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Post 0

Sunday, October 9, 2005 - 8:47amSanction this postReply
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Is it wrong to permit children to believe in Santa Claus?

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Post 1

Sunday, October 9, 2005 - 10:21amSanction this postReply
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Is it wrong to let someone believe something that you know isn't true?  Yes, I think it's wrong.   Nothing wrong with playing around with the idea of Santa, as long as the child knows it's just a fantasy.

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Post 2

Sunday, October 9, 2005 - 10:25amSanction this postReply
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I have a friend who tells his children, "Santa Claus is mommy and daddy playing make-believe."  The kids still get to play along creatively while understanding the fictional aspects of Santa, and they get presents from him to boot!  That sounds pretty fair to me.

Post 3

Sunday, October 9, 2005 - 1:22pmSanction this postReply
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they get presents from him to boot!  That sounds pretty fair to me.
What do they say when the children ask why Santa is an altruist?


Post 4

Sunday, October 9, 2005 - 1:24pmSanction this postReply
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Is Santa an altruist if he gives because he wants to?

Sarah

Post 5

Sunday, October 9, 2005 - 1:31pmSanction this postReply
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I agree with Sarah's speculation.  If we can play make-believe about the nature of Santa, then we can endow him with all sorts of magical qualities like his abilities to produce toys for hundreds of millions of children and his egoistic motivations.

Post 6

Sunday, October 9, 2005 - 2:36pmSanction this postReply
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The story goes that Santa gives out presents to kids who are on their best behavior throughout the year. He's no altruist. It's twisted because he doesn't exist. But there is a fantasy exchange going on. You can say the same thing about Christianity.

I like how Luke's friends handle it. 


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Post 7

Sunday, October 9, 2005 - 3:34pmSanction this postReply
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I think Branden got it best. The story in and of itself is ok if you let them know it's a story and that it's not real.  If you let them think it's real oftentimes they'll ultimately feel betrayed and won't trust you as well.

Fit my experience anyway.

---Landon


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Post 8

Sunday, October 9, 2005 - 7:10pmSanction this postReply
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Hey, wait a minute!

It finally sank in.

Are you guys trying to say that Santa Claus doesn't exist?

Dayaamm!

Whaddameyegonnadooooo?????!!!!!!

Woe is me!!!!!!!

//;-(

Michael


Post 9

Sunday, October 9, 2005 - 7:12pmSanction this postReply
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Michael-
At least we still have the easter bunny.


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Post 10

Sunday, October 9, 2005 - 7:32pmSanction this postReply
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If you mean that chocolate bunny, I bit it's head off...

Post 11

Sunday, October 9, 2005 - 8:01pmSanction this postReply
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I think parents should tell their kids Santa is real.

But when they finally tell their kids the truth about Santa, they should make a point of saying, "Now you know that you can never trust anything an authority tells you.  You can't even trust what your parents tell you.  You have to be skeptical and question everything and decide for yourself what's true and what's false."


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Post 12

Sunday, October 9, 2005 - 8:11pmSanction this postReply
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This thread should be called Much Ado About the Inane.
It's FUCKING Santa Claus!  If anything will detract from objectivism, it is when we seriously start entertaining the immorality of Santa Claus.  If there is anyone out there who has ever been fucked up due to their parents lending credence to Santa then you need to seriously get a rational grip on yourself.  Do any of you who have kids ever play make-believe--maybe crawl under a blanket with your kid and act as if you are in a rocket ship visiting other planets?  Are you an evil asshole for evading reality with your child? No.  I'll repeat myself, it's FUCKING Santa Claus.


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Post 13

Sunday, October 9, 2005 - 9:00pmSanction this postReply
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Hmmm...to play devil's advocate, Jody...I remember my mom getting upset when I questioned Santa's existence. She said if I didn't believe, I wouldn't get any presents. She seemed mad, which I didn't understand. Fast forward to today, and she still doesn't understand my atheism. If it were simply an isolated game, that'd be one thing, but you don't think there's a slippery slope argument here? Santa leads to religion, blind faith, etc.? Especially when that Santa is used as a tool, a weapon, even, against children to coerce behavior?

Post 14

Sunday, October 9, 2005 - 9:28pmSanction this postReply
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Joe,

I got the same thing, but ironically enough, my mom was an atheist at the time!


Post 15

Sunday, October 9, 2005 - 9:29pmSanction this postReply
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That's too funny...

Post 16

Sunday, October 9, 2005 - 9:38pmSanction this postReply
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Oh, nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

What moral devastation and... and... and...

(choking on words)

NOW SOMEONE IS FUCKING SANTA CLAUSE?

(thud)


Post 17

Sunday, October 9, 2005 - 10:12pmSanction this postReply
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That would be Mrs. Clause, I assume...or one of the elves? (Herme, maybe, gay Icon that he is...).
(Edited by Joe Maurone
on 10/09, 10:13pm)


Post 18

Sunday, October 9, 2005 - 10:18pmSanction this postReply
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     "Permit"/Allow? No

      Promote/Advocate? Yes.

LLAP
J:D


Post 19

Sunday, October 9, 2005 - 10:44pmSanction this postReply
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This is worse than I thought.

In my horror, I said SOMEONE is fucking Santa Clause. Now on rereading Jody's post, from whence that horrible news came, I see that I was mistaken. He wrote:

It's FUCKING Santa Claus!

What is this IT that is fucking Santa Clause?

A MONSTER?

Oh, the horror, the sheer OUTRAGE!!!!

Michael


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