Comments on: Santa: “I Killed Jesus”

By: RodeoClown

RodeoClown — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 23:06:03 +0000

Hi Paul,
thanks for your comments.

I don’t know if Santa is the main reason for the mess in this world. I think the character (as he now exists) is a symptom of the greed and selfishness already present in us, rather than a cause.

I think your response – making presents and donating to charity is a great idea. We often buy presents from TEAR or World Vision’s gift catalogues, which provide for poor people throughout the world (didn’t happen this year for a variety of reasons, but we plan on doing it next year again).

By: paul hughes

paul hughes — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 22:40:49 +0000

I was looking for this billboard and ended up reading ur blog. great post. same thing happened this year with my 6 yr old. couldn’t lie to him anymore. i think it is black and white. don’t lie to ur kids. I took the scientific approach after reading about how the air resistane & velocity would burn up satan claus’ sled.
no other figure can take as much credit for the mess this planet is in. couldn’t find one passage in the bible where it said go out and buy a cheap plastic toy present made in China by child/slave labour from BrawlMart to be representative of your love and affection for your child.
we made all our gifts this year and donated to the food bank.

By: Tracy

Tracy — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 01:06:10 +0000

I think that there is a real way that Santa is made to be a substitute god. Children believe that he is omnipresent and omniscient. People ask him for world peace, for miracles, healing, etc. And just as you point out, Ian, he is not traditionally showing grace, but earned rewards. At it’s worse it is a twisted replacement for god.

At its best, it is a benign game. It certainly can be just that, very benign. As for me, I did believe in Santa until one fateful evening when my brother pulled me out of bed to show me that our parents were putting our gifts out under the tree. I don’t really remember if I felt betrayed, but certainly confused. After I knew the truth, then playing Santa was fun. Leaving out cookies for him and wondering how they were eaten by morning. It was really fun to pretend.

So, yeah. I agree that what to do about Santa is a personal preference and there is not a black and white answer. But Christians will most likely modify the traditional way that Santa is portrayed and for good reason.

By: Ruth

Ruth — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 10:57:27 +0000

Most kids I know are aware that the Santa thing is a game. You make a good point though about those kids that don’t – thinking their parents have lied to them.

I just posted about some anti santa cards I saw yesterday at church. I’d be interested in your thoughts on them.

When ‘A’ was younger, he stood incredulously staring at a queue of children lined up to sit on Santa’s lap in a shopping centre…and at the top of his voice called out pityinlgly – ‘look at all those poor children mummy, lining up to get presents from St nicholas’. I didn’t know there were so many poor children in Australia.’ !!!!

By: RodeoClown

RodeoClown — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 05:15:29 +0000

Hi Andy,
I definitely agree on the lies vs fiction thing, and in that sense I have no problem with people ‘playing’ Santa – but I know loads of kids (including my wife – not that she’s a kid any more) who really and truly believed in Santa, and when they found out that he wasn’t real it really hurt them, and they felt betrayed by their parents.

The parents might know it is make-believe, but often the kids don’t, and that’s what I think is wrong.

So many people get so upset when you suggest that Santa isn’t real, he has become his own little religion, where the adults all know it’s a game, but the kids don’t.

I really don’t like those aspects of it all.

By: Andy M

Andy M — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 05:04:26 +0000

Hi Rodeo.
I’ve commented over at Ruth’s blog too about this.
I like a lot of what you’ve got to say, especially about giving our kids free gifts because we love them, not because they’ve earnt them. I also like how the billboard highlights the fact that Santa gives presents only to rich kids, the irony of course being that St Nicholas (at least as far as the legend goes, perhaps historically true?? I don’t know) gave gifts to the poor. We personally don’t do the whole Santa thing either.
However, I’ve got to take issue with the whole idea that doing the Santa thing is lying to your kids. I really don’t think it is. It’s fantasy, make believe, fiction.
I think there’s such a thing as truth vs lies. But there’s also such a thing as truth vs fiction. They are on different planes though.
What do you think?
Anyway, it has all got me thinking about it again, particularly given my four year old is coming out with questions about Santa!

By: RodeoClown

RodeoClown — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 23:19:01 +0000

I thought it was pretty awesome.

It’s sad that so many people got all annoyed, it’s like “how dare you tell us not to lie to children!”

By: Dave Miers

Dave Miers — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 23:13:01 +0000

love that billboard!!
and i appreciate hearing your thoughts on (not) doing the santa thing with your kids.