Hi Marian,
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marianinark  Laura, I didn't say anyone said Santa Claus was God. I said he is given the attributes of God...i.e. he sees all and knows all, and rewards the good, but punishes the bad. |
I not sure about the "sees all and knows all" part. There is the part of the song, "he sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake. He knows when you've been bad or good..." Who is it that knows when a child is sleeping or awake? Who is it that knows when a child has been behaving or not? Who is it that is to not "spare the rod"? Who is it that is not to provoke a child to anger? Is it not the child's own parents? Santa to me has always had the attributes of and stood in for mom and dad. I've never thought of those attributes as belonging to God.
Now, in so much as the attributes of parents can be seen as similar to the attributes of God when one examines the analogy of a father to son and God being our Father and us being adopted sons, I supposed one could draw that line. Maybe some do. I just never did.
I am curious. Do you believe it is okay to celebrate Christmas religiously as long as we leave Santa out?