For most of us, when we were children we believed in Santa Claus and at some point we found out he was fiction and the whole Christmas story was just that…a story.
It took a few years of MY childhood to get over there not being a Santa Claus, but I recovered. Today, I see children who believe in Santa Claus and get excited to see him at the mall and I think it’s cute, adorable, and it CERTAINLY has its place in a child’s life. Jesus himself said the best kind of belief is like that of a child, and I see this type of ‘belief without evidence’ all the time in R&S.
When I fell away from Christianity, the more I learned and researched about the history of Christianity, the more I reasoned and thought for myself, the more and more I felt like I’d been told a story from my childhood, just like the Christmas story.
So my question, is reflective of a greater question, are we atheists better off not believing that God exists?
2007-12-03 08:14:21 · 12 answers · asked by dougfr007 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Mainah, "I think when you take away the magic of belief, you kill the child inside and the adult becomes jaded about life" I'm an adult, I don't believe in magic or belief in a God and I'm not 'jaded'; I am in your eyes, which I would say are jaded because we have a different view point.
EishaKC, I pulled the old bait and switch eh? Is this what others might call, the logical thought process?
2007-12-03 09:01:07 · update #1
Aw man, you're just BEGGING for some hardcore conservative BS answers telling you you're going to hell.
Which you're not.
You're probably better off because you don't have to deal with the BS coming out of people of your same faith. Just BS coming out of people you disagree with. I am SO SICK of people giving me dirty or disbelieving looks when I say I'm a Christian, like I think everyone who's not deserves hellfire and damnation.
Even believers don't know it's not a story, since all we have for proof is a book that men wrote.
Good for atheists who can actually back up their ideas.
2007-12-03 08:24:41 · answer #1 · answered by longnosedquoll 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I still believe in Santa Claus and always will, and I'm 51. I think when you take away the magic of belief, you kill the child inside and the adult becomes jaded about life, reality,miracles,and hope. When you believed there was a Santa Claus didn't you also believe more that life was magic and that if you wanted anything badly enough and were good, it would happen. Well we are asked to do the same thing when we are children when it pertains to God,and as children we believe it to be true and magical and we pray and receive and feel that our burdens have been lessened. But as soon as we are adults and lose that childhood inocence we question our beliefs, taking away belief and hope. But as long as we know there are things in life that man will never know the answer to, doesn't that give room for the notion that maybe Santa and God do exist if we can't prove otherwise. My belief is that we were made in God's image,and know all knowledge ,past present and future, but because we are mortals, we don't have the capabilities to handle all the knowledge there is, yet those who are of open mind and creative, are more in touch with inner knoledge, hence esp ability being higher in some than in others. We are just more easily able to tap into some of that knowledge. There is an energy,a force that exists, in the universe and all I know is, that when I pray, it helps, when I believe in Santa, and God, Christmas is more beautiful and magic, and the coldest hearts can melt like butter. We may not think God is there when a loved one is killed, or a war is started, but he is there to soothe the wounds of a death caused by mortal hands, and he is fighting agaisnt the Satan of War, and his angels are his soldiers, fighting for peace, and love. No God, no Santa, If I didn't believe that, I wouldn't be here.
2007-12-03 08:37:21 · answer #2 · answered by mainah 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am certainly not an atheist, but still my difference in beliefs is enough to make relationships with many people more difficult than if I believed as they did.
But it is not right for me to just one day decide to pretend to believe so that life would easier. By doing that, I would be living a lie. Meanwhile, I seek matters of Spirit using a methodology that is direct, unlike the method of studing the revelations received by others.
2007-12-03 08:27:08 · answer #3 · answered by Tommy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely.
The thing that most Christians ignore is that the results of Christian doctrine cause them to fear the future, and fight against human progress.
I used to believe that the world was destined to degrade to a point where most were immoral, and the future was full of disaster and plague. I got that belief from the bible, and my Christian indoctrination. That belief is extremely harmful to mankind and personally to every individual, because it causes them to fear progress and fight against change.
It is like the belief that Santa makes and distributes gifts. As a child, if I had access to my parents money, I would see no value in saving for Christmas, because, Santa would take care of the presents. This would cause me to spend money and Christmas would be spent without opening gifts from family members. The same applies to the future when your belief system tells you it is destined for disaster.
2007-12-03 08:17:09 · answer #4 · answered by ɹɐǝɟsuɐs Blessed Cheese Maker 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
As my abdomen gets greater desirable, and my beard gets whiter and whiter (and the shown fact that I stay in Canada's north), i'm initiating to have self belief.... And, Santa seems an undesirable lot like me!
2016-09-30 12:57:00 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
even though finding out santa isnt real can be devistating i think its well worth those 8-10 years of waking up on christmas day and the joy he had brought, as for the beleive god, well whether we're better off or not, its what you think , being better off beleiving in something wont change your opinion
2007-12-03 08:19:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Santa Claus is a fun childrens fairy tale. If adults still believe in Santa...that's just weird....
2007-12-03 08:21:56 · answer #7 · answered by Adam G 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know whether I'm better off not believing in gods or not, but it doesn't matter, since I don't, and it's not like I can just 'decide' to believe.
2007-12-03 08:17:44 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
We are much better off not believing in God. Religion is poison.
2007-12-03 08:17:23 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
St Nicholas is real ...
http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=23
2007-12-03 08:19:05 · answer #10 · answered by PROBLEM 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