SANTA CLAUS: The Great Imposter. NOTE: This article is available as a printed booklet. To order this booklet go to the . John 9: 4. 2. 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. Before we look at Santa, let us establish some basic Bible facts: The Bible clearly teaches a powerful, rebellious, subtle, evil being called the Devil, Lucifer or Satan. Revelation 1. 2: 9. The Bible teaches Satan rebelled against God. Satan rebelled because he desires to be like God. Satan’s mission is to de- throne God and persuade mankind to rebel against God. In Luke 1. 0: 1. 9, Jesus Christ compares Satan to lightning, . Lightning, like Satan, always travels the path of least resistance. The Bible also likens the devil to a . The lion looks for the injured, the youngest, the smallest, or the weakest – the one with the least ability to run or fight. In Paradise, he fell not upon Adam, but upon Eve. It is no accident that the Lord Jesus Christ distinctively warns several times against harming or offending these . The younger years are by far the most spiritually fruitful in the life- cycle of an individual. Mark 1. 0: 1. 3- 1. And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein. Where did Santa Claus come from? The oft-repeated tale of Santa Claus goes like this: According to the legend, Santa began as a fourth century Catholic bishop named.Finally, the The Santa Clause 2 script is here for all you quotes spouting fans of the Tim Allen movie. This script is a transcript that was painstakingly. Craigslist provides local classifieds and forums for jobs, housing, for sale, personals, services, local community, and events. 274 reviews of Playground 2.0 'We tried the $12 Celery Root pur. Luke 1. 8: 1. 5- 1. Without question the most fertile time in the average persons’ life for receiving and trusting the Lord Jesus is the pre- teen years. Any church bus worker or youth worker knows young children are very receptive to the gospel of Jesus Christ. For children that child- like faith is natural. As we get older; the sensual, youthful lusts and logical, carnal mind begin to dominate our lives. And as that happens, our heart becomes hardened and seared to the spiritual things of God. Barna Research Group published a survey conducted among teenagers titled Third Millennium Teens. Can we not see the overwhelming evidence of this Satanic attack on our children? From the sexual, sensual music of Britney Spears, or Nsync, to the occult and witchcraft of Harry Potter – there is an attack aimed directly at our children. It is assaulting them from the TV, the music, the Internet, the peer pressure, the public schools – Satan literally . There is a false security that believes our children will naturally . But the Bible paints a much different picture. In Mark chapter 9, God details a frightening occurrence. Search prices for Delta, American Airlines, United, WOW air, Condor, KLM, airberlin, Air Canada and more. Search and find deals on flights to Denmark. 745 reviews of Misoya 'In my search for that perfect bowl of ramen, I am always up for trying new restaurants. When a friend recommended this one, a group of us. And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose. And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. Mark 9: 1. 7- 2. 9. It is interesting the apostles could not cast out this kind (vs 2. What was different about this possession? I believe the answer is found in the only question the Lord Jesus asked. Jesus Christ asked the man . These hard to cast out kind are those that enter in a child. Is it because the possession reaches so deep and so strong that they’re almost impossible to remove? In Proverbs 2. 2: 6, the Bible explains the lifelong fruits of training a young child in the way he should go. That early training is so strong and so deep – as that child grows and matures – they will not depart from it. The flip side is: if that same child is trained by the ways of Satan and the world, chances are that child will not depart from it. George Harrison, a devout follower of the Hindu god, Krishna, understood this life- long influence, Harrison told Rolling Stone Magazine. It has been stated the foundation of a child is shaped by the time that child is five- years- old, maybe sooner. Without question, the early pre- teen or . It has been truthfully said, . Satan knows this! That brings us to Santa. What about the teaching of Santa Claus in the psyche of a child? Is there more to jolly old St. Nick than meets the eye? Is Santa a clever, seemingly harmless, subtle (see Genesis 3: 1) attempt to question the truthfulness of God? Is Santa the handiwork of Satan? Remember the harmless question the subtle serpent asks Eve in the garden? In fact, it can be good, or even pleasant. The subtle temptation of Genesis reveals Satan’s clever . He can make it appear good, pleasant, and