I had to ask. My daughter noticed Easter candy I bought today. She is 14 and a bit too old to believe in the Easter Bunny. I was joking around with her. I said the Easter Bunny doesn't come until Easter morning and turn out that light!
My daughter had and interesting response. She asked if it was the Easter Bunny or Easter Jesus that she was getting a basket of candy from.
Good question, even if from a teen. Why do people that believe in God tell their kids about the Easter Bunny, like I did?
I posted this on Western Religion to get differing views on the subject. Sorry if this is a repeat!! ******************************************************** 03-26-05, 02:57 PM frankvan At the age where children receive presents from the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, or Santa Claus, it seems to me far less inexcuseable than trying to indoctrinate them into their parents' personal religious beliefs. Nailing someone to a cross strikes me as a rather gruesome image for three and four year olds to picture. How much more benign is the jolly old Saint Nick! Teach a little child about a loving and all-poowerful God, who allows the nasty people to nail His Own Son to a cross --??? Yeah, that should teach them reality!! Roll Eyes
04-28-05, 08:00 PM Elexina Belief in a rabbit that brings eggs at the start of spring is a pagan belief that Christians adapted for their holiday. I'm not sure why Christians would teach their children such a thing. Not sure why anyone would, really. Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy... it's all just lying. Let them come to their own beliefs, I say. It's up to each parent to teach their kids how they feel best, but I agree: why do people who believe in God tell their kids about the Easter Bunny?
04-28-05, 09:07 PM jusork I still don't see why either of you see these myths as being meant by the parents for anything more than flat out fun. You guys act more like the kids aren't going to easily find out that they were just stories meant purely for fun by the time they're 7 or 8 years old.
04-29-05, 04:58 PM Elexina Sorry, I guess I just don't see the "fun" in lying to your children.
04-29-05, 09:51 PM jusork Well how many kids do you know who don't enjoy the Santa and Easter Bunny myths? It's no different than making up a mythical story to tell your kids at bedtime. Do you think that's just the same? It isn't the same thing as telling your kid he gets to go to Disney World if he finishes his homework, and then not taking him. One is unfair.
I think most people do it because they consider magical and simple things to be part of the essence of being a kid.
04-30-05, 06:24 PM Elexina It's one thing to tell your child a bedtime story which is obviously made up (they start with "once upon a time, and they're called "stories," not "truths"), it is quite another to take an imaginary being and entice your child to believe in it, only to have them find out years later that it was all made up. I'm sure parents have the best intentions and I'm not going to go on an anti-Santa-and-the-Easter-Bunny crusade, I simply don't think it's a good idea.
How many kids do I know that don't enjoy the myths? Well, first off, they aren't told that they are "myths," they are related as truth. Second, most of the kids tend to be confused by the stories of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, not understanding how such things are possible.
It's like telling your kid about the monsters under the bed or the boogeyman in the closet. Most kids are afraid of the dark -often because of stories told to them by their parents. My parents never told me such stories and I never had a problem getting up in the middle of the night for a glass of water.
We shouldn't bribe our kids to be good with promises of Disney World, or with stories of a magic list of naughty and nice. We should just be honest with them. That's how I feel about it.
And, as I've said, each parent is entitled to his own methods of child-rearing, so long as they're not doing any harm, but I still don't understand why people get such a kick out of making up things.
04-30-05, 09:15 PM jusork Well, it is certainly reasonable to just not make up stories.
What if you take the monsters example and flip it to a story about a beautiful and nice magical fairy that lives outside the kid's window?
Are the reasons kids are scared of the Boogeyman really because their parents tell stories about them? I didn't even know parents told such scary stories. I don't see any reason why the boogyman would come directly from parents stories though unless they were actually about the Boogeyman
This message has been edited. Last edited by: jusork, 04-30-05 10:12 PM
05-16-05, 04:08 AM ejamesglend "Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy... it's all just lying" And just a gimmic to get people spending money.
