Santa Claus: Why parents should not threaten for coal for Christmas

'Tis Christmastime. Most American parents will enlist Santa Claus as a behavioral modification method, come Christmas time. Most parents threaten that "Santa is keeping a list, and is checking it twice, keeping track of who is naughty and nice". The fact of the matter is that threatening and punishing children with Santa is a moral offense against a child.

Parents, according to the Bible, are prohibited from reprimanding their children, including by using Santa at a means of behavioral intervention. See Colossians 3:21 KJV:

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or offenses, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, including, but not limited to, the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. This commandment was intended by the Apostle Paul, and understood in its original context, as a moral statute prohibiting all forms of punitive parenting, including, but not limited to, any punishments, reprimands, or other controlling demeanor towards children. In the Old Testament, punitive parents were put to death by way of bloodletting, after punishing their children one last time. Parents who punished their children were charged with kidnapping, with "kidnapping" being defined under the Law as the slightest of damages or offenses stemming from hostage-taking - child punishment was seen in biblical times as holding your child hostage merely for things that they did wrong, thereby treating your child as a quartered slave. Paul here was lifting up the Law in order to convict a group of Greek Christian parents who brought their pagan custom of spanking and punishing children into the church. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punishment of a child in his writings. Paul may not have gotten along with the women of the church, but he sure loved children, and took in a few orphaned children in his time. Indeed, Greco-Roman fathers used the scourge of cords to punish their children, but NOT the Christians among them - the Early Christians were persecuted largely for being "too soft" on their children.

The most common threat against children in modern times is that the child will get coal for Christmas, and the only way around that is to be good all year long. Most children, however, can't be good all year long. Most childhood behaviors throughout the year are developmentally appropriate given the child's age and developmental level. Children struggle enough, and don't need threats from Santa of getting coal for Christmas.

Making even empty threats against a child such as "I am going to call Santa" are, is, in and of itself, an offense against the child. The child likely fears the worst come Christmas Eve, especially if they have behavioral challenges like I did. I myself feared getting coal for Christmas, as I had severe behavioral issues. I never got coal for Christmas, except when I asked for it (I was a strange child).

Some parents, come Christmas morning, return gifts to their children because the child "isn't playing with it right". Toys are for children to play with in the way they choose to, or no way at all. Some children dabble instead of play, especially if they have autism. Dabbling is when the child repeatedly does things such as spin the wheels of a toy truck.

I personally oppose Santa Claus on religious grounds, as Santa is a direct application of the Norse god Odin. It isn't bowing down to Odin as a false god, but pretty close to it. However, if you still want your children to know Santa, leave out the "nice list" rhetoric. Children don't have to be "nice" to get presents.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!