toldailytopic: Is it wrong to teach children that Santa Claus is real?

Status
Not open for further replies.
vegascowboy

vegascowboy

New member
LIFETIME MEMBER
Hall of Fame
A Soldier's Christmas

A Soldier's Christmas

Many of you may have seen this before, but I heard it for the first time the other day on a Country station. I liked it. (Then again, I generally like all pro-military sentiments.)

“THE SOLDIERS
NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS”

By Major Bruce W. Lovely


(With apologies to Clement Moore who first wrote this story for his children in 1822)



Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone
In a one bedroom house made of plaster & stone.

I had come down the chimney with presents to give
And to see just who in this home did live.

I looked all about a strange sight I did see,
No tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.

No stocking by the fire, just boots filled with sand,
On the wall hung pictures of far distant lands.

With medals and badges, awards of all kind
A sober thought came through my mind.

For this house was different, so dark and dreary,
I knew I had found the home of a soldier, once I could see clearly.

I heard stories about them, I had to see more
So I walked down the hall and pushed open the door.

And there he lay sleeping silent alone,
Curled up on the floor in his one bedroom home.

His face so gentle, his room in such disorder,
Not how I pictured a United States soldier.

Was this the hero of whom I’d just read?
Curled up in his poncho, a floor for his bed?

His head was clean shaven, his weathered face tan,
I soon understood this was more then a man.

For I realized the families that I saw that night
Owed their lives to these men who were willing to fight.

Soon ‘round the world, the children would play,
And grownups would celebrate on a bright Christmas day.

They all enjoyed freedom each month of the day,
Because of soldiers like this one lying here.

I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone
On a cold Christmas Eve in a land far from home.

Just the very thought brought a tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees and started to cry.

The solder awakened and I heard a rough voice,
“Santa don’t cry, this life is my choice;

I fight for freedom, I don’t ask for more,
My life is my God, my country, my Corps.”

With that he rolled over and drifted off into sleep,
I couldn’t control it, I continued to weep.

I watched him for hours, so silent and still,
I noticed he shivered from the cold night’s chill.

So I took off my jacket, the one made of red,
And I covered this Soldier from his toes to his head.

And I put on his T-shirt of gray and black,
With an eagle and an Army patch embroidered on back.

And although it barely fit me, I began to swell with pride,
And for a shining moment, I was United States Army deep inside.

I didn’t want to leave him on that cold dark night,
This guardian of honor so willing to fight.

Then the soldier rolled over, whispered with a voice so clean and pure,
“Carry on Santa, it’s Christmas day, all is secure.”

One look at my watch, and I knew he was right,
Merry Christmas my friend, and to all a good night!




I wrote this poem for Christmas Eve 1993 while assigned to US Forces Korea (USFK), Yongsan Garrison, Seoul, Korea. I drove around Christmas Eve and put it under the door of soldiers assigned to USFK.



Lt. Col. Bruce Lovely, USAF
Click to expand...
 
Sherman

Sherman

I identify as a Christian
Staff member
Administrator
LIFETIME MEMBER
Hall of Fame
Lying is lying. Tautology to be sure,but telling a child something you don't believe yourself is lying.
 
Lighthouse

Lighthouse

The Dark Knight
Gold Subscriber
Hall of Fame
As far back as I can recall I never believed. My dad went about it much the same way Knight does.
 
JoeyArnold

JoeyArnold

BANNED
Banned
SaulToPaul said:
Isaiah 14
13: For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

Satan Claus, from the sides of the North Pole.


:D
Click to expand...


Technically, that verse may not actually talk about Santa Clause.

But close.
 
JoeyArnold

JoeyArnold

BANNED
Banned
firon said:
Yes, 'tis, Knight. Old St. Nick is a name for Satan. Old St Nick goes around once a year trying to persuade children that he is the one who provides for those in need. But the Bible says Christ is the one who gives to all "Life and breath and all things."

But, a parent can take also an opposite approach by pointing out the truith to children: Santa is a fraud. He doesn't help anyone, but there is one, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is compassionate and is ALWAYS, every day, present to those whose hope rests in Him, and He "gives to all life and breath and all things."

SO THERE, ST. NICK! FORGET YOU!! boo, Satan! You fraud!
Click to expand...




Is Santa Jesus or Satan then?
 
JoeyArnold

JoeyArnold

BANNED
Banned
elohiym said:
We've always told our children that Santa Clause is a fictional character created to exploit people and get them to spend money on things they don't need and really can't afford, just like President Obama.

Unfortunately, we had to tell them President Obama is real. Then they cried.
Click to expand...

Is Obama really more real than Santa?
 
JoeyArnold

JoeyArnold

BANNED
Banned
Town Heretic said:
Elo sort of beat me to it...

I was going to say I'll teach my kid that the Santa Claus/present thing is a great deal like responsible government. They both look real on television and a great deal is said about them, but in the end it's just your mom and dad and a lot of Chinese people holding the whole thing together. :plain:
Click to expand...



What nationality are the elf's, Santa's little helpers, are they all Chinese and Japanese people?
 
JoeyArnold

JoeyArnold

BANNED
Banned
TomO said:
Wave that banner man! :thumb:



:think: Actually, I've been considering the premise of that site.....but while the idea is correct it's waaay off in regards to it's target. The whole Santa Claus thing has nothing to do with undermining Chritianity it's undermining Paganism! :noway:

Consider:

Sinterklaas rides the roof tops with his white horse Amerigo; Odin rides the sky with his gray horse Sleipnir.

Sinterklaas and Odin are both depicted with a long beard.

Sinterklaas has a staff and mischievous helpers with black faces; Odin has a spear and black ravens as his attributes.

It has been also claimed that the tradition of children placing their boots filled with carrots, straw or sugar near the chimney for the White horse of Sinterklaas goes back to pre-Christian North Western Europe, where children would place their boots near the chimney for Odin's flying horse, Sleipnir, to eat.


I must warn Nydhogg that his religion is under attack. :plain:
Click to expand...



So is Santa really Satan, an angel of light, or Jesus, the Truth and the Light?
 
JoeyArnold

JoeyArnold

BANNED
Banned
Nydhogg said:
I don't much care about that Santa Claus guy either way. It's a christian thing. I don't have kids, but I doubt I'll tell them Santa's real.

Heathen kids receive gifts from the Yule Lads, the Yule Man, or the Tomte, depending on specific tradition ;).
Click to expand...



If Santa is a Christian thing, then does that mean if you scramble up that word then it turns into Satan?
 
JoeyArnold

JoeyArnold

BANNED
Banned
Psalmist said:


toldailytopic:
Is it wrong to teach children that Santa Claus is real?​


As long as it is explained that Santa Claus is a myth. Otherwise to teach that Santa Claus is real is deception and deception is like a lie, it gets bigger and bigger, etc., and that is not good.

We didn't say much to our kids, and we did not promote the Santa Claus thing as being true. When the time came I told them, It is not what it seems, our oldest son had figured it out already and answered, "we know."

My Grandpa Harvey, broke the news to me when I saw him putting together a trike and Radio-Flyer Wagon, some how it didn't bother me; that was the same year I had my picture taken with Santa Claus and gave it to Grandpa for Christmas, the year was 1947.​
Click to expand...




But wasn't Santa real?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top