Is Santa Claus training wheels for Christianity?

Have you ever noticed how Santa Claus draws many paralells with Christianity? It almost seems that Santa Claus prepares children to grasp the idea that someone/thing is watching your every move and will reward or punish you based on your actions? Accepting highly improbable, even seemingly impossible scenarios: Millions of homes in one night with flying reindeer? Just as difficult to believe as resurection, or the ark having two of every species. I find the two beliefs to be quite comparable. Coincedence or Conspiracy?

No. The Easter Bunny is the training wheels. By the time Christmas comes I'm ready to ask Santa for the best presents.

But everybody knows Santa Claus isn't real.

I think that belief in Santa Claus has taken on a life of it's own. When I was young and a believer in Santa Claus Christianity didn't strike me as the way things should be at all. I was just happy to be with family and be merry and the Christmas carols we sang really had no other meaning than to be Christmas carols.

You're clearly onto something!

But everybody knows Santa Claus isn't real.

SuperSaiyanLink

interesting.

I reckon the age of 6-7 is when you start to work out Santa doesn't really make sense and then 14-15 years old to work out Christianity doesn't make sense. Some people ditch religion at this point. Other people spend the rest of there lives going to church listening to people trying to explain it all to them. Why do they keep needing it explained to them? Because deep down, it just doesn't make sense.

I heard the Dutch version of Santa Clause owns slaves and will kidnap you and take you to Spain if you're bad. That all seems kind of anti-religious values to me. :Pfidosim

[QUOTE="fidosim"]I heard the Dutch version of Santa Clause owns slaves and will kidnap you and take you to Spain if you're bad. That all seems kind of anti-religious values to me. :Pwarbmxjohn

I agree with what you were trying to point out but there's no reason to single out Christianity. All theistic religions are just as guilty as Christianity is.

[QUOTE="warbmxjohn"][QUOTE="fidosim"]I heard the Dutch version of Santa Clause owns slaves and will kidnap you and take you to Spain if you're bad. That all seems kind of anti-religious values to me. :P123625

Exodus 21:20-21

If a man beats his male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies as a direct result, he must be punished, but he is not to be punished if the slave gets up after a day or two, since the slave is his property.

Leviticus 25:44-45

Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property.

But everybody knows Santa Claus isn't real.

SuperSaiyanLink

:|

...

Leave OT, now.

I agree with what you were trying to point out but there's no reason to single out Christianity. All theistic religions are just as guilty as Christianity is.

dracula_16

But everybody knows Santa Claus isn't real.

SuperSaiyanLink

Well... I never viewed it that way, but I guess you have a point.

I was raised believing in Santa, but my parents only did it for the fun of it (the whole present and family time concept).

Heck, even all the kids at my school; most of their parents were athiests, they only celebrated Christmas for presents.

[spoiler] Santa is real8) [/spoiler]

Have you ever noticed how Santa Claus draws many paralells with Christianity? It almost seems that Santa Claus prepares children to grasp the idea that someone/thing is watching your every move and will reward or punish you based on your actions? Accepting highly improbable, even seemingly impossible scenarios: Millions of homes in one night with flying reindeer? Just as difficult to believe as resurection, or the ark having two of every species. I find the two beliefs to be quite comparable. Coincedence or Conspiracy?

warbmxjohn

Santa Clause and Christmas aren't in the Bible. They aren't Christian, however, if there are parallels, it's due to the Santa Clause creator's back a hundred years ago.

To be a Christian, it means to be "Christ Like".

Jesus would have never told anyone to lie to their children about a fatman in a Red Suit named Satan, er, Santa, all in his name.

In fact, Christmas, Easter, and Halloween aren't in the Bible.

[QUOTE="warbmxjohn"]

Have you ever noticed how Santa Claus draws many paralells with Christianity? It almost seems that Santa Claus prepares children to grasp the idea that someone/thing is watching your every move and will reward or punish you based on your actions? Accepting highly improbable, even seemingly impossible scenarios: Millions of homes in one night with flying reindeer? Just as difficult to believe as resurection, or the ark having two of every species. I find the two beliefs to be quite comparable. Coincedence or Conspiracy?

SolidTy

Santa Clause and Christmas aren't in the Bible. They aren't Christian, however, if there are parallels, it's due to the Santa Clause creator's back a hundred years ago.

In fact, Christmans, Easter, and Halloween aren't in the Bible.

[QUOTE="SolidTy"]

[QUOTE="warbmxjohn"]

Have you ever noticed how Santa Claus draws many paralells with Christianity? It almost seems that Santa Claus prepares children to grasp the idea that someone/thing is watching your every move and will reward or punish you based on your actions? Accepting highly improbable, even seemingly impossible scenarios: Millions of homes in one night with flying reindeer? Just as difficult to believe as resurection, or the ark having two of every species. I find the two beliefs to be quite comparable. Coincedence or Conspiracy?

warbmxjohn

Santa Clause and Christmas aren't in the Bible. They aren't Christian, however, if there are parallels, it's due to the Santa Clause creator's back a hundred years ago.

In fact, Christmans, Easter, and Halloween aren't in the Bible.

Yeah, and those paralles trace back to whoever got this myth going, and overtime I'm sure many Christian's that celebrated this old Pagan Holiday added in Christian Values to make it seem more acceptable to celebrate Christmas although being a Christian.

no not really

interesting.

I reckon the age of 6-7 is when you start to work out Santa doesn't really make sense and then 14-15 years old to work out Christianity doesn't make sense. Some people ditch religion at this point. Other people spend the rest of there lives going to church listening to people trying to explain it all to them. Why do they keep needing it explained to them? Because deep down, it just doesn't make sense.

jasperrussell

Yes, just like the reason we keep going to school is because, deep down, math and science really don't make any sense. :|

Easter, and Halloween aren't in the Bible.SolidTy

[QUOTE="jasperrussell"]

interesting.

I reckon the age of 6-7 is when you start to work out Santa doesn't really make sense and then 14-15 years old to work out Christianity doesn't make sense. Some people ditch religion at this point. Other people spend the rest of there lives going to church listening to people trying to explain it all to them. Why do they keep needing it explained to them? Because deep down, it just doesn't make sense.

Theokhoth

Yes, just like the reason we keep going to school is because, deep down, math and science really don't make any sense. :|

Well... here's the thing...

Math is a theoretical area of study. It is founded upon basic principals that were created to be true, from which everything else derived. Hence, everything else is true, since it derived from something that was created to be true. Given that this original truth does nothing to explain the physical world (applications of math do, but math itself does not), it applies only in theory, and, therefore, is true.

moar like training wheels for atheism, amirite?

Children learn about god and santa at roughly the same time so I don't think one could call Santa training wheels, however people reject the idea of santa before god. Usually at a much younger age too.

In refrence to what was said earlier, I rejected the idea of santa way before even my older sister did, no one told me he wasn't real, I just decided it was impossible for him to be. roughly 8 years later I did the same for God. So I think if anything it is atheist training.

Doesn't work for everyone obviously, some people still believe in santa in their 20s.

[QUOTE="SolidTy"] Easter, and Halloween aren't in the Bible.hokies1313