Christians (some not all)?

Question

How do you discern which non exisitant beings are okay for your children to be exposed to? Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy are okay but Harry Potter and Gargamel (from the Smurfs) are not? How do you choose?

Answer 1

I don't know so much about Harry Potter, but you know those big happy mushrooms those smurfs hang out under? HIGHLY hallucinogenic.

I hear that you can get high by licking smurfs, too, so my kids won't be exposed to them!

;-)

Answer 2

Some Christians (not all) have no regard for Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. I personally chose one of these two, and it's not the Easter Bunny. Santa and EB (this last one, more or less) belong to a so called "gray area" where you actually can decide for yourself, as long as you have a good reason to. Against witchcraft and astrology the Bible is pretty clear, it's black and white, if you want, I am not going to invite occultism in my child's life no matter what the rest of the world says. People have developed a mechanism to excuse themselves from resisting some temptations. It's called rationalizing out their sins. Basically that is "if I find a good reason to do it, that it's excusable, or God will understand" syndrome. Well, you be the judge. Just because it gets children reading, or the ratings are high, or the fact that people say "it's just fiction" or whatever that may be... you can rationalize drugs that way... and any other thing, like abortion, and euthanasia etc... that doesn't mean it's OK, see? If you mess with the bomb, don't be surprised if it explodes...

Answer 3

Would it not be great if we could tell our children the truth. In most churches, the Sunday School teacher will teach the children that Noah only took two of each animal on the ark, male and female. The Bible tells us that he took two of the unclean and seven of the clean animals on the ark. Genesis 7: 2 Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. If the churches will tell our children a lie about this and the partens tell them that we have Easter Bunny and tooth fairy, no wounder our children grow up and don't know what to believe. When we tell them that the Lord Jesus Christ died for their sins then they say that is just another story.

Answer 4

Easter is a pagan festival which the Roman Catholics borrowed in order to help convert pagans into Christians. After all, what do bunny rabbits have to do with the crucifixion (unless the cross destroyed a few burrows). Bunny rabbits= fertility. Eggs= fertility..
Easter was a festival of fertility marking the time when all animals started matting.

Answer 5

Well a bunny that lay eggs is never really o.k. I know a good doctor for that! Let me see the tooth fairy encourages thief. My little one when to sleep with ten teeth and woke up with two when his brother realized you can get pay for teeth under your pillow. The best way to choose is to forsake them all.

Answer 6

Here's an idea:

Why don't you look into it and decide for yourself? What I may find perfectly fine for my child may not be good for you and yours.

When it comes to beliefs and whatnot, you are the only one that matters...try not to let others influence your decisions too much.

I think that all of the "non exisitant beings" that you've mentioned are harmless, but that's just me. As you can plainly see from some of the other answers here, many poeple don't agree.

Answer 7

Ones with no actual portraying of darkness or gloom-- anything that shows a demonic spiritual side.

Does that make sense? NOW, this does not mean satan is not in the things that are not dark and demonic-- because he works in many ways, using MANY tools. That is why many kids can get so caught up in believing in santa they forget about God. That is why I make it clear santa is NOT real- and that we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas. Santa is just something fun and lighthearted and I don't care if there are ornaments on our tree of him, and other related things such as reindeer, snowman...even decorative things such as this-- the main point is that my kids know it is about us celebrating the birth of our Savior. To keep our minds on HIM, not on earthly things. I love our nativity scene on our mantle. To keep the holiday in perspective.

Answer 8

Entirely depends.

If you actually look at those characters (Santa etc.) you might find some basis in history for them (St. Nicholas)

Not sure about the easter bunny though. Come on, Trix are for kids.

But if you look at Harry Potter, you'll find that the author is a member of the Church of Scotland, and the story itself has distinctly Christian overtones...

Just look at the story.

An attempt is made on his life at birth. He grows up with a relatively poor childhood, but manages to gain the repspect of his peers and superiors quickly. He does a lot of travelling.

Things go ok at first, but eventually everyone except a few close friends turn against him.

He winds up sacrificing himself to save others, but is ressurected, returns and defeats hell and evil.

Am I talking about Jesus or HP? It applies to both of them. Any person who cannot see the Christian values, lessons and overtones in Harry potter is either a fundie or a complete moron.

Answer 9

well ones on telly and in books are a lot more easier to tell them they are not real and that they are only on telly however father christmas and easter bunny involve lieing to the child saying father christmas bought them that present when it was clearly you!

Answer 10

arbitrarily is how they choose (as Primoa makes clear). what one person deems "harmful" another will not. lots of Christians don't give a damn about the smurfs or potter and know that to think them "harmful" is nonsense. just a few vocal fringe fundie wackos see evil in innocuous kid stuff.