the obvious spelling similarities for one. and there's the fact that Old Nick is a euphemism for satan. then the distraction from the principles of Christmas, a holy day. i'm not religious in any way, just interested in people's thoughts.
2007-01-05 13:56:23 · 15 answers · asked by spiralling 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
to be honest, i don't plan to make my interest in santa claus a scholarly pursuit. i just thought an open minded discussion of a few coincidences might be interesting.i'm not trying to attack anyone's idol, be they father christmas, satan or jesus. but to take the time to answer the question only to dismiss the similarities is a little bit rubbish.
2007-01-05 14:08:06 · update #1
I just don't think there's THAT many similarities to get upset about people's answers!
Red, chimney (fires), horned beasts and that anagrammatic thing. Those apart it's just amusing to make out they are somehow related.
Oh, yeah. And the (as Terry Pratchett says) 'anthropomorphic manifestation' thing. In that they are both representations of concepts (in one case, evil manifest, the other the 'spirit' of Winter).
Of course, Satan as an angel, is outranked by Santa Claus, who's origins lie in the God Odin. Though in one Christian version Saint Nicholas forces a demon that used to come down chimneys and devour children to make amends and deliver presents instead.
It just shows that when you analyse any religion, folklore or belief you will undoubtedly find similarities with others. That's because they're all the same really!
Them's my thoughts. Do with them what you will!
.
2007-01-06 06:50:10 · answer #1 · answered by Nobody 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If there are any coincidences, apart from the contrived, there are none.
Father Christmas (Santa) as we know him today was a Christian bishop in the early church. He was generous, and indeed gave away an inherited fortune.
Any attempt to tie Santa and the devil is quite simply wild eyed manure from of legalistic kill joys that want to inflict their views on the rest of Christendom.
--That Cheeky Lad
2007-01-05 14:27:45 · answer #2 · answered by Charles-CeeJay_UK_ USA/CheekyLad 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Santa was originally from St. Nicholas. The page at the bottom has more information. It was a catholic traditional that other cultures picked up. Much like St. Patrick's day.
2007-01-05 14:02:30 · answer #3 · answered by toothfairy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They both dress red and in some cultures the figure of the devil appears in a carriage or quadriga pulled by black stallions with horns like goats in a colage to the raindeers. Was this kind of similarities you wanted people to talk about?
2007-01-05 14:15:14 · answer #4 · answered by Nuno T 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Some people whom think they run this world has perpetrated many nasty holiday sins, the santa satan's claws is one and easter: the sexual goddess is another. These rich sinners are now in God's sights and being chastised as we speak.
2007-01-05 14:05:06 · answer #5 · answered by spir_i_tual 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't worry, you are in no danger of making anything a scholarly pursuit ;-)
Seeing links (that don't exist) between things is a god-botherer type of thinking. Forget it.
2007-01-05 21:54:22 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rearranged those letters could additionally spell devil. Is that basically a accident or what? accident. human beings see varieties with definitely no meaning consistently. "Santa" skill "saint" and is a Latin-derived word. In Spanish "santo" skill "saint." "Hades" is Greek. it incredibly is devil and became the God of the underworld. The words "Santa" and "devil" are only coincidental words. yet another call for devil is the devil, yet it incredibly isn't even close to Santa. it incredibly is only a meaningless relationship. "here enable me do if for you in case you didn’t see it. Israel = Is + Rael = Is + actual. Does this mean that God might desire to be actual then?" same element here. "Israel" isn't an english word. it incredibly is a Hebrew spinoff intending to attempt, conflict. Etymologically it maximum probable skill "to rule."
2016-10-30 03:09:32 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only link between Santa and Satan are the letters in the name. "Satan" comes from Hebrew "satan" meaning adversary; "Santa" comes from the Dutch "sint" meaning "saint".
2007-01-05 14:11:57 · answer #8 · answered by The Doctor 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh my, my teacher taught me this one:
Santa: wears red, comes through the chimney where the "fire" is
Satan: depicted as a red being, lives in eternal fire
And of course switch the letters around of Santa and you got...
"he sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake..."
2007-01-05 14:09:20 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Just coincidence... Saint Nicholas was a real person and the tradition of Santa is from his life story... perhaps you should educate yourself.
2007-01-05 14:00:37 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