I hate that christianity bribes little kids to believe what their parents do. I know that if I had kids right now I could get them to swear off religion if I promised them more presents than their christian friends.
I would also like to say that if all the christians in the world really truly believed in what the bible said there wouldn't be christians who steal, do drugs, miss a day of church etc. How could you really believe and condemn yourself to hell?
What are your thoughts?
2007-08-14 20:17:15 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I agree with you, Nathan. It's so easy for people to say they are Christians, but they often don't act like it. It sucks because they ruin it for the ones who truly believe and want to live their lives that way. Sometimes though, people become Christian after a life of sinful living (promiscuous sex, stealing, doing drugs, etc), and it's difficult to make the complete transition right away. Missing a day of church certainly won't get someone condemened!
I don't think kids would stop believing in God if they didn't get presents on Christmas however. Most kids today don't even associate Christmas with Jesus. That's the Santa holiday. And for that reason, my children will never believe in Santa. They also won't believe in the Easter Bunny. At least those are my two cents...for what it's worth.
2007-08-14 20:26:37 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Exchanging or giving presents at Christmas has nothing to do with Christianity, at least the way it's done today. Christmas has become so secularized that I personally find the popular observance of it somewhat offensive. I go to church - Christmas Mass - on Christmas, and try to perform small acts of charity and kindness, but you won't see me running around the shopping malls spending money like mad. Nuts to that......
How many little kids would stop believing in God if they didn't get presents? None, if they were properly instructed in who and what God is. The present thing started originally as a commemoration of the Magi bringing gifts to the Christ Child, but of course that, as with many other meanings of the holiday, has been lost or forgotten.
As to your final question - Christians are not perfect and don't claim to be. Saints are merely sinners who have picked themselves and have been forgiven by God. Read the Confessions of St. Augustine sometime - one of the Church's greatest saints and Church Fathers. Led a very scandalous life before his conversion - his mother (also a saint) prayed for his conversion daily.
2007-08-14 20:31:38 · answer #2 · answered by the phantom 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are confused, what does getting presents from parents on Christmas have to do with faith in God?
The presents aren't from supposed to be from God.
I am not a religious person, but I know that. Now, if you told your kids the gifts were from Santa, they are sure to get wise to it a t some point, but Christians give gifts to eachother in celebration of the birtjh of J.C.
Not getting presents wouldn't be a failure of God, just a failure in your families ability to provide that peice of the tradition.
2007-08-14 20:29:38 · answer #3 · answered by theinfalliblenena 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, my first thought is that you're absolutely right about Christian hypocrisy. It's upsetting, it's dangerous, and it's on the rise. The Bible even foretold it.
My second thought is that I have no idea what you mean by "bribing" kids to believe in God. I'm a Christian. I don't bribe my kids. But I am bringing them up in the Lord, teaching them to love and respect everyone and to do what's right in every situation. No one is going to convince me that it's wrong of me to do that.
2007-08-14 20:27:48 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
That's up to the parents. It's up to the great marketing machine that tells parents and kids they need all this stuff and that you can purchsed on a credit card today and pay later. People have a choice as to what they want to do - it's called free will.
2007-08-14 20:23:56 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dude, that's a beautiful Q. My only complaint is that you didn't lump ALL religions into that pot. After all, we see schools full of lil' future bomb-chuckers being indoctrinated in fundamentalist muslim "schools", and if i weren't so beat, I'm sure i could come up w/ ways ea religion indoctrinates its next generation. After all, ya gotta get 'em young if you're gonna get 'em to believe in things that can't be tested w/ the scientific method, require absolute loyalty, and absolute disavowing of all OTHER mythologies. What a croc. Good catch tho on the Christian indoctrination via material bribes...
Burning Bush my a**....
2007-08-14 20:29:33 · answer #6 · answered by 40oz2freedom 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I just spent a considerable amount of time in the Philippines where the kids NEVER get presents on Christmas or any other day and they love God immensely and sorry to tell you but there are not ANY Christians that steal, do drugs etc like you say.....those are the ones that lie and call themselves Christians so others might like them but they ARE NOT Christians...just liars
2007-08-14 20:28:05 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yeah, It's a shame christmas has thrown our country into a materialistic-ego-binge. And it's too bad no one sings to the "National Anthem" during a football game, anymore.
Its called change. And its about time, people started believing in something real, like the human race. Because, all christianity is, is a big waste of time, a nursery story told thousands of years ago. A book of morals, that goes for any organized religion.
America needs to change. badly.
2007-08-14 20:26:17 · answer #8 · answered by sophia 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Christianity shows God's love. Gifts show love of God, the sacrifice of the parents taking time for the child's joy and happiness.
One have to know God then only fulfill His desire( not overnight one step at a time, steady growth).
Actually, we need not worry about others. One thing we can do, we can pray for them who are not following Christ.
2007-08-14 20:37:56 · answer #9 · answered by R S 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Santa brings presents not christians. If someone lies and says it is santa and not them then yes they are a liar but the representation is supposed to be of the three wise men bringing gifts to Christ when he was born and most people are far from that now. But real christians teach their children this and the story of christmas and what it really represents and whose birth we are celebrating at that time the presents are incidental and not necessary.
2007-08-14 20:25:36 · answer #10 · answered by Darkchild 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