Why do people say "if you believe in Jesus, then why not the tooth fairy, the genie, Santa Claus?"?

Jesus was a historical figure, not just a spiritual one, just like Confucious, Buddha (Prince Gautama), Saddam Huessin, Muhammed, Martin Luther, Hitler, Mao Zedong, Lee Kwan Yew, George Bush, Abraham Lincoln.



Get it right. Christians believe in Jesus, who is a historical figure, who lived on earth. So please DO NOT SAY "If you believe in Jesus, then why not Santa Claus?"



Isn't it ridiculous now to compare Abraham Lincoln to Santa Claus?

Why do people say "if you believe in Jesus, then why not the tooth fairy, the genie, Santa Claus?"?
Jesus is not a historical figure. There is no evidence that supports his existence.



So yes, it IS appropriate to compare Jesus to the tooth fairy, Santa Claus, genies, the big bad wolf, etc.
Reply:Actually, jesus really isn't a historical figure, the historical evidence for his existance is very weak indeed, and all written by people who did not live during the time he was supposed to have lived.

Besides, that's not what christians believe in, they believe in a divine zombie who rose from the dead, is his own father, and who can make you live forever if you telepathically ask him to forgive you for doing things wrong and then symbolically canibilize him.

That's why people say it's like believing in the tooth fairy, only the tooth fairy myth isn't THAT silly.
Reply:I believe in him. I believe he was born, of a "well lets just say, not a virgin" He told a bunch of lies., and then he died. And I believe he served as a communion for maggots and worms "he still does in a sense." And now he's pretty much decayed. Yes I believe in that, where as santa claus, also based on a real person by the way, at least someone else pretends to do his job, unlike christ.
Reply:They usually compare God to Santa and the TF, not Jesus.

But the argument is still wrong. Philosophical arguments for the existence of God list a series of divine attributes in order to define the God that they say exists. Neither Santa nor the TF share any of the attributes that are assigned to the God of classical apologetics.



Wow! Seven people so far who don't even believe that Jesus existed.



From Wikipedia:



The idea of Jesus as a myth is rejected by the majority of biblical scholars and historians.



Richard Burridge and Graham Gould stated that they did not know of any "respectable" scholars that held the view today.



Robert E. Van Voorst has stated that biblical scholars and historians regard the thesis as "effectively refuted".



Grant writes "To sum up, modern critical methods fail to support the Christ myth theory. It has 'again and again been answered and annihilated by first rank scholars.' In recent years, 'no serious scholar has ventured to postulate the non historicity of Jesus' or at any rate very few, and they have not succeeded in disposing of the much stronger, indeed very abundant, evidence to the contrary."



Charlesworth writes "No reputable scholar today questions that a Jew named Jesus son of Joseph lived; most readily admit that we now know a considerable amount about his actions and basic teachings ..."
Reply:Saint Nicholas was a historical figure.



If Jesus was an actual person, no one knows his actual name. Jesus was not a hebrew name, it was a name that carried through the bible through mistranslation Greek has no "J". Its far more likely that if he existed, his name was joshua or yushua not jesus. But the fact is that no one knows who or if he was. Remember, he was supposedly born when his parents were travelling to Bethleham for a census, so why WOULDN'T he be listed in the roman's records?



Personally, I am inclined to beleive an actual person existed, but I do not believe he was a christ or a son of god, let alone a god himself. I think he was likely just a wise person who cared enough about gentiles to try to expose to them what he believed the jewish heritage tried to keep to them sleves.



I do not beleive that if Jesus was alive today, that he'd be very impressed with the road christianity has taken. Frankly I think it might put him off religion altogether.
Reply:I haven't heard this expression used with Jesus. Usually it's God. And that's because to us atheists, God is just as likely as these things, and we can't see why God is believable but they aren't.



And yes, Jesus was a historical figure, but the historical data I've read said he was the king of a country that wasn't well-liked by it's peers because Jesus was against raping and pillaging and that was the favourite pastime of the kings in that time so they crucified him because he interfered with their fun. Nothing there about the son of god...
Reply:Show me the evidence that he was alive as stated in the bible.



They are simply comparing one fantasy to another.



There is plenty of evidence that Abraham Lincoln lived. And Santa continues to be the great Christian lie, yep a lie! Remember the commandments? though shalt not bear false witness? Well why do you wacky Christians lie to your kids every year?
Reply:The difference is, no one ever tried to say Abraham Lincoln was the son of a God.



In that way.....I can understand the comparison.



Even though I also get your point as well. The fact seems to be that a man named Jesus lived and thats supported by historical evidence.



Im still not convinced that the men who turned him into a God had the right to redefine the Jewish term of messiah. Besides, he has not fulfilled the Messianic Prophecies.



He also sort of forgot to return within the Disciples lifetimes.
Reply:I am a Christian and happy with my decision.