As much as I hate the idea of lying to kids, you shouldn't deprive them of the fun times of holidays. They are going to hear of it at school anyways(where they'll hear of the boogie man too) and you can't shelter them from the culture that is surrounding them. Maybe just telling them that it is all for fun, and not real, but still celibrate in some way.
I can't imagine a childhood without those times.
06-04-05, 12:31 AM edgeview Well, I still believe in the Easter Bunny. My parents took me to church every Easter without fail. I had a bunny, kept it in a cage. I called it Easter. But it never did lay an egg. I was sad. 07-17-05, 02:25 AM Wildflower63
quote: Originally posted by frankvan: At the age where children receive presents from the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, or Santa Claus, it seems to me far less inexcuseable than trying to indoctrinate them into their parents' personal religious beliefs.
Isn't that what family is about, teaching your children your family beliefs and values? Is it wrong for a parent to bring their child to church, corrupting their young mind with religion, not opening their eyes to differing religion or the choice of none at all?
Call me a horrible parent, if you wish. I raised my children to standards I believe in, with the values and beliefs of our family. I did not expose them to religion, which may have taught them nothing but ignorance.
Frank, I am guessing that you don't have children, but don't know that to be fact. You don't seem to understand that parents teach children what they believe as right, whether we are or not. We do the best we can, for our kids teaching them.
quote: Originally posted by frankvan: Nailing someone to a cross strikes me as a rather gruesome image for three and four year olds to picture. How much more benign is the jolly old Saint Nick!.
This is the problem I have, you are lying to kids, thinking they can't handle hisorical fact. When and where Jesus lived, crucifixion was a very common method of dealing with criminals, if you believe he really did exist. Even if you don't, it is still historical fact of how criminals were treated when religion and government were the same thing.
Is historical fact something we should shield our children from, but it's ok to lie to them about the Easter Bunny? That makes no sense to me.
quote: Teach a little child about a loving and all-poowerful God, who allows the nasty people to nail His Own Son to a cross --??? Yeah, that should teach them reality!! Roll Eyes
What part of The Bible did you read that leads you to believe God did this? People did this, not God. Roll you eyes all you want, but that is the fact.
07-17-05, 11:08 AM newnickname
quote: What part of The Bible did you read that leads you to believe God did this? People did this, not God.
Matthew 27:46 'About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"'
The gospel writer(s) apparently felt that Jesus felt that God had allowed 'people to nail His Own Son to a cross'. There's also the logic of Christianity, which apparently demands that Jesus be sacrificed to atone for mankind's sins. If you accept that 'washed in the blood of the lamb' idea, then don't you also have to accept that the logic and demand were set up by God?
07-17-05, 12:10 PM frankvan "Is it wrong for a parent to bring their child to church, corrupting their young mind with religion, not opening their eyes to differing religion or the choice of none at all?" WF
I don't understand what you are saying here. Are you recommending that because religion corrupts young minds, one should expose them to many different ones?
"This is the problem I have, you are lying to kids, thinking they can't handle hisorical fact. When and where Jesus lived, crucifixion was a very common method of dealing with criminals, if you believe he really did exist. Even if you don't, it is still historical fact of how criminals were treated when religion and government were the same thing" WF
Granted that crucifixion was commonplace, how many other crucifixions do you know of.? The reason we inflict such gruesome images on young children is because of the religious significance - the notion that Jesus was not merely a human but a Son Of God! Doesn't it seem a little inconsistent with the rest of the theistic teachings, especially in the mind of the young child?
"Is historical fact something we should shield our children from, but it's ok to lie to them about the Easter Bunny? That makes no sense to me." WF
I agree with the teaching of historical fact, but the christian accounts of biblical events can hardly be considered factual by any stretch. And I believe in teaching all things at appropriate ages, the objective being to educate, not confuse or indoctrinate. I'll grant that Santa and the easter bunny are fictitious, but I agree with Jusork that they are relatively harmless myths, as children will soon discover on their own. Telling your homely child that she's beautiful would fall into that category, IMHO
"What part of The Bible did you read that leads you to believe God did this? People did this, not God. Roll you eyes all you want, but that is the fact" WF
Since I don't believe in God, naturally I don't believe that "God did this".My objection is that I find it more offensive to try to indoctrinate young children that a "loving God" who "could" prevent this, allows "his only begotten son" to be crucified. I remember what I thought of that when I was a pre-schooler.But NNN has already answered this issue.
