FeathersinHair said:
Because my imagination is very important to me, I'd usually agree completely with this. However, some kids, when they learn the truth, can be affected even to the point of saying 'well, if this person doesn't exist, does anything else I believe in exist?'
Maybe a good way of approaching it would be telling the child 'some people believe this and others believe this. Believe what you wish."
I think there's a distinct difference between allowing a child a choice in
what to believe (Santa or no Santa), versus a parent's mandating what a child
must believe and accept to be
true (religion).
I concur that imagination is not only important, but verily
essential to a child's emotional and intellectual development. But let's not confuse a furtive and healthy imagination with suggestions that one mythological/superstitious "belief" may be "just as good", or of equally merited acceptance as
any another "belief".
One of the fundamental aspects of imagination is the capacity to
question the status quo - to poke and prod at it's underlying rationales of widespread acceptance. Intellectual curiosity is
just as important to healthy child development as any good fairy tale in transporting the mind and imagination "outside of the box".
I should think that a child's
first reaction to revelations regarding the Santa myth, would
not be to question the legitimacy of other claimed existence...but instead to question the
veracity of any claims of "truth" made by
parents.
I recall
way back in second grade math class that my teacher
consistently declared, "
There's no such thing as negative numbers". I was taught that only whole, positive integers, inhabited the world of mathematics. And wouldn't you know it? The very first coursework of study in third grade was an introduction to fractions and negative numbers!!! What!?! Imagine the outrage! Just a few months earlier, I willingly accepted the notion that such things
did not, and
could not exist!
Needless to say, I had been...misinformed. Intentionally. Purposefully. I recall my feelings of anger and frustration in confronting the manifest betrayals of trust and truth. I remember quite clearly that I did
not question whether what I had learned the previous year was true (indeed, 2+2 still equalled 4); but I
was skeptical from that point forward regading
any claims from
any succeeding math teachers of "absolutes" put forward for me to blindly accept as "true". The eventual lesson learned was
not to inherently question the mathematics itself, but rather the
veracity of my prospectively prevaricating teachers.
[Note: I
suspect, but can not substantiate with any concrete data, that one of the primary motivations for young adults to
reject religious teachings/claims from their parental upbringing...is simple rebellion against
anything that their parents may believe,claim, and insist to be
true. After all, parents are
the most influential storytellers and willful deceivers children will ever personally know. Kids are
always smarter than adults are willing to credit them, and they see (and intuitively feel more) than most adults would comfortably care to acknowledge.
If you can't trust
parents to tell the truth...well then...you're just going to have to discover whatever that "truth"
may be on your
own.
I also suspect (but can not document) the similar notion - that the
primary reason Christian evangelicals and Biblical literalists
insist that "Intelligent Design"/"Creation Theory(ies)" be taught in
science class is for similar reasons. Empirical evidence
supports the validity of Evolution, and God is
not requisite to the process. Parents don't want to be made out (yet again) to be deceivers/fools in the eyes of their rebellious and free-thinking kids...so schools and teachers
must help them save face and at least "suggest" that "
some people believe this and others believe this. Believe what you wish." In terms of mythology/superstition/spiritualism/religion...fine. But when it comes to empirical facts and conscientious adherence to scientific methodology? Well...a false choice is no choice at all.]
Sheesh. Did I write all
that?
Time for a cocktail, methinks. ;-)
