| DR |
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True but...
#268729 - 11/16/11 04:16 PM
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WTF is that all about? I'm too lazy to Google it. The text at the bottom reads "Stop lying to your children about Santa Claus"
What bunch of fucking kill joys, couldnt they find anything better to spend their money on than that?
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There is no sin except stupidity.
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| Hizzout |
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70's baby, early 80's child
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Re: True but...
[Re: DR]
#268732 - 11/16/11 04:48 PM
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IIRC, you're a fellow atheist like myself. A lot of atheists don't want their kids beliving in things that don't exist like Santa in this case.
I on the other hand think it's a GOOD thing for my daughters to believe in Santa at least for now, so that as they get older they'll start to question the validity of the legend and they'll piece together why it doesn't make sense. This will be a springboard for them to think about other legends and fables and question things in a search for truth.
Slightly off-topic: I've been reading Richard Dawkins newest book The Magic Of Reality - How We Know What's Really True and it's excellent. Dawkins will first present several myths and stories (not just Christian stories BTW) of how things are or came to be like rainbows, earthquakes, the sun, etc. and then details the scientific explanation for the same. The book is about finding the wonder and amazement in discovering seemingly everyday things scientifically instead of using myths and legends to explain it all.
Edited by Hizzout (11/16/11 05:29 PM)
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GatKong |
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Tetris Mason
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Re: True but...
[Re: Hizzout]
#268736 - 11/16/11 06:28 PM
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What's Christmas (other than the name) got to do with Christ? He was born in September, not December. Christians celebrate Jesus's birthsday in December because it helped convert the norse if they were allowed to keep their 'pagan' holiday celebrations, and just had to change the context for them. Same goes for Easter, which is based on the phases of the moon, not on the historical date of Jesus' crusifixion (Christians never ask how come the 40 days of lent aren't 40 days).
This past weekend we put up our Christmas Tree, a nice non-christian celebration of the renewal of life from the Tree of Thor, cut down by Saint Bonifice and replaced with a fir tree decorated with Christian symbols to encourage the 'pagans' to celebrate christianity instead. We hung our stockings, a nod to the dutch Sinterklaas and his gifts to the children. I always look forward to cheer and good will toward men. I love Christmas. Sure, eventually the kids figure out Santa Clause and everything else associated with Christmas is fantasy, but it's such a great holiday.
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| Hizzout |
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70's baby, early 80's child
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Re: True but...
[Re: GatKong]
#268738 - 11/16/11 06:55 PM
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Quote:
What's Christmas (other than the name) got to do with Christ?
Keep Thor in Thursday!
You've already put up your Christmas decorations? My wife would if she could since it's her favorite holiday, but since Thanksgiving is MY favorite holiday (who doesn't enjoy a day full of eating, sleeping, and watching football?!) she waits until the day after Thanksgiving to put up the decorations.
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| DR |
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Skeptical Linkbot
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Re: True but...
[Re: Hizzout]
#268809 - 11/17/11 09:48 AM
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> IIRC, you're a fellow atheist like myself. A lot of atheists don't want their kids
> beliving in things that don't exist like Santa in this case.
Yeah, some people need to get a grip.
> I on the other hand think it's a GOOD thing for my daughters to believe in Santa at
> least for now, so that as they get older they'll start to question the validity of
> the legend and they'll piece together why it doesn't make sense. This will be a
> springboard for them to think about other legends and fables and question things in a
> search for truth.
When it comes to fantasy and magical thinking I have no problem in my son believing some things that don't exist are real. Like you say most of us eventually work out what is real and what isn't based on evidence. However, that only works if you don't have someone telling you what to think from childhood regardless of any evidence and telling you if you don't believe it you are bad and will suffer the consequences. That shit is hard to ignore even when you are old enough to know its nonsense I know my wife has trouble with it after being raised in a strict Catholic family. Thankfuly I was raised much as I raise my son learning about religion but not forced to believe.
> Slightly off-topic: I've been reading Richard Dawkins newest book The Magic Of
> Reality - How We Know What's Really True and it's excellent. Dawkins will first
> present several myths and stories (not just Christian stories BTW) of how things are
> or came to be like rainbows, earthquakes, the sun, etc. and then details the
> scientific explanation for the same. The book is about finding the wonder and
> amazement in discovering seemingly everyday things scientifically instead of using
> myths and legends to explain it all.
I've seen it on the shelves, yet to read it. Contrary to popular belief I have only read two Dawkins books, it looks like a good book for someone with kids to help explain the world around us.
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There is no sin except stupidity.
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| DR |
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Skeptical Linkbot
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Re: True but...
[Re: GatKong]
#268810 - 11/17/11 09:51 AM
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> What's Christmas (other than the name) got to do with Christ? He was born in
> September, not December. Christians celebrate Jesus's birthsday in December because
> it helped convert the norse if they were allowed to keep their 'pagan' holiday
> celebrations, and just had to change the context for them. Same goes for Easter,
> which is based on the phases of the moon, not on the historical date of Jesus'
To quote a long lost miserable old Brit bast... "true dat".
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