From the beginning of our time here on this planet we have been a fearful lot.
In the earliest times we were the hunted as prey. Not any different than the rabbit lowering its head to take a drink from the brook. Our ears perked to attention, nervous twitching, looking over our shoulder, wide eyed, watching for the lions, and tigers and bears….
Oh my!
This is a great Youtube on this topic by Philhellenes, called
In the earliest times we were the hunted as prey. Not any different than the rabbit lowering its head to take a drink from the brook. Our ears perked to attention, nervous twitching, looking over our shoulder, wide eyed, watching for the lions, and tigers and bears….
Oh my!
This is a great Youtube on this topic by Philhellenes, called
God: The Love born of Fear. https://youtu.be/UcrJ2HFKogs
From this early human history not only were our fears formed but; our superstitions. Our need and desire to believe in a supernatural agent came to us at a very early time in our evolution. We developed an instinctive fear of the unknown.
To comfort ourselves; we created gods. We created superstitions. We create rituals to satisfy these superstitious theologies. Sacrifice, praying, creating doctrine, worshiping, all sorts of worldly offerings are created. We desperately attempt to fill the unknown gaps in our knowledge in order to gain a sense of control over our existence!
As well as, "over the tribe".
The elders of the tribe, the shamans of the hunter gatherer groups, speak.
Their words are one of maturity and comfort. They realize the position this gains them in the tribal community. They use it and build upon it in a way which helps the tribe to co-exist and thrive. These Shaman and the tribal chief are able to gain control and order among the people.
It works! For it's time.
To comfort ourselves; we created gods. We created superstitions. We create rituals to satisfy these superstitious theologies. Sacrifice, praying, creating doctrine, worshiping, all sorts of worldly offerings are created. We desperately attempt to fill the unknown gaps in our knowledge in order to gain a sense of control over our existence!
As well as, "over the tribe".
The elders of the tribe, the shamans of the hunter gatherer groups, speak.
Their words are one of maturity and comfort. They realize the position this gains them in the tribal community. They use it and build upon it in a way which helps the tribe to co-exist and thrive. These Shaman and the tribal chief are able to gain control and order among the people.
It works! For it's time.
Hence, we become comfortable in spreading little white lies to comfort ourselves and even to have a bit of fun! Fairies, leprechauns, unicorns, hobbits, .......Santa Claus!
We are very comfortable in telling our children about Santa Claus!
They are just kids, right?
They will figure it out!? .....
Right??
We'll tell them the truth, once they get a bit older. Let them have their bit of wonder, after all that is what being a child is all about, right? We can approach them once the age of reason begins to set in, 7 to 10 years old and then we can say,.......
“Yeah well, ah, ya know that little Santa story thing I was telling you about?”
I can see your starting to figure it out.... that maybe the story of the little fat man?
In the red hat that lives at the north pole with the sleigh and the 8 tiny reindeer?
That can fly while pulling Santa and a sled full of toys all around the world in one night, delivering toys to every good little girl and boy by sliding down their chimney while they sleep?
Ah; yeah!!.. well that, that story.... is not so much actually true!
They are just kids, right?
They will figure it out!? .....
Right??
We'll tell them the truth, once they get a bit older. Let them have their bit of wonder, after all that is what being a child is all about, right? We can approach them once the age of reason begins to set in, 7 to 10 years old and then we can say,.......
“Yeah well, ah, ya know that little Santa story thing I was telling you about?”
I can see your starting to figure it out.... that maybe the story of the little fat man?
In the red hat that lives at the north pole with the sleigh and the 8 tiny reindeer?
That can fly while pulling Santa and a sled full of toys all around the world in one night, delivering toys to every good little girl and boy by sliding down their chimney while they sleep?
Ah; yeah!!.. well that, that story.... is not so much actually true!
But, this other story!
The one you hear in church? Jesus, who is born under a star in a manger from a married virgin women?… Never mind, we can talk about this later.
Ahem...
