Why Santa should not be used to threaten children

'Tis Christmastime. Most parents bring Santa into the lives of their children. However, Santa is commonly depicted as having a nice list or a naughty list. I was told as a child that if I didn't behave all year long, that I would get coal for Christmas. 

The Greek root word denoting parental entitlement is πλεονέκτης (Latin: pleonektés) and is defined as, officially speaking, wanting things from children, to the point of imposition. Unofficially speaking, parental entitlement is an adult temper tantrum when you don't get what you feel that you deserve from children. This temper tantrum can come in many forms, including threatening to "call Santa" when parents lose their cool. Adults usually feel deserving of good behavior in children, with that leading to threatening children with "calling Santa" when they don't get the good behavior that they feel they deserve from children. Any anger towards a child was considered parental entitlement in the Early Church. Whenever this entitlement was perceived by a child in biblical times as offensive or damaging, it was seen as child abuse. See also 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, including to, the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. This commandment was intended by the Apostle Paul, and was 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 towards children. In the Old Testament, punitive parents were put to death by way of bloodletting, after punishing their children one last time. The 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 secular writings. Paul may not have gotten along with the women of the church, but he sure loved children, and even took in a few orphaned children during his time as a deacon,

Threatening to "call Santa", even as a vain threat, is a form of child abuse under biblical law. Any entitlement on the part of parents was considered child abuse. Surely, being made afraid to fear Santa bringing coal for Christmas offends a child, and thus is child abuse. 

Children should be allowed to "cry" or "pout", and not need to "watch out" considering their behavior. Santa should stop having a nice or a naughty list. There are no naughty children, meaning all children are nice to the degree that they try to be.

I was told as a child that if I didn't behave all year round, I would get a bucket of coal for Christmas. What did I ask for a few Christmases? A lump of coal, and part of the reason why was to rebel against parental authority, meaning I get coal for Christmas on my terms, thus taking my power back as a child. It turned out that my parents were making a feigned threat, but all I heard was "coal for Christmas" with me being a willful child. I had every reason to fear not getting anything for Christmas. 

I have given up on Santa. The legend of Santa Claus ultimately comes from the Norse god Odin. What else is a pagan tradition? Punitive parenting. The European pagan tradition - absorbed into the church - was Krampus whipping "naughty" children. In some countries in Europe, Santa brings a whip for the parents to scourge their children when they act up. However, I myself don't judge parents who bring Santa Claus into their lives. 

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting 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 abyss which is 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!