Here's the question I'd like to pose to everyone in the world -- what does Santa truly have to do with Christmas? Because the last time I checked -- there were no scriptures about elves, or Mrs. Claus -- most definitely nothing about Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.
So why has there been this movement towards "No Santa"? Earlier this season, a school in Winchester cancelled a field trip to see "Miracle on 34th St." because of the religious overtones that some parents felt are portrayed by the Santa character. My question in answer to that is - why is that the belief of Santa has to be construed as religious -- most specifically, to the Catholic religion?
Doesn't everyone believe in love? Kindness? Making another person happy? Are those all things that are specific to only one religion in the world? And I'm sorry -- but since when are those things exclusive to any religion? Isn't that just part of being a human being...?
Growing up as a child of the 70s -- I lived in a ethnically diverse community, and a relatively religiously diverse one as well. And we always colored pictures of Santa and Dreidels. We sang Holiday songs - and we called them "Holiday Concerts" because we sang songs of the winter holidays, not just Christmas. But it wasn't a political movement to do so. Back then, the political issue of the day was not having the Nativity Scene or a Menorah on public grounds such as school -- and that I understood. Those aren't places to practice a religion. But to not allow children to be happy and express their respective holidays, was unheard of.
Santa is representative of the positivity of the human spirit. He is not Jesus Christ, nor do I think he is supposed to be representative of him. He is about being selfless and kind towards others, which is a trait we should all have, regardless of our religious denomination.
Santa is equated with children's innocence; it's almost unfair to deprive a child of the magic of believing that someone is going to do something nice for them.
In a world that is full of ugliness and hate, predators and countless other horrible things in today's society -- is it so awful to have children feel good about someone who doesn't have a view politically, religiously or otherwise?
5 comments:
I have one thing to say.........
I BELIEVE!!!
Merry Christmas to you and yours and a Blessed New Year!
I feel exactly the same way! I was raised non religious as were many people I know and for us Santa is secular so what's the big deal about celebrating him even if you are not of a particular faith? He is faith-less. It's such a shame.
It's just the idiot PC crowd that wants to control everything we do or say. People need to get over themselves.
Meanwhile, I didn't get to see you before I left for vacation. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and New Years!
So well said.
I am religious, and I find nothing immoral or otherwise sacrilegious about Santa Claus.
Aside from being a perfectly harmless holiday fable, his character is based upon the real Saint Nicholas, a Bishop of the Catholic church in (as I recall) fourth-century Turkey. He came from a rich family and was noted for being quite generous, leaving somewhat anonymous gifts for the poor and otherwise destitute.
So, if his spirit lives on in the fable, I see nothing to be upset about.
Merry Christmas!
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