fact that Kids grow up and learn not to trust strangers, and we tell them not to talk to strangers, Unless it's a fat man who offers candy and toys, Hmm iorny, Come in my van little girl, I'll give you a present, you like toys? hmm thats actualy the same concept that elementry school teaches to stay away from.

Now Jesus should be exalted, I believe santa is a way to destroy faith, cause little kids put so much faith in Santa just to find out he's not real, then What I've realized is that is linked with faith in Jesus, it destroys a childs trust in the Lord.

[sweetycakes]

I agree with the last 3 posts completely

[Guest]

Truth

It's all about soda-pop!

1931 Coco-Cola Christmas Ad in "Liberty" magazine!

Slogan was "My HAT'S OFF to the pause that refreshes"

So what to do? Drink coffee of course :-)

http://www.gono.com/museum2003/cocacola/co...lectorinfo2.htm

The rest of the stuff about Santa Claus looks to me as if the next story teller is topping the last story teller!

Soda Pop and tall tails!

A Grand American Tradition!

The True story is about "Jesus Christ and Him Crucified Only"

Edited November 19, 2006 by FresnoJoe

[nebula]

Maybe I should write a song where Santa accepts the Lord.

[undone]

Santa Claus the evil and dangerous deceiver -

So should we be forming protest marches at the malls? At the parades? Yank his beard off in front of the crowd and expose this menace to society?

[Guest]

{Sometimes it

[Guest oceanssong]

I didn't grow up in a Christian home, so I believed in Santa for a while, and I honestly don't remember my reaction when I found out he wasn't real. My ex and I did the Santa thing until our oldest was six or seven, when we told him, "There really is a Santa. It's mama and daddy... and grandma and uncle and everyone who loves you and gave you gifts. And you've given gifts to your little brother, too, so you've been Santa, too, for all these years, and you didn't even know it!" He thought that was pretty cool.

As the kids got older, I got away from Santa just because I wanted the focus to be on Christ. I've also done some research into the pagan origins of what we call our Christian celebrations, and for several years I struggled with how to celebrate Christ (which I absolutely believe we should do, regardless of what time of year) in a way that honors HIM. One December, as I walked past a Christmas tree in the town hall, the Lord settled the issue for me when He brought to mind a verse about a different problem back in the NT, and the answer was something like, "To him to whom it is clean, it is clean." We can celebrate or not, as we choose (in another place, it says that ones considers one day above other days, but to someone else, every day is the same). And we can celebrate how we choose, as long as we don't do anything that dishonors God or that's forbidden in the Bible (like getting drunk). I don't particularly think Santa is evil, but you won't find any Santas in my house, only nativities and lights (because Jesus is the light of the world). I have nothing against snowmen, either, but you won't find any in my house because that's not what Christmas is about, either. It's about Jesus. I'm not afraid or fearful of the traditions, even the ones with pagan origins; it's just that I want to exalt Christ. Yeshua HaMaschiach. He said that if HE'S lifted up, He'll draw all men to Himself. The longer I'm a Christian, the more I realize that life is far more spiritual than we've been led to believe, even by the church, and symbols (even innocent ones like Santa) have power; that's why I'm so careful about what I allow into my home, not just at Christmas, but all the time. The bottom line is that it's all about HIM.

Something else I've often thought of -- what about Resurrection Day? (I don't like the word "Easter" because of its pagan origins.) I think we should celebrate the birth of Christ (the angels certainly did, so we have the precedent), but it was His death and resurrection that make us what we are -- forgiven and free. It seems to me that if we, as Christians, are going to have one big, blow-out bash every year, it should be in celebration of the resurrection. But Christmas gets a much bigger billing, even in Christian circles. I don't understand that one.

[sweetycakes]

I didn't grow up in a Christian home, so I believed in Santa for a while, and I honestly don't remember my reaction when I found out he wasn't real. My ex and I did the Santa thing until our oldest was six or seven, when we told him, "There really is a Santa. It's mama and daddy... and grandma and uncle and everyone who loves you and gave you gifts. And you've given gifts to your little brother, too, so you've been Santa, too, for all these years, and you didn't even know it!" He thought that was pretty cool.

As the kids got older, I got away from Santa just because I wanted the focus to be on Christ. I've also done some research into the pagan origins of what we call our Christian celebrations, and for several years I struggled with how to celebrate Christ (which I absolutely believe we should do, regardless of what time of year) in a way that honors HIM. One December, as I walked past a Christmas tree in the town hall, the Lord settled the issue for me when He brought to mind a verse about a different problem back in the NT, and the answer was something like, "To him to whom it is clean, it is clean." We can celebrate or not, as we choose (in another place, it says that ones considers one day above other days, but to someone else, every day is the same). And we can celebrate how we choose, as long as we don't do anything that dishonors God or that's forbidden in the Bible (like getting drunk). I don't particularly think Santa is evil, but you won't find any Santas in my house, only nativities and lights (because Jesus is the light of the world). I have nothing against snowmen, either, but you won't find any in my house because that's not what Christmas is about, either. It's about Jesus. I'm not afraid or fearful of the traditions, even the ones with pagan origins; it's just that I want to exalt Christ. Yeshua HaMaschiach. He said that if HE'S lifted up, He'll draw all men to Himself. The longer I'm a Christian, the more I realize that life is far more spiritual than we've been led to believe, even by the church, and symbols (even innocent ones like Santa) have power; that's why I'm so careful about what I allow into my home, not just at Christmas, but all the time. The bottom line is that it's all about HIM.

Something else I've often thought of -- what about Resurrection Day? (I don't like the word "Easter" because of its pagan origins.) I think we should celebrate the birth of Christ (the angels certainly did, so we have the precedent), but it was His death and resurrection that make us what we are -- forgiven and free. It seems to me that if we, as Christians, are going to have one big, blow-out bash every year, it should be in celebration of the resurrection. But Christmas gets a much bigger billing, even in Christian circles. I don't understand that one.

I find myself agreeing with you on all of your main points, Oceanssong