Christians, tell your children there is no Santa Claus

[Vickilynn]

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.

Shalom Ovedya,

However, the OP is a very clear, well-balanced and Biblical exhortation that does NOT go overboard and people still argue against the truth in it.

Let's cut to the bare bones ... there is no argument against the Biblical truth and yet people are still arguing. Telling our children that Santa is real, or allowing them to believe it, is simply a lie and violates Scripture. There is no real argument. There is no reason to tell our children that Santa is real.

[Ovedya]

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.

Shalom Ovedya,

However, the OP is a very clear, well-balanced and Biblical exhortation that does NOT go overboard and people still argue against the truth in it.

I pointed out above where the OP went overboard in the comparison between Santa Claus and the theory of evolution.

Where do you get the idea that I'm arguing against the OP's original point?

[Vickilynn]

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.

Shalom Ovedya,

However, the OP is a very clear, well-balanced and Biblical exhortation that does NOT go overboard and people still argue against the truth in it.

I pointed out above where the OP went overboard in the comparison between Santa Claus and the theory of evolution.

Where do you get the idea that I'm arguing against the OP's original point?

Shalom Ovedya,

The OP did not go overboard at all, it is a valid comparison to telling our children lies or Biblical truth.

I get the idea because you have posted repeatedly that you see nothing wrong with Christian parents telling their children that Santa is real and THAT is the opposite stand of the OP which points out why it is wrong to lie to our children in this way. It's either G-d's way or man's way.

[Guest Biblicist]

I was just wondering...

Do you, those of you who partake in allowing your children to believe the lie of Santa being real, do you expect the truth from your children at all times? And when they did lie to you, were they punished?

And don't try to tell me that ommission of the truth is not a lie...It is.

What is it that word they call someone that does one thing and expects other's to do something else? Hmmmm, what's that word?

[Vickilynn]

I was just wondering...

Do you, those of you who partake in allowing your children to believe the lie of Santa being real, do you expect the truth from your children at all times? And when they did lie to you, were they punished?

And don't try to tell me that ommission of the truth is not a lie...It is.

What is it that word they call someone that does one thing and expects other's to do something else? Hmmmm, what's that word?

Shalom Bib,

I don't know the word, (except I am thinking "hypocrite"?) but you raised an EXCELLENT point.

As a Christian parent, I expect my children never to choose to lie, either by omission or commission.

As a Christian parent, I answer to G-d for what I teach them or allow them to believe and I must walk in G-d's ways if I expect them to.

[Ovedya]

I get the idea because you have posted repeatedly that you see nothing wrong with Christian parents telling their children that Santa is real...

I made no such point at all.

What I did write was that there is nothing inherently wrong with it. I may have made the point wrong, though, as I intended to state that there is no damage done to children by the perpetuation of the myth. I intended to clarify that with a subsequent posting, however. Children are no more harmed by the myth of Santa Claus than they are by the myth of the tooth fairy or the myth of the Easter Bunny.

[Guest Biblicist]

I was just wondering...

Do you, those of you who partake in allowing your children to believe the lie of Santa being real, do you expect the truth from your children at all times? And when they did lie to you, were they punished?

And don't try to tell me that ommission of the truth is not a lie...It is.

What is it that word they call someone that does one thing and expects other's to do something else? Hmmmm, what's that word?

Shalom Bib,

I don't know the word, (except I am thinking "hypocrite"?) but you raised an EXCELLENT point.

As a Christian parent, I expect my children never to choose to lie, either by omission or commission.

As a Christian parent, I answer to G-d for what I teach them or allow them to believe and I mist walk in G-d's ways if I expect them to.

Aah, yes, THAT's the word...hypocrite! Thank you eversomuch Vickilynn!

A parent who lies to their child yet expects their child to tell them the truth is a hypocrite.

[Ovedya]

And don't try to tell me that ommission of the truth is not a lie...It is.

So when my 5-year-old comes to me and asks me how babies are made and I tell her that "Mommy and daddy want to talk to you about that when you're a little older," it's a lie? There are age-appropriate conversations, in my opinion, and I have absolutely no qualms about being silent concerning certain subject matter until the time is right.

[Guest Biblicist]

And don't try to tell me that ommission of the truth is not a lie...It is.

So when my 5-year-old comes to me and asks me how babies are made and I tell her that "Mommy and daddy want to talk to you about that when you're a little older," it's a lie? There are age-appropriate conversations, in my opinion, and I have absolutely no qualms about being silent concerning certain subject matter until the time is right.

Telling your child to wait till they are older for important information such as that is not perpetuating a lie. If your child were to ask you if the stork brought babies and you said yes, so you didn't have to tell them the "icky" truth that would be wrong.

[Vickilynn]

Children are no more harmed by the myth of Santa Claus than they are by the myth of the tooth fairy or the myth of the Easter Bunny.

Shalom Ovedya,

The real issue is replacing Biblical truth with a lie. And THAT harms children, there is no argument. G-d's ways are righteous altogether and the Word says do not lie. That is what is inherently wrong with telling our children, or allowing our children to believe that Santa is real. This is what I cannot understand Christians ignoring.

Let's cut through the other stuff and discuss the real issue - telling children that Santa is real violates Scripture on many levels. There is no good reason for a Christian parent to do that and no justification for doing so.