 Have you ever thought of how Santa Claus is the perfect story for introducing atheism to kids?
* As young kids we learn to believe in a mysterious man who has superhuman traveling and omnibenevolent gift-giving qualities. We learn to trust adults who say these stories are true, and these same adults go through many lengths to make sure that young kids invest their faith and trust in the Santa Claus story. * The Santa story teaches young people the difference between the desire to believe in fictions as a child and the adult reality behind the stories. (The christian apostle Paul describes it very well in his letter to the Corinthians, chapter 13: "When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I gave up childish ways.") * A good Christmas-Santa Claus family tradition teaches kids that the universe (Santa) and their family are essentially benevolent but not trustworthy -all- the time, and that you don't always get what you want, and the holiday teaches parents the joy of giving. * Santa Claus offers theists and atheists alike a common code with which to initiate our youth into the mental transition from youthful wishful thinking to learning the facts behind the fiction.
* For students of the spanish language, the name 'Santa Claus' teaches us that even males ('Claus') can be female-holy ('Santa'). * It's nice to know that other cultures enact this same kind of initiation: see the Diné/Navajo's Yeibichai introduction of kids' to gods ceremony at www.atheisms.info/atheisms/dine.html. * ... Looking for the proper quote from Paul's letter to the Corinthians, i found this site on "Adult Christianity" from a theistic perspective that echoes much the same of the above: christianity.about.com/library/weekly/aa042798.htm. And another good place is www.religioustolerance.org/santa1.htm. But more entertaining is how theistic folks try to keep their cake and eat it too at www.religioustolerance.org/santa3.htm, and an example of how the story helped one person understand the larger meaning, and apply it.
Merry Christmas. ;> tpkunesh © 26 december 2002 |
* In studying the story of the consolidation of european pagan (farm) celebrations with the birth stories of urbane Christianity, of the morphing of one christian saint with the northern god Odin, theists and atheists can together obtain a better perspective on the evolution and social utilitarianism of religion.