Christians, tell your children there is no Santa Claus

[Vickilynn]

That's a good point, Emily Anne.

Santa is said to be able to "see you when you're sleeping, and knows when you're awake. He knows when you've been bad or good"... Yet those are attributes only God has, so elevating Santa to the omnopresent state would be elevating him to a god like status would it not?

What's it called when you elevate someone to God's position in your life? The word escapes me at the moment!

Shalom Bib,

I believe that would be an IDOL and telling children that this Santa (above) is real would be idolatry.

[Guest Biblicist]

Clear something up here. My child comes up and asks, "How are babies made Mommy?" I then explain to the child that I will explain it when he is older.

Now, My child comes up to me and says "Santa is wonderful! He can see me when I am awake and when he is asleep and he loves all the little children and he is just the greatest man ever and is omnipresent! And then I can either not say a word, or correct the child. Notice in my first example, I did not choose silence? I let the child know that I am waiting to tell him when he is older about how babies are made. See the difference? Apples and oranges really.

That's a good point, Emily Anne.

Santa is said to be able to "see you when you're sleeping, and knows when you're awake. He knows when you've been bad or good"... Yet those are attributes only God has, so elevating Santa to the omnopresent state would be elevating him to a god like status would it not?

What's it called when you elevate someone to God's position in your life? The word escapes me at the moment!

Shalom Bib,

I believe that would be an IDOL.

Again, thank you Vickilynn.

[Guest Biblicist]

ITA!

What's ITA?

international time advantage?

I'm tired again?

it's totally awesome?

[sierra21]

I don't know that any of the Christian parents (or soon to be parents as in the case of me and Deb) on Worthy who have been involved in this conversation have ever sat our children down and told them to believe in Santa.

Santa was a real person...a real person that the church wanted to remember, so they made him into a saint. This saint was later carried to America. In America the awesome writer Washington Irving wrote a story about the History of New York which included St. Nick. Later on an Episcopal Minister, Moore, decided to write a poem to his daughters to tell the story of St. Nick...I think the poem was actually called, "A Visit from St. Nick" but as Americans we call the poem, "The Night Before Christmas." It was Moore who gave us the reindeer, and the sleigh, and the popping down the chimney thing.

I don't think any of the Christian potential parents/parents who allow their children to have Santa during the holidays have ever sat their children down on the sofa one night and said, "Look, there's this guy name Santa, you have to believe he's a real person." Nope, but we do allow them to listen to the Christmas stories, and watch the Christmas specials, and sit on Santa's lap at the mall and ask him to bring them something special. And there's nothing wrong with that in the least.

To call Christian parents liars because they allow their children to use their imagination during the holidays is absurd. None of us said it was ok to tell our children a lie...we just said that allowing our children to develop their imagination during the holidays is not sinful. No where in the scripture does it say my child can not and will not use their imagination ever, for fear of being declared a sinner.

The whole Christmas holiday itself is just a melting pot of traditions. Nothing we celebrate during this time of the year is scriptural. Yeah, once upon a time Jesus was born, but according to historians it would be more believable that he was born during the spring because sheep herders would not be out in the middle of winter.

Christmas trees, cards, gifts, celebrating Jesus' birth, Santa...it's all just a melting pot of traditions. I choose to celebrate Jesus birth on Christmas Eve with a candle light service, communion, and the reading of the birth from the Bible. I choose to celebrate Christmas morning by opening presents that are under the tree. And when my child comes he will have one under the tree from Santa. I choose to spend the rest of Christmas with family feeding my face.

None of our Christmas traditions are scriptural...nothing we celebrate during this time of the year is based on anything that comes from the Bible. Over the years, Americans have just chosen what they want to celebrate during this time of the year. As Christians many of us celebrate Jesus' birth, and some of us throw a little saint (santa) in there as well.

I think the Christians who have been participating in this discussion are perturbed because the people who do not allow Santa in their home are assuming that all other Christians are wrong and are in act sinning because they allow their children to believe. None of us are lying to our kids and telling them that Santa is a real person today (though he actually is based on a historical figure). We are allowing them to hear the stories, and believe what they want to believe during the season (until they are old enough to figure out that Santa doesn't really have flying reindeer).

And I'll be sure my child does not visit Worthy during the holidays...

[Ovedya]

ITA!

What's ITA?

international time advantage?

I'm tired again?

it's totally awesome?

I Totally Agree.

[Vickilynn]

ITA!

What's ITA?

international time advantage?

I'm tired again?

it's totally awesome?

Shalom Bib,

I

Totally

Agree

[sweetycakes]

Here is an interesting article about the Jolly old 'Father Christmas' :

http://www.av1611.org/othpubls/santa.html

Somewhat long, but well worth the read

I take very little stock in websites which essentially condemn people to perdition for perpetuating the Santa Claus myth. This is exactly the sort of thing that I wrote about earlier in this thread - a perfect example of going overboard.

edit: That website also happens to be authored by a KJV-Only group. Stands to reason, then, why it is so condemning.

I am certainly not intending to offend any Christian sensibilities here, Ovedya.

I, myself, allow certain 'Santa' themed articles into our house.....Christmas cards, boxes of chocolates, etc.....

But I would never tell children that Santa is real.....or substitute him for Jesus Christ, who is the real reason for the season.

As I write this, I am drawn to the 'Scripture Bot' at the top of the page, which reads:

Ephesians 4:3.....Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace

No major issue....we should all deal with our handling of the Christmas season as best we see fit

Santa is just a fairy tale.....whereas Jesus is our ever-present Saviour

ITA!

ITA?

What does that mean?

And is it good, or bad? :laugh:

[Emily~Anne]

I got this from Sweetie cakes link. KJV stance only or not, they are right on this!

Isn

[Vickilynn]

A hypocrite is a person who lives one way and expects others to live another.

If I have lied to my children, when I have, I have always asked their forgiveness. That is not hypocracy, that is human nature and Biblical teaching. If you have lied to your child and never asked their forgiveness for it, yet expected them to never lie to you, or ask your forgiveness for their lie, you would be considered a hypocrite.

I would never expect my children to tell me the truth when I willingly, knowingly tell them lies. And it would be wrong for me to do so. Until that sin is repented of, I have no right to.

Shalom Bib,

You are correct and hit the issue spot on. The issue is willingly and knowingly CHOOSING to lie to our children.

That is a slap in the face of our L-rd and Savior!

[Guest Biblicist]

How come no one says ITA to being against lying to their children, about anything?