07-17-05, 12:20 PM juanruiz
quote: Originally posted by newnickname:
quote: What part of The Bible did you read that leads you to believe God did this? People did this, not God.
Matthew 27:46 'About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"'
The gospel writer(s) apparently felt that Jesus felt that God had allowed 'people to nail His Own Son to a cross'. There's also the logic of Christianity, which apparently demands that Jesus be sacrificed to atone for mankind's sins. If you accept that 'washed in the blood of the lamb' idea, then don't you also have to accept that the logic and demand were set up by God?
Jesus' apostrophe cited by nnn is just one more example of the MT evangelist plagiarizing the OT for his own narrative purposes.
Who was responsible for Jesus' crucifixion is a bit of a fly in the oinment for Christians. If it was God the Father, did his demand for a blood sacrifice as atonement mean that he was powerless to forgive in any other way? That there was some cosmic force at work that even neutralized him? Further, if this was foreordained, unavoidable, why are humans, the Jews in general and Judas in particular, made to suffer opprobium? Shouldn't the latter especially be rewarded for doing his job so well?
07-18-05, 12:03 PM Wildflower63 That could be interpreted to mean that God didn't intervine, couldn't it??
07-18-05, 01:17 PM juanruiz
quote: That could be interpreted to mean that God didn't intervine, couldn't it??
No, not when you throw in the Gethsemane prayer.
"Let this cup pass from me...but not my will but THY will be done." i.e., it was his plan to begin with.
03-03-06, 03:19 AM HOSS I am a christian. I live by as much bible as I can. I have 2 kids 3 & 5 . My kids don't do easter or Christmas. I have bible on why and they understand why and have no problem with it.
People will say they are christians then lie to there own children. if you are a christian that is not of Christ. christmas and easter are not of the bible either.
If anybody wants there kids involved in such things thats up to them. I do my thing you do yours. thanks. HOSS
03-04-06, 12:28 PM newnickname Hi, Hoss (is that from Bonanza? Smile), welcome to Answerpool.
I like your idea 'I do my thing you do yours' - it seems a reasonable way to get along with others. But other Christians say that the Bible tells them to save and convert others - it's part of their Christian duty. You don't agree with them?
03-04-06, 05:08 PM Insaf Jesus had appointed the 12 disciples to preach the word of God to the 12 tribes of Israel (Jews).
Book of Mathews: 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Later on, after the departure of Jesus, Paul (the 13th, self-appointed disciple) revised/changed many of the teachings of Jesus and one of them was to spread Christianity to the non-jews(gentiles). So` if a christian is preaching, according to Jesus ,it should be restricted to Jews.
03-04-06, 09:43 PM HOSS Hello newnickname
I have a lot of verses on why I believe this way. but I'll just give you a quick reason.
To start with the lies. easter bunnys, eggs, etc people have many views on this. I choose to be truthful with my kids. I would like my kids to learn why and what I believe. how could I expect them to believe the things I do when I raise them in lies. for an example religion. I don't want them to wonder if I am lying about that to.
Also there is bible on merchants. there is great profit in these days. you might say the rich get richer and the poor gets poorer. this is not of the Lord I serve.
Also I do believe Christ did give his life for his people. and I believe he raised from the dead. My point is for this I believe I owe him everyday. not one or two. especially if I use these days to lie to children.
Don't get me wrong I don't try to hide them from these things and I am not offended in them. these things are there and will always be.
believe me I hear about this often. most people do not even listen to why I look at these days this way.
This is a great site. I wish I would have found this place sooner.
I don't know if you believe or not. but either way it is nice to be asked why I fill this way instead of getting hammerd.[if you know what I mean.
Thanks.Hoss
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