Biggest Conspiracy Ever: SANTA!, page 1
Pages:
ATS Members have flagged this thread 0 times
Topic started on 7-3-2008 @ 09:51 PM by shipovfools
Think about it. All the parents who actively encourage the Santa Claus myth amongst their children and sneak presents under the tree to foster belief in this mysterious immortal sky sleigh pilot.

This is something that has been on my mind lately. I find the history of Santa quite fascinating. You can find much information online about the various pagan origins of Christmas (and other Christian holidays.) I'm not going in to all that, but it is a point to keep in mind. It seems that Santa Claus is a strange amalgam of Christian and pagan traditions.

I will disclose that I am a rather mystically inclined agnostic myself, but I was raised in a Christian family, confirmed in a Lutheran church and believing in Santa Claus for many childhood years. From what I understand about Christianity, the very overwhelming focus on Santa Claus - considering the symbol's associations with both pagan figures and rampant consumerism - would very well be considered sacrilege and an encroachment on the sanctity of their "holy day."

There is also the corporate angle to this. The ubiquitous image of our modern Santa was highly influenced by Coca Cola advertising. I'll give you the Snopes story first. While debunking the myth that "the modern image of Santa Claus was created by Coca Cola," they make a good case for the significant role Coke played in cementing that image in our collective minds.

Here's what Coke has to say about it. They seem rather proud of the role they have played. And this Alternet article suggests that the Santa ad campaign was responsible for boosting the slumping sales of Coke when its namesake ingredient was banned - forcing the company to target a new market. Funny to think that the world's favorite soda began as a drug dealer. Maybe they're not so different today.

I personally don't know what to think about this, but I do have a strong suspicion that much of it is corporate. I would venture that our whole concept of "Christmas," including the standardized Santa myth, is a calculated effort to encourage consumer culture - and give the companies a nice boost at the end of the year!

What about the parents who protest against letting kids believe in Santa?

I don't think that believing in Santa scarred me in any way. In fact, I tried to pretend I still believed long after I figured it out, because it seemed my parents enjoy playing the game so much (and I had a younger sister for whom I didn't want to ruin it.) Its one of those things you slowly come to realize after a few years and its no surprise when you really get it. Besides, I think it is not a bad idea to encourage children to expand the dimensions of what they can imagine and believe in in the world.

But we must ask, why Santa Claus?

Cui bono?

What does our "worship" of this admittedly very rather bizarre character actually DO for us? Or for someone else?

I would love to hear some thoughts on all or some of this.


reply posted on 20-12-2008 @ 11:33 AM by flybynight
I thought I'd revive this thread since the timing seems appropriate and I'd like to discuss another angle of the "Christmas conspiracy". It's possible (likely?) this has been discussed before but I haven't seen it anywhere.

Someone mentioned earlier in this thread that Christmas is good for the economy, and at first glance that would obviously seem correct - I mean, how could binge buying possibly be bad for the economy?

Consider the fact that a large number of retailers operate in the red for the first three quarters of every year, only turning out a profit in the last quarter when consumers are going nuts with their binge buying. Ever wonder why this is the case? Why aren't consumers spending enough throughout the year to keep retailers in the black (or significantly less in the red) year-round?

Is it possible that during this joyous time consumers are racking up so much credit card debt that they are simply incapable of properly contributing to the economy in order to catch up on their credit cards? If so, do you see the vicious circle here?

We have consumers who binge in the last quarter resulting in massive credit card debt for many. This debt results in very poor first-second quarter sales which leaves the retailers depending on their lines of credit for day-to-day operations and payroll. I wonder how many billions of dollars this binge and purge tradition causes to be kicked up to creditors? Unless I'm exagerating the binge and purge effect that I've described here, banks are the clear benefactors of the Christmas gift-giving tradition.

Does this sound plausible? Am I out to lunch?


reply posted on 20-12-2008 @ 09:10 PM by lostinspace
The expectation of presents is fun, for the kids mainly. With the adults it's just a gift exchange. The decoration of lights make the gloomy winter not seem so bad. I guess Santa gives it a magical touch, just like Disney does with its movies.

The roots of Christmas is quite interesting.

The three wise men who gave presents to Jesus.
The star that led them to him.
The decorating of the fir tree.
The birth date of December 25.

The three wise men were actually astrologers from the east who read the stars to predict the future. This is fortune telling and its practice was forbidden by the Israelites. The star led the wise men to king Herod first and they told the king that they had their own prophecy about a coming ruler to the region. Herod really wanted Jesus killed because he didn’t want to lose his throne, to the prophetic king. If the star was from God it should have led them directly to Jesus, not to the man who wanted to kill him. This star is now on the top of the Christmas tree. The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen which represents enduring life, despite the death dealing blow of winter. This then leads to the event of December 25, the Winter Solstice. Saturnalia was practiced by the Romans as the return of the sun and the herald of Spring and Summer. Saturn was the god of agriculture and the celebration renewed the power of the sun.

On a side note I think Jeremiah 10:1-5 might be talking about a Saturnalia/Christmas tree.

"Hear you the word which the Lord speaks unto you, O house of Israel. Thus says the Lord. Learn not the way of the heathen and be not dismayed at the signs of the heaven; for the nations are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain. For one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe. They deck it [the tree] with silver and with gold. They fasten it [the tree] with nails and with hammers that it move not. They [such trees] are upright as the palm tree, but speak not. The tree [KJV: stock] is a doctrine of vanities. Silver is spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder. Blue and purple is their clothing. They [the trees] are all the work of cunning men."

The Christmas Tree Debate
Pages:     ^^TOP^^



"God is an Imaginary Friend" Athiest Billboards in Denver-
  Posted 18 days ago with 31 member flags
Why are these 10 figures just like Jesus Christ??
  Posted 5 days ago with 14 member flags
I am an imposter in Church
  Posted 4 days ago with 11 member flags
Christians Waking Up? Voluntary \'De-Baptism\' Rising in Europe
  Posted 19 days ago with 7 member flags
What Kind of Christianity Is This?
  Posted 16 days ago with 7 member flags
The Great Flood Was Caused By A Comet?
  Posted 11 days ago with 7 member flags
Advert claiming cure through prayer is banned
  Posted 5 days ago with 7 member flags