Question about the "santa claus" arguement against God, from an Agnostic?

Question

We have in our culture knowledge that Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny is fake. Its a clearly defined thing.

While I do NOT believe in God, I also acknowledge it hasn't been disproven to be a real entity, while Santa Claus has.

I just ask cause it rises I believe a failure in the atheist community, to propose these arguements of "weak atheism".

"Strong atheism" I think is a more philosophically unnassailable position.

Just asking, food for thought. Still no God, not preaching, more a logic exercise for my Atheist friends.

Not trying to convert them to Agnostocism either I love you just the way you are. Again, its just a question.

Answer 1

Just between us.

Not to belabor the point, but from a strictly logical point of view, no one can "disprove" the existence of Santa Claus. And this is not a trivial point. Even if we could hunt down the chap who made up the story and force him to confess to it, it still would not disprove his existence.

But if it makes the argument seem more respectable, we can certainly exclude infantile mythology from the mix. But keep in mind that atheism has to deal with mythology in a general manner. The point cannot be how "important" a particular belief is for a particular group.

With Santa, as well as with that hazy category called "superstition," most are inclined to place their trust in the well established rules of evidence - as they are practiced in any methodological endeavor. And so we all find ourselves in agreement that it's just poppycock.

When some consider the concept of God, or Gods, the agreement breaks down. But that's not because the categories are logically different. It's because they are socio-logically different.

Answer 2

"So long as the universe had a beginning, we could suppose it had a creator. But if the universe is completely self-contained, having no boundary or edge, it would neither be created nor destroyed ... it would simply be. What place, then, for a creator?"
- Stephen W. Hawking

I refer here to the Christian God, as that is the culture I was brought up in and am most familar with, although a fair amount of what follows applies to all religions. In a technical way, you could call me an agnostic, as I am theoretically willing to believe, if given sufficient evidence. But by the same token I do not have absolute proof that Santa Claus does not exist. It might be possible that God, say, started the Big Bang. However, it is also possible that a race of advanced fungi from another dimension did it, or, more likely, that nothing whatsoever other than the basic physical properties of the universe set things rolling. While on the one hand I can acknowledge that the existence of God is possible, on the other hand, based on what we know about the universe and the astonishing lack of evidence, it would seem extremely unlikely.

Answer 3

What is strong athiesm vrs weak athiesm?

I ask you to reject the closed mindedness that precludes you from seeing God. Or if you rather a "Greatly Advanced Multi-dimensional Seintient"

If The Theory of general relativity is correct then there is ample evidence of a creation event. If this "Big Bang" Occured then logic states that there must be a causal event that triggered this Creation event. Since science can prove that nothing can escape from a quantum singularity, then this event needs another method of excecution. Now if you follow out from the stated creation point in time. you understand a incredibly complex universe full of many diverse things up to and including the extreamely complex forms of life.

Now unless the Law of Entropy is completely wrong. Objects and Systems become less ordered as Time passes. Leading from a Chaotic event such as the Big Bang, To a more ordered Proto- Universe to a more ordered early universe to the even more ordered star systems leading to a more ordered carbon/nitrogen cycle, to an even more ordered life sequence, to evolution, to man, who creates a God? Not very Entropic. It is more logical to understand the universe was placed together like an architect, who takes a pile of wood,stone,mortar,glass and creates a building of extreame beauty of unbelieveable proportion, but only through the guidance of the architect. Not because some random clod put a stick of dynamite under the pile and lit the fuse.

I tell you this not to change your mind or convert you. Nor to preach, but to give you the opportunity to understand.

which takes more blind faith this scenario or the random truck theory?

Answer 4

I would still like to see the proof that Santa Claus doesn't exist... if I drop a package off at a random house and it says From: Santa on it... wouldn't that be the all the proof the receiver needs to say it was really from him?

I would have to agree that this is a weak atheist point of view and there are far better reasons to think there is no god, of which I make question on a daily basis.

Answer 5

Hmm? Atheists believe that the material world is all that exists. In other words, the supernatural does not exist. Therefore, if you can't observe it or find evidence for it, it is irrational to believe that it exists. There is no need (or method, or even possibility) to disprove something if it does not exist in the first place. There would first have to be some kind of evidence for God for it to be disproven, according to this philosophy.

Many agnostics, as I understand it, are fence-sitters. They know there's no evidence for God, but they don't want to subject themselves to the stigma of being atheist. So they walk the middle road, saying they believe there's a higher power only because lots of other people say it is so.

Answer 6

If it turns out that there is a God, I don't think that he's evil. But the worst that you can say about him is that basically he's an underachiever.

Woody Allen

Calling Atheism a religion is like calling bald a hair color.

Don Hirschberg

Sorry havent anwsered your question but I find these quotes absolutly hilarious.....

Has anyone ever stopped to consider the tooth fairy, I think she feels a little left out on this. Its always about Santa and the Easter Bunny!

Answer 7

They were invented for kids so they could enjoy the holiday because they may not understand the religious overtone. Secondly, there actually was a Kris Kringle who brought toys to many children which set the foundation for Santa Clause. I am not that religious, but believe in God. I do not understand atheist people I really see no harm in believing. What happens on your judgement day if there really is a God? Will you not be sorry. Are you not scared of that?

Answer 8

When has Santa or the Easter Bunny been proven to not exist?

Non-existence cannot be proven, nor does it need to be proven.

You are an atheist.

The day that some supernatural entity begins raising people from the grave, or makes any other objectively verifiable appearance, there will be no more atheists.

"Agnostic" literally translates to mean "ignorant."

Claiming ignorance is not a statement of belief or non-belief, it is an excuse.

Answer 9

Actually you are minstaken. The Santa Clause we know yes is not real but is still based on a real person known as Saint Nicholas. One year he saw in his village that people were in need and so he started finding out exactly what they needed,i.e. clothes, food, a few toys for the kidies and set out in secret every night and left these things on their door step. Every myth has it's reality based truth. By the way he also used reindeer to pull his sleigh althogh we all know they don't fly.lol:-)

Answer 10

I thought people in general have always tried to disprove god as not ever existing, but there is in my mind not enough evidence to show either way, although i also believe we will soon see new evidence that may shake some beliefs,
whilst i am not a devout religious anything i do believe people need there spiritual beliefs whatever they are to live happily.