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Full title: Should we ban Christmas? Telling children the myth of Santa Claus could damage them, claims Richard Dawkins

This wouldn't be worth posting except for the fact that there are plenty of folks who would take this nut-case seriously.

1 posted on 06/06/2014 3:33:04 AM PDT by markomalley
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To: markomalley

Every morning I wake up and every morning the world has gone a little more insane.


2 posted on 06/06/2014 3:34:50 AM PDT by ilovesarah2012
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To: markomalley

Richard Dawkins is such a sad little man. All I can say is...Lighten up Francis


3 posted on 06/06/2014 3:35:58 AM PDT by icwhatudo (Low taxes and less spending in Sodom and Gomorrah is not my idea of a conservative victory)
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To: markomalley

It’s a Marxist idea, don’tcha know?


4 posted on 06/06/2014 3:36:17 AM PDT by AlexW
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To: markomalley

More evidence for the theory that atheists know perfectly well there is a God and they are furious with Him.


5 posted on 06/06/2014 3:37:24 AM PDT by Wiser now (Socialism does not eliminate poverty, it guarantees it.)
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To: markomalley

CS Lewis used to pulverize guys like Dawkins in debate all the time. It’s a shame he’s not around anymore, or someone like him.


6 posted on 06/06/2014 3:38:24 AM PDT by mkmensinger
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To: markomalley

Some Christians believe this.....a good friend of mine refused to allow his kids to believe in Santa. They didn’t want to lie to the kids. Ugh! They still celebrated Christmas but the presents came from the parents and Christmas was focused on the birth of Christ and not Santa Claus. My family celebrates both. My 16 year old doesn’t believe anymore, but would NEVER speak of it because he knows that Santa won’t bring gifts anymore. lol.


7 posted on 06/06/2014 3:39:21 AM PDT by napscoordinator (Governor Scott Walker 2016 for the future of the country!)
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To: markomalley

I don’t know how much damage is done - that sounds a little far-fetched.

I always told my kids the truth. We never did the whole Santa routine, or the tooth fairy, or anything else. I just figured that I’d want them to be able to believe me, so I didn’t bother with such sillyness.


8 posted on 06/06/2014 3:40:36 AM PDT by JudyinCanada
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To: markomalley

An atheist who is obsessed with religion isn’t an atheist.


9 posted on 06/06/2014 3:42:00 AM PDT by samtheman
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To: markomalley

Santa Claus serves many purposes. First, he brings joy and love into children’s lives. Then as children grow older, they learn that he doesn’t exist - which is a soft introduction to the disappoints that a child will face later in life. In other words, Santa Claus builds character. To deny a child that experience is to create soft, prissy children - which may exactly be what leftists want.

Dawkins is a true fool.


12 posted on 06/06/2014 3:52:14 AM PDT by miss marmelstein (Richard Lives Yet!)
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To: markomalley

Dunno. In a way, the story of Santa kinda prepares them for the real world. I.E. America is a democracy where citizens enjoy freedom. Surprise!


13 posted on 06/06/2014 3:54:08 AM PDT by ransacked
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To: markomalley

I’ve always wondered what the reason was for all my problems. It was that darn Santa Claus thing. Dang my parents!

O.o


15 posted on 06/06/2014 4:00:51 AM PDT by al_c (Obama's standing in the world has fallen so much that Kenya now claims he was born in America.)
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To: markomalley

Surely the man contradicts himself - his autobiography is entitled “an appetite for wonder” and yet he advocates scepticism and rationality, neither of which are particularly conducive to generating “wonder”.


16 posted on 06/06/2014 4:02:11 AM PDT by Vanders9
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To: markomalley

Let’s see... parents tell kids there is a Santa Claus... as the kids grow older, they begin to notice contradictory evidence. They then form a hypothesis about the existence of Santa Claus, and test it through observation. Eventually, the evidence leads them to determine that their parents are actually playing the role of Santa Clause.

It sounds like a good introduction to the scientific method, to me.


17 posted on 06/06/2014 4:07:21 AM PDT by exDemMom (Current visual of the hole the US continues to dig itself into: http://www.usdebtclock.org/)
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To: markomalley

Santa Claus certainly does exist. And he exists whether people believe it or not. He was a bishop in southern region of Turkey in the 400 s the fifth century

He took pity on children of poor families and gave them money anonymously

He was canonized ( after his death) As a saint catholics believe that he continues to take special care of, especially, people and petitions which are in his patronage ie children and sailors and monetary difficulties

He lived before the Orthodoxy and the Roman Catholic Church split so he is recognized in Orthodox Church as well

He continues to help at Christmas and his legend of coming through the chimney exists as he actuAlly does infuse the atmosphere with miracles, from God, to whom he and all saints, petition

I believe it’s where all mothers get energy and finances to properly present Jesus’ charity to kids and fathers the grace, energy and willingness to go along with setting up the house putting together toys etc

He existed long before the Brit poet personified him as santa and before corporations used him to sell stuff

His image in Europe is of a bishop not the fat jolly guy, who is just fine, in doses

Little kids understand mystery vey well and that is how they learn about the world. They learn faith early on in the mystery stage where they can get a sense of control and to take advantage of their way of learning is the opposite of abuse and lying. It is forming them in the belief of Jesus at the level they can learn it

St Nick is there to help that. As Jesus is there for all kids so is st Nick

As they get older they figure out the big guy doesn’t come through the chimney but that’s when they figure out the reality of a lot of their faantasies

But it is not a lie. Santa exists. Go to a gift store or a book store Christmas Eve and you can feel it. The place is full of men praying they get it right and have enough money


20 posted on 06/06/2014 4:20:40 AM PDT by stanne
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To: markomalley
Dawkins suggested it was 'pernicious to instil in a child the view that the world is shaped by supernaturalism.'

So he doesn't want them hearing about Wiccans, global warming, socialism, Barack 0bama's exceptional competency, and other liberal myths?

21 posted on 06/06/2014 4:23:38 AM PDT by Hardastarboard (Please excuse the potholes in this tagline. Social programs have to take priority in our funding.)
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To: markomalley

But I bet he would have no issue with show kids video of a bunch of homos kissing each other.


23 posted on 06/06/2014 4:29:14 AM PDT by VanDeKoik
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To: markomalley
Richard Dawkins who warned an audience at the Cheltenham Science Festival about the dangers of make-believe.

It's okay to play make-believe by castrating a little boy whose parents have convinced him that he wants to pretend to be female, and putting him on estrogen for life, but it's not okay to draw his attention to the birth of Jesus Christ? I can see why the typical leftist would take that position, but I can't see how a loving parent could believe it.

26 posted on 06/06/2014 4:52:59 AM PDT by Pollster1 ("Shall not be infringed" is unambiguous.)
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To: markomalley

Yes, like it damaged all of us who believed in Santa./S

STOP with this insanity already!


27 posted on 06/06/2014 4:54:50 AM PDT by CatherineofAragon ((Support Christian white males---the architects of the jewel known as Western Civilization).)
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To: markomalley

And, by the way, looking at the article, fairy tales are the basis for just about every good and memorable story, as formula.


31 posted on 06/06/2014 5:08:06 AM PDT by stanne
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To: markomalley
the appeal of fairytales lay in their magic but believes they may be causing more harm than we think.

Could have some validity.

Just look at what happened to America when the idiots fell for Barack Obama and his Hopey-Changie fairytales.....

/s


32 posted on 06/06/2014 5:09:20 AM PDT by Iron Munro (Black skin has morphed into Teflon.)
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