Santa Claus is blasphemous

[nickybr38]

Do you believe that God literally put Adam a sleep and created the first woman from his rib?

I do.

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

I’ve read all I’m going to read and said all I’m going to say---- apart from the fact that ‘Santa Claus is blasphemous’ is not only atrocious English, but incorrect as to the definition of the word ‘blasphemy.’

G’bye, good luck, and happy New Year, all a’ y’all’s.

 

[Tantum_ergo]

I don’t see how anybody can call a pseudo-scientific dissertation on the biology of flying reindeer anything but a silly, elaborate lie.

Oh. Well, there’s the problem, then.

You simply can’t–or won’t–see the difference between fantasy, stories, myths, legends etc. . .

and ‘lies’.

Since I don’t know whether this is something you can ‘help’ yourself with, all I can do is offer you sympathy and gentle encouragement to try not to ‘box’ things into some narrow little category of ‘lies’.

 

[Catholic90]

Oh. Well, there’s the problem, then.

You simply can’t–or won’t–see the difference between fantasy, stories, myths, legends etc. . .

and ‘lies’.

Since I don’t know whether this is something you can ‘help’ yourself with, all I can do is offer you sympathy and gentle encouragement to try not to ‘box’ things into some narrow little category of ‘lies’.

Next, he will be trying to tell us there is no man in the moon, the moon is not made of cheese, there is no Easter bunny, Cupid does not shoot arrows at Valentine’s Day, your hair does not grow in thicker after shaving it, not wearing enough clothes in winter will make you get sick, coffee will not stunt one’s growth, toads don’t cause warts, and Duct Tape and WD-40 can’t solve all of life’s problems! Sheesh.

 

[RCIA4]

Can we drop forget about this debate… Saying Santa is blasphemous is silly and overkill…

How about this… We dont get caught up in secular Christmas…

This is such a silly waste of space on CAF

 

[CatholicFireman]

Can we drop forget about this debate… Saying Santa is blasphemous is silly and overkill…

How about this… We dont get caught up in secular Christmas…

This is such a silly waste of space on CAF

:clapping:

 

[TarkanAttila]

For crying out loud, Stan, just tell your kids he’s Saint Nicholas, who is a servant of Christ. Show them a statue of Santa kneeling before the Christ Child, read them a story about the fat guy visiting a nativity, and be done with it.

You’re not going to convert these guys. LET IT GO.

Their own faults if finding out the fat guy Santa is a fake leads their children to become bitter atheists. Let that be their prerogative. YOU can drop Santa entirely, or do as I plan to do: somehow segue from Santa to Saint Nicholas over time.

 

[stanczyk]

You simply can’t–or won’t–see the difference between fantasy, stories, myths, legends etc.

I’ll say a prayer that people who think like this will give up the hollowness of truth-relativism and start to follow the Church’s teaching on the absolute nature of truth.

 

[stanczyk]

I had to quote this, just in case anybody missed it the first time, because it really explains the whole problem so well:

The “Yes, Virginia” letter perfectly captures the “it makes me happy and doesn’t hurt anyone so it’s OK” point of view, which would’ve been considered sophomoric, at best, before the ascent of relativism.

There is nothing I find convincing about the post-modern argument, that “Santa Claus is poetically real, therefore it isn’t a lie to tell children that he is literally real.” The bottom line is that Santa Claus has no physical existence, and to attempt to convince a child otherwise is a lie.

I think it is pretty sad to see Catholics making the “Yes, Virginia” argument, since it is based on a distortion of the very notion of truth.

 

[TarkanAttila]

I had to quote this, just in case anybody missed it the first time, because it really explains the whole problem so well:

Treat it as you would the “big, old man in the clouds” scenario. Don’t officially say it is wrong until they are old enough, but don’t feed it to them as if it is true. Just sit back. Time will sort this out on its own. Let them believe in Santa for a while.

They’ll soon come to see, if you push them in the direction of Saint Nicholas (while, again, not yet dismissing Santa), the connection between Santa and Saint Nicholas. When they see that, then it’s your turn to push them from St. Nick to Jesus.

 

[stanczyk]

Let them believe in Santa for a while.

There’s a simple maxim: “Honesty is the best policy.”

 

[wolfgang]

 

[pnewton]

I’ll say a prayer that people who think like this will give up the hollowness of truth-relativism and start to follow the Church’s teaching on the absolute nature of truth.

