Amos

Hello BH, do you think maybe it is easier to believe in Santa Claus because we fail to come full circle on the seventh day where we will find the infinite rest and no longer have to believe in anything . . . not even Santa Claus?

If Santa Claus (St. Nicholas) is a foreshadow for children of what is to come later in life for adults (cf. "faith seeking understanding on Dec.6 and Jan.6), does this not prove that Santa is for children only and that your pledge of allegiance to Santa actually proofs your misunderstanding of both the Christ-mass and St. Nicholas.

Need I say more to prove that Christmas is for Catholics only?

Yes indeed your post was much to long to object to every error you made. For one, if both keep a Holy Book why would you conclude that only one is onmiscient?

If Santa is a foreshadow, why would it be need to be borrowed? Can a foreshadow be conceived to exist all on its own?

If there are rewards there are punishments (except maybe in the eyes of an analytic Englishman in who's mind good can be conceived to exist without evil).

And so on, but for now, you better be good or Santa will be angry with you.

[ December 15, 2002: Message edited by: Amos ]</p>

ManM

I've heard that St. Nicholas of Myra secretely gave gifts to children. Perhaps there is some truth behind the trappings of Santa after all.

Living Dead Chipmunk

Bible Humper:

Ok, you win. Where do I sign up to be a Santaist?

Bible Humper

Get thee to the local shopping mall, and pay homage to the man in red.

Do none of the theists here have an answer to the challenge?

The last paragraph is the entire point in brief. Santa and Yahweh both cannot be demonstrated to not exist, but you only believe in the latter. Explain a rational process, one which is devoid of non-rational considerations such as social pressure, indoctrination, credulity, and emotions, by which you came to believe that Yahweh exists. The non-demonstrability of Yahweh's non-existence is shared by Santa, so if that's enough for you, then you should believe in him too if you're being consistent.

Is there nothing at all? I think that there isn't.

[ December 17, 2002: Message edited by: Bible Humper ]</p>

luvluv

Bible Humper:

I think that's true if one uses the process or elimination to establish their beliefs. True, I can't prove Santa's non-existence anymore than I could prove God's non-existence. However, I can have reasons to believe in God, that are personal and subjective, that I don't have for believing in Santa Claus. I don't believe in Santa Clause both because I can't prove He exists and I have no reasons for believing in him. Of course, Deistic hypotheses could also escape this connundrum, by saying that a God of some kind is necessary for the big bang and the anthropic coincidences and whatnot. So they aren't in quite the same epistemic boat yet.

But none of this saves you from the fact that, to be consistent, you have to start a website about Santa-atheism.