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Edit: So your point is, as applies to this thread...? The OP's contention is that belief in God "should" die out like belief in Santa Claus dies out. You're refuting this, then, and agreeing that Santa belief and God belief are not the same thing?
That's not what I was saying -- it should, agree -- but, they are also very different in many ways, and God did not die off as easily as Santa did (even though they both are fairy tale figures).
Why Santa died off while religious God did not as a person growing up?
Because Santa is not a coercive religion; God is. There is no church of Santa, one does not need to worship, repent, rapture to Santa. Santa is not coercive. God is all of that.
No A child merely has to stay up all night on Christmas Eve, and there is the proof, no Santa. The urban legend of Santa was not clearly thought out, Santa must make an annual appearance or his existence is proven false. Easter Bunny, tooth fairy, and others, all suffer a similar fate when they can't show up as advertised.
Deities on the other hand don't have to make routine appearances. Kinda like Leprechauns, no schedule to follow, so who can really say and both will always have someone deluded enough to say they saw/heard them
In summation I leave you with this thought:
Quote:
What can be asserted without proof can be dismissed without proof. – Christopher Hitchens
No A child merely has to stay up all night on Christmas Eve, and there is the proof, no Santa. The urban legend of Santa was not clearly thought out, Santa must make an annual appearance or his existence is proven false. Easter Bunny, tooth fairy, and others, all suffer a similar fate when they can't show up as advertised.
Deities on the other hand don't have to make routine appearances. Kinda like Leprechauns, no schedule to follow, so who can really say and both will always have someone deluded enough to say they saw/heard them
In summation I leave you with this thought:What can be asserted without proof can be dismissed without proof. – Christopher Hitchens
Hitchens has more good sense in his pinky than most of the half educated bible thumpers can muster in total.
Why Santa died off while religious God did not as a person growing up?
Because Santa is not a coercive religion; God is. There is no church of Santa, one does not need to worship, repent, rapture to Santa. Santa is not coercive. God is all of that.
And other than the bible or other verbal meanderings of primitive mankind how can you prove that? The most modern initiation of a new religion happened about fifteen hundred years ago...unless you want to seriously entertain the fabrication of Joseph Smith about angels and tabloids of gold which nobody ever saw except Joseph himself. Mr. Smith was a convicted con man who was more or less run out of his home town.
And other than the bible or other verbal meanderings of primitive mankind how can you prove that? The most modern initiation of a new religion happened about fifteen hundred years ago...unless you want to seriously entertain the fabrication of Joseph Smith about angels and tabloids of gold which nobody ever saw except Joseph himself. Mr. Smith was a convicted con man who was more or less run out of his home town.
Yes, Mormonism is a religion and I think you are forgetting Scientology. Fifty years ago or fifty centuries ago - all of them are equally man-made fabrications.
Santa Claus isn't jealous. He doesn't mind if you believe in the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy too. Now that's a Trinity for you!
In my experience, it doesn't seem that your mind is particularly open to allowing others to freely believe in the way they choose.
Equating the "Father-Son-Holy Spirit" to "Santa Claus-Easter Bunny-Tooth Fairy"...veeeeeery disrespectful...and I think you know that. So, to what end did you do that? I know the answer to that...I just wonder what you'll have to say.
General snark--Cool
High-end snark, a la Rafius--Very Cool and great entertainment
Snark that puts forth a completely unnecessary disrespect toward differing beliefs, a Deity, or sacred writings...like Trinity mocking--Not cool, insulting just for the sake of insult, and indicative of bias and gratuitous hatred.
At least you stay true to form...so, props for consistency. Though I can see my words fall on deaf ears...in fact, you take exception to my taking exception. You want a free pass for your disrespect. Lucky for you, you live where you live...in some countries you'd probably do that at your great peril. I bet you wouldn't be so bold there.
Santa Claus isn't jealous. He doesn't mind if you believe in the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy too. Now that's a Trinity for you!
I don’t think it is disrespectful to Santa to say the Easter bunny and Tooth fairy are part of the trinity.
I see it as pointing out the obvious.
Some can’t see the obvious.
Others see it as snark.
I like that word. SNARK.
GldnRule: I actually meant no real disrespect, as I made the Trinity comment in fun and most would take it that way, but I'm not surprised that you took offense. A sense of humour should not be too much to ask, at least for anyone not hopelessly orthodox. Lighten up! Everyone knows you're very religious. You needn't be in any doubt of that. You have nothing to prove except the validity of your beliefs. OK, now that was a bit snarky.
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A child merely has to stay up all night on Christmas Eve, and there is the proof, no Santa. The urban legend of Santa was not clearly thought out, Santa must make an annual appearance or his existence is proven false. Easter Bunny, tooth fairy, and others, all suffer a similar fate when they can't show up as advertised.
