My wife and I never made a big deal about Santa Claus when our two children were small, so it wasn’t surprising when our son figured it out pretty early in life. “Dad,” he said, “I think Mom is the one who buys all our Christmas presents and not Santa Claus.” I congratulated him on figuring that out already, and then told him not to discuss it with the neighborhood kids just yet. He apparently did discuss it with his little sister, though, because later that same day she said, “Dad, is Santa Claus real?” I said, “No, there is no Santa Claus who delivers presents to every child on earth on Christmas Eve. That is just a made-up story that everyone has a little fun with this time of year.” Then I reminded her of the real meaning of Christmas; that Jesus, God’s own son, was born. Then she said, “Dad, are God and Jesus real?” We did make a big deal out of believing in Jesus in our home, and she was wondering if that was all perhaps the same sort of scam.
Many atheists will put God, Jesus, and Santa Claus all in the same category—made-up stories that we believe, all in order to give us a little pleasure and comfort in our short, miserable, and hopeless lives. They will tell you that realistic and more intelligent people will eventually give up on the whole God thing, just like they quit believing in Santa Claus.
That might appear to be a reasonable change in beliefs. Children might see two or three Santa Clauses at the mall, and might even sit on the lap of one of them. But no child ever sees Santa land his sleigh and reindeer on the roof, come down the chimney, crawl out of the fireplace, and place all the presents under the tree. What they can see is Mom and Dad filling the shopping cart with toys at Wal-Mart. Therefore, the more reasonable hypothesis is to believe in what you can see, rather than in what you cannot see.
The next step is simple. We don’t see Santa Claus and we don’t see God, therefore, neither one exists. Could it be any simpler than that?
Well actually, this little comparison doesn’t quite settle it.
The first verse of the Bible declares, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Who puts the presents under the tree? Not Santa, but Mom and Dad. Anyone can see that. Who put you and the whole universe here? God, says the Bible. “Nope,” says the clear thinking, realistic atheist, “I don’t see God, so that could not be true.”
The next question for the atheist is, “Well then, who or what did put it here? How did it all get here?” The only honest answer to that question is “We don’t have a clue.” Even at that, many people will still say, “I just know it isn’t God.” How do they know that?
Now to return to the illustration of children at Christmas. Their belief in Santa Claus, who they cannot see, is replaced by their belief in Mom and Dad, who they can see. For the atheist, their belief in God, who they cannot see, is replaced by… WHAT? It would be like telling children there is no Santa Claus, and then when they ask “Who puts all those presents under the tree?”, you have to reply “No one.” Even children, skeptical about the existence of Santa Claus, will be even more skeptical about an answer like that.
Who put this whole universe here? No one. Really? I am going to stick with Genesis 1:1.
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Intellectual giant G. K. Chesterton became a Christian as an adult, in part because of a growing sense of gratitude. But to who? he wondered. He wrote:
The test of all happiness is gratitude, and I felt grateful, though I hardly knew to whom. Children are delighted when Santa puts toys or sweets into their stockings. Shall I not be grateful to whoever put in my stockings the gift of two healthy legs? We thank people for birthday presents of cigars and slippers. Can I thank no one for the birthday present of birth?
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Genesis 1:1 — In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Psalm 19:1 — The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Romans 1:19-20 — …What may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
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Almighty God, how brief is our span of life compared with the time since you created the universe. How tiny are we compared with the enormity of your universe. How trivial are our concerns compared with the complexity of the universe. How stupid we are compared with the genius of your creation. Yet during every minute and every second of our lives you are present, within and around us. You give your attention to each and every one of us. Our concerns are your concerns. And you are infinitely patient with our stupidity. I thank you with my whole heart. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
–Fulbert of Chartres, French Bishop (960-1028)
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