The 3 wise men... and then he was brutally sacrificially killed,... because apparently you and I were born bad,... but then he comes back to life from the dead and then he flew with angels wings up to the sky to be in heaven in the clouds with his father who is God.... but it is really just God himself, as in,.. I ah.... mean like, Jesus IS God…ya see there is this trinity thing, Jesus, Holy Ghost Jesus and God,,,confusing I know…
Well that story,…??.
It’s true!
That one you can believe.
OR ELSE!
****************
The one you hear in church? Jesus, who is born under a star in a manger from a married virgin women?… Never mind, we can talk about this later.
Ahem...
The 3 wise men... and then he was brutally sacrificially killed,... because apparently you and I were born bad,... but then he comes back to life from the dead and then he flew with angels wings up to the sky to be in heaven in the clouds with his father who is God.... but it is really just God himself, as in,.. I ah.... mean like, Jesus IS God…ya see there is this trinity thing, Jesus, Holy Ghost Jesus and God,,,confusing I know…
Well that story,…??.
It’s true!
That one you can believe.
OR ELSE!
****************
Now what I have to say is not going to be popular, but after living my life and raising three kids, I am beginning to question the wisdom if not the appropriateness of lying to our children in this fashion. Having raised 3 boys I know the susceptibility of the developing child’s mind. They take in information very easily. It becomes solidified, like pouring concrete. It goes in easily and then any misinformation has to be chip out with great difficulty.
The development that takes place very early in the thinking centers of the child’s brain is critical. Here we are throwing out everything from God, to Santa to fairies and the boogie man at this young child and then expecting them to decipher what is real and what is not.
Could this be damaging to their thought process development?
It does at the very least, confuse them.
The people in their life that they depend upon most for their information and development are lying to them about the world because they think it’s cute and it builds imagination! This is debatable whether or not a child must be told a story is true in order for imagination to develop. But, let's not digress.
I don’t know for sure but this may be doing our future progeny a great disservice in the long run for their lives. Very little time in our life is lived, as a developing baby/toddler/child.
Is this really a good time to be playing games with their heads?
Critical thinking, just maybe, should be given a chance first?
The development that takes place very early in the thinking centers of the child’s brain is critical. Here we are throwing out everything from God, to Santa to fairies and the boogie man at this young child and then expecting them to decipher what is real and what is not.
Could this be damaging to their thought process development?
It does at the very least, confuse them.
The people in their life that they depend upon most for their information and development are lying to them about the world because they think it’s cute and it builds imagination! This is debatable whether or not a child must be told a story is true in order for imagination to develop. But, let's not digress.
I don’t know for sure but this may be doing our future progeny a great disservice in the long run for their lives. Very little time in our life is lived, as a developing baby/toddler/child.
Is this really a good time to be playing games with their heads?
Critical thinking, just maybe, should be given a chance first?
I’m not saying abolish Santa, or the Easter bunny, or Frodo or even the boogie man, you gotta have the boogie man for Halloween ya know! You can still have Santa; just tell them it is a story, like the a fairy tale or Star Wars from the start. There is no need to dress it up as reality. Would it really affect the way they perceive Christmas that much? I doubt it! What they want are presents.
Could it serve to set into their psyche, a world where believing in superstition is okay and acceptable?
Could it serve to set into their psyche, a world where believing in superstition is okay and acceptable?
Imagine this;
A future, in the same way that society frowns upon corporal punishment by parents or teachers. Or what a child is fed, like Mickey D’s!
What if there came a time that it was frowned upon to lie to a young child about the nature of the world in a manner that is presented as reality? That teaching your child at a very young age that; fantasy and superstition have a valid position in reality. If we begin taking the formation of young minds more seriously and cut out the lies like “fantasy is reality”, not only do I feel we would be well on our way to a more enlightened society but a much more reasonable one!
A future, in the same way that society frowns upon corporal punishment by parents or teachers. Or what a child is fed, like Mickey D’s!
What if there came a time that it was frowned upon to lie to a young child about the nature of the world in a manner that is presented as reality? That teaching your child at a very young age that; fantasy and superstition have a valid position in reality. If we begin taking the formation of young minds more seriously and cut out the lies like “fantasy is reality”, not only do I feel we would be well on our way to a more enlightened society but a much more reasonable one!
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