If you believe in God/ Jesus/ Allah, why do you-?

Question

no longer believe in Santa Clause. Seriously. When you were a kid you believed in Santa, but you grew up and saw that it was just your parents giving you a story to help keep you in line, "Be good or Santa won't bring any toys!" How is the God myth any different? Instead of toys it's the myth of heaven. The church is giving you a line so you keep giving them money. Christmas is still fun, and giving and receiving presents is nice, but it's recognized that Santa is a representation of the giving spirit. Why insist that there actually was/is a Jesus/ God when the message is care for your fellow man? Aren't you losing the message with the insistence of the dogma?

Toploser- honest answer. Lemme know when you figure out why.

goodfella- based on what? what do you use for criteria to decide one is a myth and one is reality?

fizzygurrl- finally, someone who read the question and reflected on it. Thanks.

Simsad31- What does Bill Marh have to do with anything? I'm asking a question in on Y! answers in the R&S section, isn't this where your suppose to discuss this stuff? I'm comparing two popularly held beliefs and asking why one is discarded later in life and one is not.

Answer 1

Actually I agree with you. The basic underlying message of the Bible, Torah, Koran, and a bunch of other religious texts, is to be a nice person and love one another and treat each other right. Holding God and the promise of heaven over someone's head to make them be good people is very much like threatening a misbehaving child with "no presents from Santa." I, for one, hope there IS a God, but I still hold out hope that there is a Santa, too, and I'm nearly 28, LOL. God, in all his forms, as well as Santa represent peace and love, which are beautiful ideas that I strive to practice every day. I guess if some people need a better reason to be peaceful and loving, other than that it's the right thing to do, they probably do need to have Judgment Day hanging over their heads all the time.

Answer 2

Look I don’t believe in a god, but how could you compare god "the creator of a universe" to a fat guy that brings toys. Its apples and oranges, its not even close to being the same thing. The god myth is different because he is suppose to be the driving force behind life, and Santa is a human that give gifts, how can you be so blind and stupid to not see the difference. Just because Bill Marh compared the two doesn’t make it a good argument. Santa is not nearly as documented as an existence of a god is in the history of the human race. If people want to believe in it what the hell do you care? Leave them alone and let them believe what they want and don’t get that upset if they believe something different then you do.
List of reason there is not a god:
Science
Evaluation
Complete randomness of events
List of reason there is a god:
We are the only intelligent living being in the known universe
Well documented history of a human belief in god

The three reasons listed there is not a god all can be explained by a god believer that god created those things and the 7 days thing is just a metaphor as Jews know it is.
But how do we explain we are the only intelligent living beings? Let me be the first to tell you there is no other intelligent life out there and life in general in basically confined to this planet. Anyone who believes there is intelligent life out has less proof then proof of a god. So people who tell me there is life outside this planet it is always a clear sign that they know nothing of the harsh realities of the universe. So knowing that no other intelligent life exist, this isn’t star trek, the fact that we are the only ones is a strong argument for a god or a designer of some sort. Statically the fact that we exist their should be others just like us within the looking distance of our modern telescopes or within ear shot of our modern gigantic dishes that we have, but there is nothing. Everywhere we look we see it is hopeless for life to exist and it has been silent, and one thing we know about the human race and intelligent life is that we are not silent. We are alone and we are special, if there is a god or not. So move on with your life and leave these people alone let them believe what they want. Don’t let Bill Marh convince you that their beliefs have any baring on your everyday life they don’t, and don’t ask questions trying to compare things that have nothing to do with each other. There are arguments for and against and you should examine both before you rant and rave at your god believing friends, and annoy the rest of us online.

Bill went on a rant about religon last week, and no you are comparing a belief to a legend/myth.

Answer 3

I have never met your parents so you can not use them in an arguement such as this. You keep believing the myth that parents are real and rely on their love all you want. I will continue to move about the earth and do as I please until they find me and prove to me they are real.
Totally ridiculous. How can even a nit-wit grow up and not be able to discern between myth and reality? You really do have a low opinion of the ability of Christians to reason, especially those who have grown for you are willing to be less judgmental of those who are children.
Proof of Christian doctrine is all over Christendom. You are looking in the wrong places to find evidence, let alone proof. Just know for fact that the fallacy of my opening paragraph here is the same as yours. Christians see the error of both.

Answer 4

Santa was actually a real person, check your history under St Nicholas.

The church is giving me a line? You mean that line written in the Bible? Or maybe you are referring to that myth of Jesus Christ?

Dude, get your facts straight and try again.

Answer 5

I am an atheist.

You see Santa does not make people feel secure like a 'god' does. When you are in trouble you cant 'pray' to Santa to get you out but you can pray to god. Santa is not a good example to use here.

Answer 6

I believe in the god, the Christ, what ever because as this question demonstrate they have a place in the world and can be refereed to in a single word. much like Santa

Answer 7

God Himself led me through a series of events during a twelve year period, which brought me to a point where I could see my need for Jesus Christ and when I asked for forgiveness and wanted to know him , He proved himself to me. He will absolutely do the same for you.
As for Jesus, there is no doubt by historians that he existed. The question is weather he was the Messiah prophesied and waited for by the Jews and weather or not he is the eternal son of God and if he actually died in our place to reunite us to his father and finally if he rose from the dead as was recorded by witnesses weather you believe them or not.

Answer 8

The religion with which you have been associating has sure let you down.
Sadly, you're not even sure if God and Jesus are the same person, or not.
However, let me emphasize that the main message is NOT "care for your fellow man."
Have you ever read Luke 8:1?
The theme of Jesus' ministry is explained there.
May I respectfully suggest you seek a religion that will buil-up your spirituality.

Answer 9

I never believed in Santa when I was a kid. My parents didn't tell me such lies, but I do believe what they did tell me. God is real and He is out there. You'll find Him if you look for Him. I did and I have.

Answer 10

man, does it hurt to believe that there's an existence higher than any being? true or false, it helps keep us at bay. why do you think every country has a ruler? at least my belief in the the existence of God refrains me from being a sinner.