Luke 18: 10

The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’

There is no need for judgementalism of others. I am fairly certain all here acknowledge the teachings of the Church and the absolute nature of Truth. When you announce in public that you are going to pray for all the others for their misguided beliefs, that is, beliefs that do not match yours, you hold up your own standard as the banner of righteousness.

 

[stanczyk]

I will be praying for you all, indeed. Please Lord, do not let these good folks fall into the trap of modernism and relativism. Let them be able to see truth for what it is.

Perhaps these words, written by the man who is now our holy father before becoming Pope, are worth reflecting upon:
Card. Joseph Ratzinger:

Today, having a clear faith based on the Creed of the Church is often labeled as fundamentalism. Whereas relativism, that is, letting oneself be “tossed here and there, carried about by every wind of doctrine”, seems the only attitude that can cope with modern times. We are building a dictatorship of relativism** that does not recognize anything as definitive** and whose ultimate goal consists solely of one’s own ego and desires.

We, however, have a different goal: the Son of God, the true man. He is the measure of true humanism. An “adult” faith is not a faith that follows the trends of fashion and the latest novelty; a mature adult faith is deeply rooted in friendship with Christ. It is this friendship that opens us up to all that is good and gives us a criterion by which to distinguish the true from the false, and deceipt from truth.
vatican.va/gpII/documents/homily-pro-eligendo-pontifice_20050418_en.html

 

[John21652]

There’s a simple maxim: “Honesty is the best policy.”

Your absolutley right’

So here’s my honest appraisal of your attitude to Christmas.

It sucks.

You have absolutely no idea of the role of culture in shaping ‘traditions’. Christmas ‘traditions’ vary from one country to the other. According to your line of, ahem, reasoning, each cultural change is a lie, because it drifts from what you think is the ‘truth’.

Sinta Klauss, Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, whatever, is all representative of the Christmas idea of freindship, community, sharing and giving. All the little ceremonies that one can find in various countries can all be traced back to the initial idea of celebrating the birthday of Jesus. Some of the little traditions seem quaint, silly and even downright absurd when viewed from outside a particular culture, but their basic idea and meaning is all the same. For Catholics and even for other Christian denominations, it is all about the celebration of the Son of God.

Who cares how people do it. Who cares whether it includes flying reindeer, or fairies down the bottom of the garden. Who cares if people tell their kids that a jolly fat man delivers goodies in the middle of the night. It is all about introducing little children to the idea of Christ and to surround it with cultural mythology is normal human practice. Who are you to ‘dry out’ the tradition so much that no-one could possibly be attracted to it? Even the very first Christians added cultural representations to their celebrations of the birth of Christ. Who the hell are you to be so scrupulous that you begin to label your fellow Christians as liars and accuse them of introducing moral relativism into their lives. Moral relativism is the preserve of the non-religious, the irreligious and the immoral and amoral.

Get this…the idea of Santa Claus has even introduced Christmas into Japan in a big way, despite the fact that around only two percent of the population are Christian. Just think, a few more million people are now being exposed to the celebration of Christ’s birth because of what you call a ‘lie’. It doesn’t matter how people celebrate Christmas, as long as it is being celebrated. And think about this a little more deeply - the notion of Santa Claus is now prevalent in nearly every single western nation. I, sitting in front of a computer can type in the words “one more sleep” and people in the United States, England, Scandinavia, Greece, Estonia, Russia, South Africa and a host of other countries all know exactly what I am referring to. It evokes a common symbolism. It is a unifying symbolism that even draws in the non-religious. No-one can ever take the Christ out of Christmas.

Santa Claus is a perfect way to introduce small children to the notion that there is something bigger than themselves; something magical in the world that represents the good and the holy. It isn’t long before enquiring little minds ask for more and more information as they grow, until it dawns on them that Santa Claus is one small aspect of a bigger celebration. And if letters to santa and emails to elves becomes part of that tradition, so be it. If people walking around in Santa hats adds to the joy and fellowship, so be it. You just have to grow up enough to realise the magic contained in it all.

 

[Kassandra]

So here’s my honest appraisal of your attitude to Christmas.

It sucks.