seemingly so innocent – and yet it is deadly! The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 1. He might just appear as a pleasant, friendly, fellow, with . Satan knows, if he can somehow get that child through those fruitful early years without trusting the Lord Jesus Christ – his goal of eternal damnation in hell increases substantially. Let us take a look a Santa. Nicholas was one of histories most widespread religious movements. Nicholas historian, Charles W. Nicholas was, before the Reformation, the most intensive of any nonbiblical saint in Christendom. Nicholas was probably invoked in prayer more than any other figure except the Virgin Mary and Christ Himself. The Christmas Almanack. New York: Random House, 2. Miraculous folklore and legend surround the mysterious St. Among the more popular legends of St. Nicholas is the rescue of three poverty- stricken girls destined for prostitution. These girls were poor and did not have the dowry for marriage. Nicholas saved them from a life of shame, by providing marriage dowries of gold. They then were able to get properly married. Another amazing miracle in the life of St. Nicholas is the three young boys who were sadistically murdered by a wicked innkeeper. Their bodies were chopped up and preserved in pickle barrels, with the cannibalistic intent of feeding their flesh to unsuspecting house guests. Of course, the amazing St. Nicholas resurrected the boys and their mutilated bodies. And like Santa, Saint Nicholas gave gifts to poor children, hence, his veneration as Patron Saint of Children. During the Middle Ages, hundreds of plays and paintings told and re- told the amazing feats of St. Next, according to legend, Santa magically appears in the Netherlands around the seventeenth century. During this time, Sinter Klaas (a. Santa Claus) was officially born. Dutch children began the tradition of placing their shoes by the fireplace on December 5, for the mystic fourth century Bishop, Saint Nicholas. Like today’s Santa, Sinter Klaas, miraculously, traveled from housetop to housetop, and entered through the chimney. Our next stop on the Santa highway is the year 1. New World called America. The Dutch colonists quickly settled into America, bringing their customs, and of course, their beloved Sinter Klaas. In December 1. 80. American essayist Washington Irving published a popular satire of the Dutch founding of New York titled A Knickerbocker History of New York. More than any other event, it was Irving’s Knickerbocker History that is credited for creating our modern day Santa Claus. The following history- making words from The Knickerbocker History became the public inauguration of Santa Claus. Who could have possibly imagined the significance these simple words would soon have? And the sage Oloffe dreamed a dream,–and lo, the good St. Nicholas came riding over the tops of the trees, in that self- same wagon wherein he brings his yearly presents to the children. Nicholas had smoked his pipe, he twisted it in his hatband, and laying his finger beside his nose, gave the astonished Van Kortlandt a very significant look; then, mounting his wagon, he returned over the treetops and disappeared. Knickerbocker’s History of New York, New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1. At this early period was instituted that pious ceremony, still religiously observed in all our ancient families of the right breed, of hanging up a stocking in the chimney on St. Nicholas Eve; which stocking is always found in the morning miraculously filled; for the good St. Nicholas has ever been a great giver of gifts, particularly to children. Knickerbocker’s History of New York, New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1. Next stop on our investigative journey for Santa, surprisingly, comes from the pen of a New York theology professor named Dr. In 1. 82. 2, inspired by Irving’s popular, Knickerbocker History’s portrayal of jolly St. Moore quietly wrote a trivial poem titled, . Moore had no intention of publishing his poem, but in 1. Troy Sentinel. Moore’s extremely popular poem was the spark that lit the Santa Claus wildfire. Santa quickly began flying through America. Moore’s poem was later renamed the famous, . Inspired by Moore’s popular poem, Nast illustrated scores of Santa pictures in Harper’s Weekly and the world was officially baptized with the face of Santa Claus. Nast’s early Santa was burly, stern, gnome- like, and covered with drab fur, much unlike today’s colorful and jolly fellow. But make no mistake – it was Santa. Let us investigate the traditional Santa story a little closer. Nicholas. The first major problem in the Santa Claus saga is the person of St. There is very little evidence, if any, that the man St. Nicholas actually existed.
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