To Clause or not to Clause: Santa and the Church

Do we get to fight over the Easter Bunny in the Spring and question each other's salvation then as well?

 

Why not? When my daughter asked me if the package under the tree was a jacket, I told her "no" (when it was).</font>[/QUOTE] I am sorry but I disagree with that approach. It teaches by example that there are occasions when it is OK to lie.

When my kids ask me a question like that I tell them that I won't answer and that they will just have to wait. If done properly, they are left still wondering.

I disagree that the ends can ever justify means that are contrary to scripture... even if it is "for fun."

I try not to lie or mislead anyone, no matter what appealing rationalizations might be available. This is especially true for family and most greatly true for my kids.

 

Technically speaking the Pope is the Bishop of Rome. The "first among equals".

HankD

 

Mioque, I am not catholic so it is not about discernmaent. But since you are so wise look here.




HUMM not much difference btween the two

 

These are fictional STORIES, just like Santa which I mentioned before I have no problem with. It is the lying to YOUR children by saying "here a gift FROM Santa", but in reality someone else bought that gift and not Santa.

 

santa cant save you the easter bunny cant either
since they are not real why tell the children they are.
only Jesus can can save you we should tell our children the truth . the truth will set you free. there isnt anything wrong celerbrating the birth of our savior who came to save us. we should remeber his birth just as we rember when he died to pay for our sins on the cross.The angels celerbrated it with singing when jesus was born. I will rejoice that jesus was born to save me .

 

another thought here santa only gives gifts if you are good

Jesus gives the free gift of salvation for sinners. something to think about

 

No one has said otherwise. This is a non-issue.

At the risk of repeating myself:
I don't tell my kids Santa isn't real.
I don't tell my kids that the Easter Bunny isn't real.
I don't tell my kids that their imaginary friends aren't real.
I don't tell my kids that Mickey Mouse at Disneyland is just some dude in a suit.
Over time, as their ability to ascertain between reality and imagination develop, they discern these things for themselves, at which point I affirm the correct discernment.

No one here says otherwise.

In general, we're to tell our kids the truth about things in life when they're of an accountable age.

 

Nice post Dawna.

I Think Dawna post was to emphasize our savior on Christmas and always.

JohnV this really doesn’t answer the question fully. I think we want to know why do your kids believe in Santa?
Do you believe that it helps their imagination to grow?
If so, aren't there better ways?
Maybe for fun? To fit in with the rest of the world? So they do not feel left out when they are at school and the other kids ask “what did Santa get you for Christmas?”
Do you feel your kids might miss out on something?
What does it profit them as children?

These are real questions BTW. I asked these same questions to myself, when I decided not to do the Santa gift thing.
Please anyone elaborate on why exactly do you deceive your kids and make believe that Santa is real.

 

I know that you're saved and have never questioned your salvation. Likewise, I have no doubt that you're attempting to follow as the Holy SPirit leads you. But remember, how the Holy Spirit leads YOU is not how the Holy Spirit leads OTHERS. The Holy Spirit leads each person at the speed at which they need to go, and no two people are exactly alike in this manner.

Clearly, we're both brothers in Christ following the same Lord and Savior. But that doesn't meen we're required to be in the same lane at the same time.

 

Because they have healthy active imaginations.

I would say it doesn't hurt it in any way.

The issue is not whether there are better ways. The issue seems to be whether it's appropriate for a Christian to allow their children to believe in Santa. I say yes.

It's a healthy outlet for their imaginations.

Sure. It's definitely fun.

They have friends who don't believe in Santa. They have friends who aren't Christian. So I'd have to say no, not really.

Like I said, they have friends in school who are of other traditions and faiths, so no.

Yeah, they might miss out on the healthy childhood I had, which involved believing in things like Santa.

Which is your right. That doesn't mean that it's wrong to do otherwise.

When children are at an age of discernment, then complete honesty is the route to go. When they are under the age of discernment, we often engage in common deception or half-truths: For example, we tell our kids that, if they're lost, to find a plice officer, because you can trust a policeman. Of course, as adults, we know there are corrupt officers, but to tell children that would be distressing, confusing, and traumatic, even though it would be honest. Come to think of it, my cousin was quite traumatized at the age of five when he saw a character at an amusement park remove his head, and he had been told many times before than that it's just some guy in a suit. As for me, I just say to my kids at Disneyland "look, there's Mickey Mouse".

 

"Technically speaking the Pope is the Bishop of Rome. The "first among equals"."
Sure, but it doesn't work the other way around, Nicholas of Myra was a bishop but not the pope.
a pope is always a bishop, but almost all bishops aren't the pope.

Jailminister
"I am not catholic so it is not about discernmaent."
?


"HUMM not much difference btween the two"
You have got it the wrong way round. The pope is a bishop (and he has the mitre that goes with the position), but wearing a mitre is the sign you are a bishop, it does not make you look like the pope.

"But since you are so wise"
It is only right and proper that you notice this great truth.

 

I have never said that to my children.

HankD

 

I heared this once on why we give gifts

We give gifts (it doesnt have to be many or expensive but from the heart) to remeber the greatest gift that God gave us.......eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

That's right dawna and as the children of God we have another opportunity to proclaim the Incarnation and Atonement of Jesus Christ even in the setting of a secularized holiday.

HankD

 

I love this discussion. Every Year the same - now and at Easter.

Call it imagination, call it harmless, call it anything you wish but when all is said and done it is still a LIE.

 

So then is Humpty Dumpty.

HankD

 

What about the tooth fairy? I have seen evidence of his (or her) presence.

 

Well, since we're all chiming in here..

I've always looked at Santa being a blantant secular distraction from the real reason for the season...

 

It's unfortunate that, in trying to prove that Santa is dead, we've managed to prove that the Grinch is alive.