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Instead of intruducing "Presents Clause", I think you can extend the "Santa Claus" concept to have several layers of meaning. Presents is one of those layers, b

Instead of intruducing "Presents Clause", I think you can extend the "Santa Claus" concept to have several layers of meaning. Presents is one of those layers, but there is also tradition, coziness, familiarity, excitement and playfulness. While some kids may become very vocal about it when they suddenly stop believing in Santa Claus as a literal being, they children (and adults) can continue enjoying him for as long as they're not embarrased by it. Having a small child in the family believing (or pretending to believe) can be a way for everyone else to enjoy him. And some families continue to have him even when nobody believes. The same is sometimes true about religions. People can continue to value them even if they stop believing in the literal Sky-Father.

nine_k 3y ago
My formulation makers fun of typical commercial license agreements. I can see how Santa Claus can live as a fairy tale, with small kids playing with the idea of the entire thing being somehow real, the same way as Goldilocks or Bambi. This is indeed cute, unless taken too seriously. It's quite a bit harder with religions: they are not a once-a-year pleasantry, but are things that shape your entire view of the world and the way of life. A faintest idea that they are but a cute tale is literally a destruction of a worldview, a catastrophe instead of a mild disappointment. Knowing, say, Christianity or Islam as a cute tale only works for people who never were believers.
- trashtester 3y ago
  > Knowing, say, Christianity or Islam as a cute tale only works for people who never were believers. Belief comes at many levels of intensity. People with low intensity beliefs can drift away without experiencing a world view collapse. There are certainly people of most religious backgrounds that continue to practice and enjoy many of the religious traditions and practices even generations after they stop believing in the supernatural parts.

nine_k 3y ago

My formulation makers fun of typical commercial license agreements. I can see how Santa Claus can live as a fairy tale, with small kids playing with the idea of the entire thing being somehow real, the same way as Goldilocks or Bambi. This is indeed cute, unless taken too seriously. It's quite a bit harder with religions: they are not a once-a-year pleasantry, but are things that shape your entire view of the world and the way of life. A faintest idea that they are but a cute tale is literally a destruction of a worldview, a catastrophe instead of a mild disappointment. Knowing, say, Christianity or Islam as a cute tale only works for people who never were believers.

trashtester 3y ago
> Knowing, say, Christianity or Islam as a cute tale only works for people who never were believers. Belief comes at many levels of intensity. People with low intensity beliefs can drift away without experiencing a world view collapse. There are certainly people of most religious backgrounds that continue to practice and enjoy many of the religious traditions and practices even generations after they stop believing in the supernatural parts.