Thursday, December 21, 2006

Faith in schools.

I never believed in Santa Clause, Father Christmas or what ever you want to call him, and I don't think children benefit from being fooled, so I'm probably the wrong person to comment on this story about a school apologising for telling their students that Father Christmas doesn't exist. Christmas was apparently ruined for one family who wrote: "... we might have had one last Christmas without her knowing if it hadn't been for the school."

My first reaction was to think it incredible that school age children would believe in Father Christmas, but then I realised that in the UK 5 year olds are sent to school. The problem is, however, that the children in question were 9-10 years old.

Although I cannot prove that Father Christmas doesn't exist and I believe schools should be respectful of the religious faith of parents, I still find it disturbing when schools apologises to parents for revealing what is considered common knowledge about Father Christmas and Royal Mail.

Where is the anti-PC brigade when you need them?

5 Comments:

At 21 December, 2006 03:31, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Torsten, Charles here from Michigan! I am part of the anti-pc brigade! :-) Here in the states, its going strong against Christmas. Check out this story: http://www.fox28.com/News/index.php?ID=10198

This just cracked me up! This is not the worst of it. One town council in America actually did not allow people to put up blue flags with white snow-flakes because they thought it was pro-Jewish. I guess the colors of the flag reminded them of the colors of the flag of Israel, and the snow flake sort of resembled the Jewish star. I will try to find the link.... Can you believe it? Wow.

Anyhow, being pc has just gotten a bit too much - it's just becoming ridiculous. We don't teach or kids about Santa. I am Santa Clause to the kids - not some fat bearded dude who lives in the North Pole, but that is just a personal choice. Decisions like that should be left to the parents, not schools.

 
At 22 December, 2006 03:14, Blogger Perez said...

I do not understand why does anyone care about Santa becasue he is not the reason for Christmas...The birth of the Christ child is the whole reason Christmas is celebrated...But as you said the p c world we live in tells us to be nice to everyone...Nice story...Perez

 
At 23 December, 2006 11:35, Blogger Torsten Pedersen said...

Yes parents complaining about bus drivers wearing santa hats etc is ridiculous, it shows a complete lack of propriety and reason. Unfortunately christmas has become a battleground in the cultural wars.

We Christians are partially guilty in participating in this war of cultural domination. Let the Secularist, Humanist, Atheist or whoever is offended by Christmas have their way on this one, and let them be the ones fighting over words and symbols.

As Perez, points out, the way the western world celebrates christmas is far removed from the birth, in scandalous circumstances, of a jewish boy in Bethlehem 2000 years ago.

 
At 23 December, 2006 13:53, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Torsten, (Charles again) couldn't agree more. Certain elements of the right wing of the party over here, specifically dominated by conservative Christianity tends to make fools of themselves in their rabid support of Christmas. My point was that secularists and their crowd are even attacking Santa Clause - and he is not a Christian Symbol. Yet here in America, they are attacking Santa as if he was on par with the Baby Jesus, and equating him with Christianity.

Obviously, the reason why Kiersten and I don't teach our kids that there is a Santa is that its false and Jesus is the "Reason for the Season". I couldn't agree more than that. Christ is the whole purpose of any Christmas celebration in our home - the Santa part (decorations, ornaments) is just traditional Christmas fun, nothing more.

I guess my point is that here in America, a very small majority is starting to ruin the fun and "Spirit of Christmas" that we all enjoy - whether it is Jesus or that fake guy, Santa. We really need to defend the freedoms of expression that are slowly being taken away from Christians, and even some secularist who believe in Santa - but, mostly, the freedoms are only being taken away from or directed at Christians. Some areas in the country won't allow any Christmas decorations to put up so as not to offend anyone who doesn't celebrate Christmas. Thats ridiculous!

I think that Christian's reactions to this is due, in large part, to the fact that a small minority is trying to eradicate every remaining facet of our faith from our history and current events, whether public or private. Freedom of expression is being trampled for the sake of being Politically Correct. And this make Christians nervous. How long will it be before we are not allowed to worship the way we want too? How long will it be before pastors and teachers can't teach Biblical truth even in Churches and Private schools? This is the fear and the reason why Christians have such a strong reaction to how the liberal ideology is attacking Christmas.

Thanks for responding! God bless and Merry Christmas to all!

 
At 24 December, 2006 01:18, Blogger Perez said...

You guys are both right....I can not believe people can attack a holiday...Why do people not attack Easter...Or another hoilday...But I think it is all about money...The liberal media twist everything also...But I think Charles, the p c will not go into church and many Christians know the bible stories so how can anyone twist them? -perez

 

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