Santa >= God ?

Question

I have an aquaintence who is a jehova's witness. He said he didn't believe in telling his son santa clause because he doesn't lie to his kid.

I proceeded to say, 'Then why did you tell him god exists? Just because you believe in something doesn't mean it is real.'

Discuss.

Answer 1

I felt this way for years and then this happened.

Several years ago I had an unusual experience concerning an uncle, a distant relative who lived over a thousand miles away.

While driving my car I suddenly felt the unmistakable presence of this relative that I hardly even knew. He was more like someone I had heard about than someone I knew. It was very strange; it felt as though I was momentarily lifted right out of my physical body. I seemed to be suspended somehow beyond space and time, bathed in a love so intense It felt like I could have just disappear into it at any moment if It would have let me. It only lasted for a few seconds, but it seemed to last forever at the same time. I realize how crazy this must sound. The experience was so strong that at first I was afraid I was loosing my grip on reality. I finally managed to chalk it up to an over active imagination.

Three days later I got a call from my aunt telling me that this uncle we are talking about had gone into a coma and died the day I had the experience. It felt like ice water had been poured down my back when she told me this. I had lost any real ideas of God or faith and had become somewhat of an atheist. Needless to say this experience caused me to rethink some of the conclusions I had come to.

I feel blessed to now understand that even in our darkest confusion something loves us so much that it went out of its way to assist me and bring me back to a state of absolute certainty about Gods love for us.
During the experience it seemed like there was a vast amount of information that I was somehow allowed access to. One thing that I came away from this experience understanding beyond any shadow of a doubt was that any Idea that God is unhappy with us or would judge or allow us to be punished for any reason is simply impossible.

I can’t explain the love I felt with words. They simply don’t make words big enough or complete enough to do this. The only way I can begin to convey this love to you is to say that there was simply nothing else there. Nothing but love. No hint of judgment, no displeasure of any sort. It is as though God sees us as being as perfect as we were the day we were created. It is only in our confused idea of ourselves that we seem to have changed.

I hope this is of some help to you. Good luck. Love and blessings.

Your brother don

Answer 2

You are exactly right, just because we believe something doesn't mean its real. But because you don't believe in it doesn't mean its not real. Instead of a belief that makes us feel better lets look at the evidence and a logical argument.

When looking at a building how do you know that that building has a builder, or when looking at a painting how do you know that painting has a painter?

Well the building and paintings themselves are evidence that a builder and painter exist. A child recognizes this. Well when you look out into the world and consider life and how organized it is, 1000x more organized than a building or painting, it makes sense that by looking at a creation that you have evidence of a creator. This creator is assigned the name... God.

Now there is an alternative, but when thinking about it logically I don't think that it makes a lot of sense. The Big Bang theory. This theory believes that there was a time when all of the matter in the universe was condensed into a little spec. Now no one saw this spec or knows how it got there. And this spec blew up, and no one knew what the cause is for the explosion or where the energy came from, but they say it happened. Then from this explosion we have an intrinsically designed universe. Even though we can not reproduce any thing remotely organized from explosions.

It appears that design only happens with a guiding hand. Buildings, paintings, computer programs, and the universe. We have ample evidence that points to a designer or creator and now given this is evident we should seek to find answers about this creator. For me this is the Bible, its proved to be reliable. I recommend checking it out.

God Bless

Answer 3

Santa has yet to show a creation as perfect as the universe and life.
You CAN tell a person God exists because there's prove. Just you being alive proves that God exists. Lookings at the trees, animals, and even how a human being grows inside the womb of a woman. No man power can do that..... That can only come from a superior being... which is God.

Answer 4

First of all, where you stand in your faith?

God does exist and is VERY real. Santa was created by man. Santa is an idea of Santa because it distracts from the true meaning of Christmas. I can't say yes or no, in telling children about Santa. They'll hear about him somewhere (tv, school, stores), but the emphasis must be on Christ. Santa should become no realler than an early Saturday morning cartoon character to the child.

Answer 5

I agree with you. There is no more proof for God than there is for Santa. The fact that trees and flowers exist on our planet is not proof of God. It is only proof of the fact that trees and plants exist on our planet.

While I do think that he has the right to teach his child whatever he chooses, I personally don't see how allowing a young child to believe in a fanciful character is a bad thing. Particularly because that fanciful character is kind, generous and loving. Exactly the opposite of God, who is vengeful, cruel and murderous.

Answer 6

Here is how I see it. Unless you believe in Santa Claus then teaching him that Santa does exist, when you in your heart know he does not is lying.
I in MY heart no Jehovah exists. So when I teach my children, assuming I end up having some, I will teach them that, as far as I am concerned he does exist.
I see no reason to try to tell a child something is true if you sincerely believe it to be a lie. As the child grows it will be up to him/her what to believe.
I have a hard time understanding parents lying to their children for years, just to later tell them it was a lie, then being mad when the kids tell them lies.

Answer 7

He didn't say that Santa Clause was God You did!
He said, and I quote: "He didn't believe in lying to his children."
Why are you people so intent on discrediting other peoples religion. Is it because you have no religion of your own.
I see stuff about mormon's adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses.
Grow up and get a life and stay out of others religions.
You want a Sunni & Shiite & hamas type of world?
We have freedom of religion in this country if he choses to tell his kids their is a God fine. It is his family and can you prove their isn't a God?
By the way if I had kids I wouldn't lie to them either.
Santa Clause and Easter bunnies and fairys are a bunch of crap.

Answer 8

Is Santa a lie or a fun part of childhood? Kids eventually grow out of Santa. Has anyone had lasting mental issues because of it?

Answer 9

Santa is a secular being, God is spirit and everlasting.

man created the idea of Santa. However, as a Christian, we live in the world and our children do not want to feel strange and different from others around them.

So, as a parent, this had to be handled much more carefully than some think. Once my children were old enough to understand the concept of the wise men who brought gifts from afar to the new born king, I applied this principle to our tradition of Santa bringing gifts to all whom were "good".

My children as they grew and matured, realized we should all be :santa:, Wise enough to give their all to their creator.

Answer 10

Well....you may have come off as a bit to hard. I mean, its none of yours buisiness, really, if he wants to crush his kid's dream of their being a Santa Clause.

While it was cruel of him, you have to understand his point of view. He doesn't want to lie to his kid. In his mine, God is as real as you and I, so to him, he isn't lieing to his kid, just stating fact.

I'm not really sure what the question is though....