Is it not hypocritical to believe Santa Claus and God are fairy tales, but you tell your children that one exists but not the other?
2007-10-29 08:50:19 · 23 answers · asked by Gilligan 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
No, that's not the point of Santa Claus. It's just a fun, entertaining way to bring more meaning to Christmas for children. Getting religion involved with my kids has nothing to do with Santa Claus. The two sport completely different meanings.
I don't tell my kids that god doesn't exist. I tell them that I don't believe that god exists, and that they are free to make that decision themselves.
2007-10-29 08:56:26 · answer #1 · answered by Alex H 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I was told there was a Santa. Around 9 years old I said to my mum, "Ma, there's no Santa is there?" and she told me no. A few years later(11 or 12 or 13 years old), I realized it was just as unlikely that there was a magical man who watched over my every move as an adult as there was when I was a child. Fantasy is fantasy. No one sends their adult children to 'SANTA school', or Santa Camp to impress upon them that they MUST belive in Santa. I cannot understand how grown-ups can believe in some imaginary characters and not others.
2007-10-29 16:04:42 · answer #2 · answered by Danzy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Small children enjoy fairy tales. It is normal for them to read and believe it.
By the time they reach puberty, they are too old for fairy tales.
That applies to Atheists AND Christians.
The problem is, Christians keep preaching the fairly tales to their kids long after the children should be facing facts and the real world.
2007-10-29 16:01:39 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, that probably would be hypocritical. But it's not like we atheists have some kind of rulebook instructing us to tell our children that fairy tales are real like Christianity does.
So I'm afraid your generalization isn't really applicable.
2007-10-29 16:04:01 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yeah but we don't tell them that Santa Claus is real forever; just when they're kids, because it is a fun game. Can we do the same with God, then?
2007-10-29 15:54:36 · answer #5 · answered by Linz ♥ VT 4 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, you caught me. I was also threatening them with eternal hellfire if they should ever doubt Santa's existance. If you wouldn't have called my bluff, I was just about to push my way into their schools and create a class on the history of St. Nick. I was planning on using my friends to cut out unnecessary classes like REAL history and biology (those guys are telling children that it's impossible for reindeer to fly! Those bastards!) in order to ensure that there's time and teachers availible. If you wouldn't have come along and exposed me when you did, I would have passed laws that would force it to be Christmas every day.
Let's not even get started with my plans for a Holiday war!
(This Christmas cookie has been heavilly frosted with sarcasm, for those of you who are unfamiliar with it.)
2007-10-29 20:05:11 · answer #6 · answered by writersblock73 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
YOU CAUGHT US!! I'm such a hypocrite! You're too good for these forums! I might actually tell my possible future children that Santie Claus exists! I feel so ashamed for being an atheist.
I should flagellate myself according to the atheist philosophy.
2007-10-29 15:54:52 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
Santa Claus is fun and harmless.
And nobody ever killed in the name of Santa.
Who says I will tell my children that God doesn't exist? I will let them figure out their own path.
2007-10-29 15:54:04 · answer #8 · answered by ~Smirk~ Resurrected 6 · 4⤊ 1⤋
I don't have children and I never will so I can't really answer this question. I am posting in response to this...
YOU ARE RIGHT AND I AM TIRED OF THEM HAVING THE NERVE TO TELL ME THAT MY GOD DOESN'T EXIST. THEY DON'T KNOW ANYMORE THAN I DO THAT THERE IS A HIGHER POWER, AND IF THEY DON'T LIKE WHAT WE BELIEVE OR CELEBRATE, THEN THEY NEED TO SHUT THE F*^K UP AND TAKE THE BACK SEAT
I would like to say to this poster... How very Christian of you!!
2007-10-29 16:03:05 · answer #9 · answered by Gertrude H 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it is. I am not aware of any Atheists that do this, however. I have told my children that Santa is pretend, but it is ok to have fun with the idea. I also show them daddy having fun with the silly ideas about deities on this site.
2007-10-29 15:55:06 · answer #10 · answered by neil s 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