Atheists: how many play the Santa Claus routine on your kids?

It's a crying shame so many American parents feel compelled to lie to their children. If they only knew how much damage they do with their ignorant deceptions. Not one damn thing my late parents ever told me was the truth and I still hate them for it. If I had ever had children, I never would have lied to them.

Edit: So many have commented on the importance of children having an imagination, I feel compelled to reply. Children have an imagination of their own, without any help from adults. I think you underestimate the damage you will do when your child discovers for himself that you are a total liar and cannot be trusted. ...especially if you regularly dish out corporal punishment for childish fibs and lies. Lying to children who will be severely punished if they tell a lie is a foolish hypocrisy that destroys families. It certainly destroyed my childhood and led directly to a host of attachment issues that have plagued me all my life. Why do you think I'm such a vehement atheist? ...because I was regularly beaten for lying, only to discover my fundamentalist parents were the biggest liars of all! Please, please, please don't lie to your children while you hypocritically demand that they be truthful. If you lie to your own children, you have no right to expect them to tell you the truth.

i don't have kids but if i did i'd totally do the whole santa thing. i don't see why you've asked atheists in particular when the non-existance of santa is one thing we all agree on whatever our belief or lack thereof.

santa is just a bit of fun and it's something kids grow out of when they're ready, there's no danger in a bit of imaginary play.

i guess you're asking because you're comparing it to religious beliefs. the difference is that the parents know it's a myth whatever their religion so they're not forcing a belief on the kids that they hold themselves. once the kid stops believing, the game is over. the same cannot be said for religion.

Kids will grown out of their belief in Santa, Easter Bunny and what not. Neither of those imaginary beings, speak to a person on a Spiritual Level, nor are they claimed as being the Creator or Jesus Christ, with a personal BOOK, and even secular ancient writings to collaberate their existance. Some exampes are validiating Jesus' existance are :Jewish Antiquities, Theudas and Mara bar Serapion, among many other secular writers.

No need to pretend in the case of Jesus (God), He existed, nothing imaginary about it...

Good question. Honestly, that is a tough question because I believe in the right to have a good imagination. Children should not be deprived of that. So I would probably let them believe until they were of school age.

This is still a long way off though..things can change.

i've got not got childrens yet I play. i do no longer particularily desire violent console video games. I play them for the plots and the sense of success one gets from defeating a or many CGI enemies. 3 of my universal video games are Dante's Inferno,Darksiders and devil could Cry. there is your non secular attitude.

You've undermined youir own argument here.

Believing in imaginary things is for children, and you expect them to grow out of it.

Unfortunately, theists never seem to grow up enough to ditch their imaginary friends.

It's for that reason that I let my kids enjoy the fun of Santa and the tooth fairy, but don't encourage the whole god thing.

No kids here, but I would tell them that Santa was make-believe.

Then again, children rapidly learn fact from fiction , don`t they. How many adults do you know that believe in invisible people, magic, supernatural events, very very few, I bet !

Sure, why not. The difference is that when they GROW UP and KNOW BETTER, they see the story for what it is and don't have to go around to other adults trying to convince them that Santa is still real!

Sure, playing Santa for a four year old is fun.

Remind me again where Santa appears in the nativity story, my memory's letting me down again.