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Could you Choose to Believe in a Literal Santa Clause?

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Grace Accepted

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Is it in your power to believe in a literal Santa Clause, Easter Bunny, or Tooth Fairy? Can we decide to believe in these myths? I am not talking about pretending to believe in them but to actually believe that they have substance and do the things attributed to them?

Of course not. So how is it we can choose to believe in God? If we can't choose to believe or disbelieve in things unseen how do we arrive at our beliefs then?
 
Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Also, creation itself declares that there is a God:

Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
 
Grace Accepted said:
Is it in your power to believe in a literal Santa Clause, Easter Bunny, or Tooth Fairy? Can we decide to believe in these myths? I am not talking about pretending to believe in them but to actually believe that they have substance and do the things attributed to them?
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Children believe what they're taught.
Grace Accepted said:
Of course not. So how is it we can choose to believe in God? If we can't choose to believe or disbelieve in things unseen how do we arrive at our beliefs then?
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God doesn't force anyone to believe in Him. Force is the method of operation used by the enemy and his servants. They don't give anyone a choice.

Joshua 24:15 But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!”

1 Kings 18:21 Then Elijah approached all the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him." But the people did not answer a word.
 
shroom said:
Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Also, creation itself declares that there is a God:

Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
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So what you are saying is that we base our beliefs on evidence. When Paul wrote Romans, there was no alternate theory of creation. What evidence do you see now that would leave men accountable?
 
truthjourney said:
Children believe what they're taught.

God doesn't force anyone to believe in Him. Force is the method of operation used by the enemy and his servants. They don't give anyone a choice.

Joshua 24:15 But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!”

1 Kings 18:21 Then Elijah approached all the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him." But the people did not answer a word.
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So we are talking opinions?
 
truthjourney said:
Children believe what they're taught.

God doesn't force anyone to believe in Him. Force is the method of operation used by the enemy and his servants. They don't give anyone a choice.

Joshua 24:15 But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!”

1 Kings 18:21 Then Elijah approached all the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him." But the people did not answer a word.
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"Let the little children come unto me."

The flipside is that children haven't been taught much. They aren't set in their ways and are not trapped in their own ideas.
 
Grace Accepted said:
So we are talking opinions?
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What else ya got? You can have evidence presented and two people will look at the same evidence and come to different conclusions. It happens all the time. In other words, people form opinions.

Also- your premise is a little off because "a literal" Santa Clause would denote one that really existed, and that would be relatively simple to believe in based on the evidence of his literal existence.
 
Mr E said:
What else ya got? You can have evidence presented and two people will look at the same evidence and come to different conclusions. It happens all the time. In other words, people form opinions.

Also- your premise is a little off because "a literal" Santa Clause would denote one that really existed, and that would be relatively simple to believe in based on the evidence of his literal existence.
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I actually never stated a premise but merely asked a question. Your example of a literal Santa Clause could be said about God also.
 
Grace Accepted said:
I actually never stated a premise but merely asked a question. Your example of a literal Santa Clause could be said about God also.
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-- the 'premise' of your question was "a literal" Santa Clause, Easter Bunny or Tooth Fairy. It wasn't my example, but yours. Yes, it could be said of God, based on similar evidence if there was any-- that there was a real Santa who came down the chimney each Christmas Eve and brought presents- if that was literally observable. But it's not.
 
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