Who the hell are you to be so scrupulous that you begin to label your fellow Christians as liars and accuse them of introducing moral relativism into their lives. Moral relativism is the preserve of the non-religious, the irreligious and the immoral and amoral.

Thank you for stating this so well.

:harp: :heaven:

 

[stanczyk]

Who the hell are you to be so scrupulous that you begin to label your fellow Christians as liars and accuse them of introducing moral relativism into their lives. Moral relativism is the preserve of the non-religious, the irreligious and the immoral and amoral…

That may be so, but it is still a lie. Incidentally, you seem to be under the misapprehension that I am referring to moral relativism. This is not strictly accurate. What is going on in the “Yes, Virgina” argument, and what Card. Ratzinger is decrying in the quote above, is “truth relativism,” the idea that something is true or false based on its consequences, not by virtue of being ontologically prior. This is different from moral relativism, but truth relativism is still contrary to the Church.

Judging by the crass language you used in this post, you are getting angered over the whole thing. I would suggest you take some time to pray about it. Also ten deep breaths might be helpful. I hope we can discuss this further when you are in a calmer frame of mind. God bless.

 

[Catholic90]

Your absolutley right’

So here’s my honest appraisal of your attitude to Christmas.

It sucks.

You have absolutely no idea of the role of culture in shaping ‘traditions’. Christmas ‘traditions’ vary from one country to the other. According to your line of, ahem, reasoning, each cultural change is a lie, because it drifts from what you think is the ‘truth’.

Sinta Klauss, Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, whatever, is all representative of the Christmas idea of freindship, community, sharing and giving. All the little ceremonies that one can find in various countries can all be traced back to the initial idea of celebrating the birthday of Jesus. Some of the little traditions seem quaint, silly and even downright absurd when viewed from outside a particular culture, but their basic idea and meaning is all the same. For Catholics and even for other Christian denominations, it is all about the celebration of the Son of God.

Who cares how people do it. Who cares whether it includes flying reindeer, or fairies down the bottom of the garden. Who cares if people tell their kids that a jolly fat man delivers goodies in the middle of the night. It is all about introducing little children to the idea of Christ and to surround it with cultural mythology is normal human practice. Who are you to ‘dry out’ the tradition so much that no-one could possibly be attracted to it? Even the very first Christians added cultural representations to their celebrations of the birth of Christ. Who the hell are you to be so scrupulous that you begin to label your fellow Christians as liars and accuse them of introducing moral relativism into their lives. Moral relativism is the preserve of the non-religious, the irreligious and the immoral and amoral.

Get this…the idea of Santa Claus has even introduced Christmas into Japan in a big way, despite the fact that around only two percent of the population are Christian. Just think, a few more million people are now being exposed to the celebration of Christ’s birth because of what you call a ‘lie’. It doesn’t matter how people celebrate Christmas, as long as it is being celebrated. And think about this a little more deeply - the notion of Santa Claus is now prevalent in nearly every single western nation. I, sitting in front of a computer can type in the words “one more sleep” and people in the United States, England, Scandinavia, Greece, Estonia, Russia, South Africa and a host of other countries all know exactly what I am referring to. It evokes a common symbolism. It is a unifying symbolism that even draws in the non-religious. No-one can ever take the Christ out of Christmas.

Santa Claus is a perfect way to introduce small children to the notion that there is something bigger than themselves; something magical in the world that represents the good and the holy. It isn’t long before enquiring little minds ask for more and more information as they grow, until it dawns on them that Santa Claus is one small aspect of a bigger celebration. And if letters to santa and emails to elves becomes part of that tradition, so be it. If people walking around in Santa hats adds to the joy and fellowship, so be it. You just have to grow up enough to realise the magic contained in it all.

:clapping::clapping::clapping:

http://netanimations.net/Santa-Wavi.../netanimations.net/santa-waving-animation.gif

 

[Catholic90]

Judging by the crass language you used in this post, you are getting angered over the whole thing.

Crass language? What crass language? There was definitely no crass language in his post!

 

[ruslan]

So here’s my honest appraisal of your attitude to Christmas.

Judging by the crass language you used in this post, you are getting angered over the whole thing. I would suggest you take some time to pray about it. Also ten deep breaths might be helpful. I hope we can discuss this further when you are in a calmer frame of mind. God bless.

Crass language? What crass language? There was definitely no crass language in his post!

No crass language was used.

:harp: :heaven: