Religious offenses

Published On: December 20, 2011|Categories: MRFF's Inbox|0 Comments|

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To whom it may concern,

With the evolution of Christmas and what it means, Santa Claus has taken the forefront of the marketing scene and every other symbolism of Christmas. This constitutes a religion, wouldn’t you say? Santa Claus has become a religious figure with appropriate beliefs and actions to follow. If you’re good, you get presents. If you’re bad, you get a lump of coal. He’s able to accomplish supernatural things, like circumventing the world in a single night and enabling reindeer to fly. Everything about Santa Claus reveres him as a religious leader.

As a person who doesn’t believe in Santa Claus, that offends me! Are you willing to advocate on my behalf to have all Santa Claus propaganda retreated to their appropriate places?

I look forward to your reply…

(name withheld)


Hi (name withheld) and Merry Christmas.

My name is Rick Baker and I am a long time supporter of and past volunteer for MRFF.

I occasionally receive a copy of communications MRFF receives and got a copy of yours recently. I got a kick out of it and thought I would write you about my thoughts on it.

I have been Santa for the kids 26 years this Christmas. Because I am a former Air Force officer and rescue pilot, I am Santa mostly for the kids at Fort Carson and Peterson AFB but I still do the kids ward at the hospital and a couple of old folks retirement residences.

I really don’t think Santa has become a religion. He has been a secular figure for so long that his origins as a Christian Bishop or Saint or even his name which is a garbled version of St. Nicholas have been lost to the secular lore of the North Pole, Mrs. Claus, reindeer and a bevy of snarky elves.

In my years as Santa I have gotten no inquiries of a religious nature, although a few kids have asked me if I knew Jesus. I guess they figured that both Jesus and I fly around the sky together so we might pal around. But they made no connection between the two.

It is my considered opinion that Santa has been able to maintain his objectivity and thinking back over the thousands of children and adults I have greeted and spoken to I must say that I was received as what I was, a plump caricature of a legend who’s often bizarre stories of Rudolph needing carrots to brighten up his nose to the deteriorating quality of Mrs. Claus’s Hot Chocolate brought a smile to kid and adult alike.

Truly, I see not even a vague similarity between Santa and the religious part of Christmas and I hope they always remain separate.

I think the final convincing factor for me is that generally, entering the teen years, sometimes earlier, kids find out there is no Santa Claus. This doesn’t happen much with God. He’s a lifer.

I hope you have a wonderful holiday and i is all that you hope and wish for. If there is any thing special you want for Christmas let me know, as I still have some influence with Santa.

Cheers!

Rick Baker
Colorado Springs

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