secular
parenting humanist homeschool blog atheist skeptical freethinking
humanist parenting
GUEST
POSTER: Tracy Starr
This young mommy and newbie blogger of
hits
the nail on the head with this post.
I "met" Tracy on Google+, a media site that I am quite new to
I "met" Tracy on Google+, a media site that I am quite new to
and not so sure that I like.
Check out this post:
Check out this post:
 | |
| You are welcome to use my holiday memes. |
I
see it a lot on Atheist sites or Secular Parenting groups this time
of year. I see it time and time again and I just don't understand it.
What's with all the Santa hate?
Now what I'm about to write could also be true for the tooth fairy or the Easter Bunny but since it's around the Christmas holiday I'm going to focus on Santa.
I don't understand why being an atheist means hating all things "magical" or "make-believe"? I honestly think Santa Claus is one of our best tools we can use as parents. Kids have an innate want to believe. Magic is just so wonderful. Make-believe has brought us some of the best books. Harry Potter, LOTR, and even shows like Doctor Who. It's something that we want. An escape from our boring every day lives.
Kids love to pretend and enjoy the thought that there are magic reindeer and a magical toy maker and Santa Claus is such a perfect set up for a child to begin to use their logical brain. How many kids grow to adulthood and still believe in Santa? It doesn't really happen. Why is that? Over time you start to get to thinking. How does Santa do this? How do reindeer fly? You begin to realize that it can't be real and you accept it.
Even kids in religious families begin to see the impossibility of Santa. We all wake up and realize that sometimes just because you want to believe it doesn't make it real. Problem with religious families is they discourage this kind of critical thinking when it comes to their god.
I'm enjoying Santa. I can't wait until my kids start to figure out the game. I'll be so proud.
I don't mind if people choose to leave him out of their holidays but I don't understand the complete disdain. I see Santa as so much more than most people and I encourage my children to dream. Dream away with their feet permanently planted on a solid foundation of reason.
Now what I'm about to write could also be true for the tooth fairy or the Easter Bunny but since it's around the Christmas holiday I'm going to focus on Santa.
I don't understand why being an atheist means hating all things "magical" or "make-believe"? I honestly think Santa Claus is one of our best tools we can use as parents. Kids have an innate want to believe. Magic is just so wonderful. Make-believe has brought us some of the best books. Harry Potter, LOTR, and even shows like Doctor Who. It's something that we want. An escape from our boring every day lives.
Kids love to pretend and enjoy the thought that there are magic reindeer and a magical toy maker and Santa Claus is such a perfect set up for a child to begin to use their logical brain. How many kids grow to adulthood and still believe in Santa? It doesn't really happen. Why is that? Over time you start to get to thinking. How does Santa do this? How do reindeer fly? You begin to realize that it can't be real and you accept it.
Even kids in religious families begin to see the impossibility of Santa. We all wake up and realize that sometimes just because you want to believe it doesn't make it real. Problem with religious families is they discourage this kind of critical thinking when it comes to their god.
I'm enjoying Santa. I can't wait until my kids start to figure out the game. I'll be so proud.
I don't mind if people choose to leave him out of their holidays but I don't understand the complete disdain. I see Santa as so much more than most people and I encourage my children to dream. Dream away with their feet permanently planted on a solid foundation of reason.
Thank you so much, Tracy, for allowing me to feature your post here on my blog.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you enjoyed this post you might also read: Yule Laugh
If you enjoyed this post you might also read: Yule Laugh
Or
you might enjoy: Thankful 365 Days a Year
Or
this one: Yule Love It
We are Atheists, and we're writing letters to Santa. And Tooth Fairy just came for a visit. We'd never push the believe, but it's part of the childhood, and we leave it open to them. Whenever I get a question along the way "does xy exist?", we ask back "what do YOU think?". And most of the time, they give the best answer to their questions :-)
ReplyDeleteI am utterly confused by this post. I have never, ever seen atheists *hating* on Santa, but my fundagelical whackjob Christian neighbors certainly hate him and don't celebrate Christmas because it's Pagan (which actually, you know, it is, down to the miraculous birth of the sun and the evergreens, gifting, singing, and feasting). Hmmm, is this another "Christians are soooo persecuted in American society because some random stranger didn't wish me Merry Christmas" reaction?
ReplyDeleteNope, I think it is just one woman feeling some attitude and letting it fly!
Delete*smile*
LOL, okay then! At least it's not the Atheists stridently insisting that a saint from Asia Minor (Turkey) must absolutely positively no questions about it be lily-white. :-)
DeleteOH FERGOODNESSSAKE NO!
DeleteLOL