. . . every one of us shall give account of himself to. . . (Romans 14:12)
Santa.
He’s making a list, He’s checking it twice
He’s gonna find out Who’s naughty or nice
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Excerpts from:
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“A wink of his eye, and a twist of his head,
soon led me to know I had nothing to dread.”
—Twas’ the Night Before Christmas, Clement C. Moore
| THE CONCERN |
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And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. John 9:42 |
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Who, REALLY, is this man we affectionately call Santa Claus?
What do we REALLY know about Santa?
Is Santa just a jolly, harmless, friendly fellow?
Or is there something or someone else hiding behind jolly ol’ St. Nick?
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The first major problem in the Santa Claus saga is the person of St. Nicholas. There is very little evidence, if any, that the man St. Nicholas actually existed.
Nicholas’ existence is not attested by any historical document, so nothing certain is known of his life except that he was probably bishop of Myra in the fourth century. . .
(“Nicholas, Saint” Encyclopaedia Britannica 99)Nicholas, Saint (lived 4th century), Christian prelate, patron saint of Russia, traditionally associated with Christmas celebrations. The accounts of his life are confused and historically unconfirmed.
(“Nicholas, Saint” Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 99)
Unfortunately, very little is known about the real St. Nicholas. Countless legends have grown up around this very popular saint, but very little historical evidence is available. (Del Re, Gerard and Patricia. The Christmas Almanack. New York: Random House, 2004, p. 130)
In 1969, the final nail in the coffin to the feeble fable of St. Nicholas was officially hammered down. Despite the fact, St. Nicholas is among Roman Catholicism’s most popular and venerated “Saints,” Pope Paul VI officially decreed the feast of Saint Nicholas removed from the Roman Catholic calendar. UPI Wire Services reported that St. Nicholas and forty other saints were deleted because “of doubt that they ever existed.” (“Pope Marches 40 Saints Off Official Church Calendar.” UPI Wire Services. <www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=389>)
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Previously, we established the peculiar fact that today’s Santa Claus and St. Nicholas are not the same. They never have been. Santa Claus is dressed in a long shaggy beard, furs, short, burly and obese. The legends of St. Nicholas portrayed a thin, tall, neatly dressed man in religious apparel. You could not possibly find two different characters.
If Nicholas, the ascetic bishop of fourth-century Asia Manor, could see Santa Claus, he would not know who he was. (Del Re, Gerard and Patricia. The Christmas Almanack. New York: Random House, 2004, pp. 138,141)So the legends of Saint Nicholas afford but a slight clew to the origin of Santa Klaus,–alike, indeed, in name but so unlike in all other respects. (Walsh, William S. The Story of Santa Klaus. Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1970, p. 54)
The startling fact is, Santa Claus is not the Bishop St. Nicholas – but his Dark Helper!
In certain German children’s games, the Saint Nicholas figure itself is the Dark Helper, a devil who wants to punish children, but is stopped from doing so by Christ. (Renterghem, Tony van. When Santa Was a Shaman. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1995, p. 105)
Black Pete, the ‘grandfather’ of our modern Santa Claus. Known in Holland as Zwarte Piet, this eighteenth-century German version, is—like his ancient shamanic ancestor—still horned, fur-clad, scary, and less than kind to children. Although portrayed as the slave helper of Saint Nicholas, the two are, in many villages, blended into one character. This figure often has the name Nikolass or Klaus, but has the swarthy appearance of the Dark Helper. (Renterghem, Tony van. When Santa Was a Shaman. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1995, p. 98)
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While Santa and Claus may be disguising their real meaning – there is no disguising St. Nick. He is a well-known character.
Old Nick: A well-known British name of the Devil. It seems probable that this name is derived from the Dutch Nikken, the devil… (Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology, p.650)
Nick, the devil. (Walter W. Sleay, Concise Dictionary of English Etymology, p. 304)
Devil: Besides the name Satan, he is also called Beelzebub, Lucifer . . . and in popular or rustic speech by many familiar terms as Old Nick . . . (Oxford English Dictionary Vol III D-E)
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Santa’s Little Helpers?
Santa has some cute little helpers called elves. Webster’s Dictionary has an interesting definition for the friendly elf:
ELF
1. A wandering spirit; a fairy; a hobgoblin; an imaginary being which our rude ancestors supposed to inhabit unfrequented places, and in various ways to affect mankind. . .
2. An evil spirit; a devil.
(Webster’s Dictionary “elf”)
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Oh, how he loves the little children.
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
They are precious in his site.
Santa loves the little children of the world.
They stand in line to sit in his loving lap. They get their picture with Santa. They tell Santa their most intimate secrets.
They love their Santa – because he first loved them.
Is there something slightly familiar with this picture?
13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Mark 10:13-14
We love him, because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19
Satan is accomplishing EXACTLY what he desired.
Satan’s ultimate goal is worship. And millions of children are lovingly giving him their God-given child-like faith. They love their Santa! They worship their Santa!
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Santa is All Knowing – He is Omniscient
He knows. . .ALL
He KNOWS when you’re awake
He KNOWS if you’ve been good or bad.”
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Santa is Everywhere – He is Omnipresent
Santa miraculously visits millions of children, all across the world, in one “quick as a wink” night. “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. . .” (1 Cor. 15:52) – Santa appears – all over the world!
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Santa is All-Powerful – He is Omnipotent
To the average child – Santa can do anything. The following are actual letters to Santa from children, taken from a local newspaper.
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Their Santa NEVER fails!
In one night, the all-powerful, Santa delivers millions and millions of gifts to children all around the world. Who could do that? Now, who REALLY believes that? That little child who has been preached to about Santa. That is who. They believe it. Just ask one. Nothing is too hard for their Santa. If the Christian world had, even a small drop of the faith the average child has in Santa – we’d have revival overnight!
Isn’t it amazing what these little children actually believe “with all their heart” about their great god and saviour Santa?
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. . . every one of us shall give account of himself to. . . (Romans 14:12)
Santa.
He’s making a list, He’s checking it twice
He’s gonna find out Who’s naughty or nice
So then every one of us shall give account of himself to. . . Santa?
Entire Article Here
Related:
Santa Unmasked: The Origin of the St. Nicholas Cult — Why Europe is so messed up … and US!
The Christmas Compromise: It All Began With a Tree and a Snake — Enacting Out an Ancient Tradition of Tree Worship
The Origin of Christmas: Should a Christian Celebrate X-Mas?
[3-minute video] The Origins of Christmas — It is not the birthday of Christ
[photo] Still not convinced? Proof that Santa Claus isn’t real
[ audio ] Parents stop lying to your kids about Santa Claus — “Look them in the eyes, beg forgiveness, because you’ve really been lying to them and setting them up….”