I know there are alot of ppl out there that do not believe in Jesus as the Messiah or a historical figure. I have only one thing to say to them, " IF I'M WRONG I HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE" If they are wrong then they face eternity with their decision.
Reply:a good point however the only evidence to support the existence of the bloke in the white robe is a small black book that is rewritten every decade. truth be told were not entirely sure of the origin of santaclaus either, just where did that myth come from?



you could possibly retort by saying : "aha! but the bloke in white has had an entire faith based on him with large stone structures and big glass ones (didnt you ever wonder where the money you put in that little dish went?) and santaclause just has a few thrones in shopping malls every once a year.



but, well you know how athiests are, they will, WILL, come up with an obstinant way to retort to that one too.

ah well. you did try.
Reply:I think it's when people say Jesus is the son of God and their savior, that you get those responses. You would be equally mocked if you said Martin Luther was the son of God, performed miracles and could save you from Hell.



I'm not saying that a historical figure named Jesus never existed; I am saying there is absolutely no proof that he was the son of God.



Did you just compare Jesus to Saddam Hussein and Hitler?
Reply:The people that say that do not believe in Jesus, therefore they are comparing him to other figures that do not exist. So basically they are saying that if you believe he is real, then why not believe all the other imaginary icons are real? (I do btw believe in Jesus...Im just stating a response to what that statement means).
Reply:I am not ridiculous.



Can you prove that Jesus was a historical figure? To do so requires a probability. Was Shakespeare a historical figure? Are you sure? Did he write Hamlet? Are you sure? Are you sure that the experts are sure? They are, but it isn't 100%.



On the scale (and it is a scale) Jesus is pretty low...about the same as Confucious, Muhammed, and Buddha...the others you named are playing on another field. Probablity in our time is 100%



So, first you are wrong because you forgot to attach a probablitiy to the people that our best experts cannot say existed without question. Then you confused those people with people our best experts can say with certainty did exist. And then for absolute foolishness you included a living person in your list.



Second, and most importantly, you have forgotten the reason Jesus is important to you (I'm assuming you are a Christian). He is the living God -- correct? His words are the words of God himself meant to instruct man in the way of eternal life.



How do you know what Jesus said? Be careful...no expert can say with ANY certainty that they know what Jesus said.



It is taken as an act of faith.



And why do little children believe in Santa Claus?











i've led you to the water...but will you drink?
Reply:I agree. And I wish some others would remove themselves from the gene pool as well. Jesus actually walked the earth and was a historical figure. People just do not want to believe it because it would blow their beliefs out of the water. They would rather denounce God than be wrong. Thank you for standing up for Jesus like you did. You will be blessed.
Reply:well, jesus was actually not a historical figure. There's no proof of him ever being here.



However, that shouldn't stop you from believing in him. people need to learn that just because yuo can't see something and there is no proof, doesn't mean it's not possible. OPEN MIND PEOPLE!



The people who say "if you believe in jesus why no santa claus" are ridiculous. you can believe in what you want. but they can too.



people people people....tisk......people have different views, ACCEPT IT BEFORE I KNOCK IT INTO YOU!
Reply:Wasn't Saint Nicholas (AKA Santa) a real historical figure as well? Just because he existed doesn't mean he delivers presents to a billion houses in one night. Just because Jesus existed doesn't mean that the creator of the universe impregnated his mom.
Reply:The evidence for a historical Jesus is scant indeed. Apart from the Bible, Jesus is mentioned in like one book. You can't compare that to the other people you mentioned, whose existence was well documented.
Reply:There is no contemporary record of the life of Jesus. Nothing was written about him for thirty to seventy years after he was supposed to have died.
Reply:the historicity of jesus is still being debated; moreover, the "fact" that he existed says NOTHING about his alleged divinity





edit: @tinkerbell- is there anything that pascal's wager cannot justify?



btw, there are scads of guys named jesus walking around as we speak
Reply:Technically Santa Claus is a historical figure. He is based on Saint Nicholas. Much like Jesus, they exaggerated his story as well.
Reply:Yah, but we are not claiming Abraham Lincoln was the son of God, healed the blind, turned water into wine, was born of a virgin, and ROSE from the dead.



See the difference?
Reply:Where's the proof the Jesus is a historical figure and not a fictional character?
Reply:Provide concrete proof that Jesus existed and then we'll talk again.

A historical figure? Show me the evidence outside the bible.
Reply:There is actually no evidence of a Jesus Christ ever being alive, unless you count the bible
Reply:Those people are ignorant and lazy-minded. Ignore them.
Reply:Well, how the hell do you know JESUS existed? Your only proof is an old book from a LONG TIME ago.



You only believe what they tell you.
Reply:Can I still say "If you believe in god, then why not Santa Claus?"
Reply:I wonder who would win in a popularity contest, jesus or Santa?
Reply:Santa isnt real????????????????
Reply:In answer to the first question, I find that people, especially through the anonymity of the Internet, have more liberty to express fallacious arguments.



In answer to the second, yes it is ridiculous.



EDIT

Zinga wrote: "Wow! Seven people so far who don't even believe that Jesus existed."

I'm ambivalent whether to laugh at these people for their ignorance or praise them for their tenacity. What say you?
Reply:Yes. It has been proved many times over that there was an actual man named Jesus.



Now, whether he did all the things that is said that he did is what should really be questioned, but I personally believe it all because I have faith.



So, yes. It is ridiculous to compare the two.

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