Christians, tell your children there is no Santa Claus

[Vickilynn]

Shalom Sierra,

I'm sorry to upset you, but of course another Christian can tell you that Jesus is not directing you to lie to your children. Do you know why? Because Jesus will NEVER direct you to disobey His Word. Never. It is ALWAYS appropriate to call sin sin and not buy into the lie that it's OK to lie to children about Santa. It is no more OK to do that than to commit murder. Both are sin and both are condemned in the Word.

Colossians 3:

9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

It's one thing to say, "well, before we knew better we did...", but it's ANOTHER thing to say, "I'm going to do it anyway, even though the Bible says not to."

How can you justify choosing to ignore this Biblical command and choose to sin? How can you justify choosing sin and Santa over G-d's will and His Word?

If you saw someone posting here that they were committing adultery because it wasn't "an issue" and they weren't going to stop until G-d "directed" them to, you would, as a Christian, love them enough to tell them the truth that G-d WAS directing them to stop because He said it in His Word that adultery is a sin.

That's what I'm doing here Sierra, I'm loving you enough to tell you that G-d said in His Word that lying is a sin and if you lie to your children by telling them Santa is real, you are choosing to sin. And that is wrong my friend. And yes, I have not only the right, but the responsibility to tell you that, as you would to tell another Christian G-d's Word said not to commit adultery.

James :5

19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

James 4:17

17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

1 Timothy 5:9

20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear. 21In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.

1 John 1:

8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and) the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

[Giaour]

Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York's Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps.

"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.

"Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.

"Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'

"Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.

"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

[Vickilynn]

Shalom Giaour,

If we tell our children that Santa is real, it is a lie and the Bible states lying is a sin.

So, you are encouraging people to sin. Please think about that.

[MrsSealedEternal]

Please tell me the truth...Is there a Santa Claus? I figured it out...Santa Claus is a god... (I better not use Emoticons here...)

[Giaour]

I never said to tell children that santa is real. I never gave an opinion one way or another. I know better that to give my opinion in controversial topics. It ALWAYS ends up in personal attacks.

I just thought that the "Yes Virginia " letter was sweet to post.

[Vickilynn]

Shalom,

Yes, when we're talking about lying to children and disobeying G-d and choosing Santa over G-d, yes, I can see how you thought that post saying "Santa is alive" would be edifying and help us make the right choice that pleased G-d. NOT.

[Giaour]

I was told as a child that there really was a man named St Nicholas and he was a rich Christian man that loved children. He loved them so much that he would leave gifts for them. He decided to give those gifts on the most precious day he could think of. The day that Jesus was given into the world. He wanted to honor Jesus by giving gifts to the world because the world had received the most precious gift of all.

So this is the santa I was taught. I dont think my parents lied to me.

[Smalcald]

Yeah, I don't think intentionally lying about Santa and making a big deal about him is a good idea. Some people go to great length

[Emily~Anne]

This in itself should be more than enough:

Luke 2:8-16

The Shepherds and the Angels

8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14"Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

Why ever is there such a high emphasis placed on Santa? I think it would be much more meaningful for Virginia to hear the above scripture rather than what they told her. Really, what better is there than God's gift??? I dont know about the rest of ya'll, but when I read the above scripture, it gives me goosebumps. It is concerning that people have such a need to hold onto this whole Santa thing so strongly. Jesus is the only one we should hold onto so strongly! I am struggling to find the right words to express what I mean and I dont think I have expressed myself adequately here. Basically, I just think we need to be more careful not to idolize Santa.

[sierra21]

Shalom Sierra,

I'm sorry to upset you, but of course another Christian can tell you that Jesus is not directing you to lie to your children. Do you know why? Because Jesus will NEVER direct you to disobey His Word. Never. It is ALWAYS appropriate to call sin sin and not buy into the lie that it's OK to lie to children about Santa. It is no more OK to do that than to commit murder. Both are sin and both are condemned in the Word.

Colossians 3:

9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

It's one thing to say, "well, before we knew better we did...", but it's ANOTHER thing to say, "I'm going to do it anyway, even though the Bible says not to."

How can you justify choosing to ignore this Biblical command and choose to sin? How can you justify choosing sin and Santa over G-d's will and His Word?

If you saw someone posting here that they were committing adultery because it wasn't "an issue" and they weren't going to stop until G-d "directed" them to, you would, as a Christian, love them enough to tell them the truth that G-d WAS directing them to stop because He said it in His Word that adultery is a sin.

That's what I'm doing here Sierra, I'm loving you enough to tell you that G-d said in His Word that lying is a sin and if you lie to your children by telling them Santa is real, you are choosing to sin. And that is wrong my friend. And yes, I have not only the right, but the responsibility to tell you that, as you would to tell another Christian G-d's Word said not to commit adultery.

James :5

19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

James 4:17

17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

1 Timothy 5:9

20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear. 21In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.

1 John 1:

8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and) the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Oh I'm not upset Vickilynn- annoyed might be a better word.

Do you really think, in our society, that I'm going to have to sit my children down and tell them to believe in Santa?? There is more than enough on television, books, toys, etc. If my kids choose to believe in a character that I believe to be much like "winnie the pooh" or "Shrek"- I'm not going to sit back and crush their precious imagination. Kids aren't stupid. They know that the whole idea of Santa doesn't really make much sense, but they choose to believe it anyway, because it MAKES THEM HAPPY.

If you want to be a scrooge to your children, or grandchildren, then go right ahead. But as I said before, I am going to foster my childrens imagination and include a special present from Santa under the christmas tree each and every year.

You can continue to try and continue to persuade me to do otherwise, but trust me, it won't make a difference. You're wasting your time.