September 21, 1897 edition of the New York SUN carried a famous letter to the editor written by a little 8 year old girl, Virginia O'Hanlon.
The little girl had been told by her friends that Santa Claus was a myth and she wanted to know the truth of the matter.
At first Virginia went directly to her father who she trusted to give her honest answers. After all, he was a respected doctor!
Her father sidestepped adroitly by telling her to write her letter asking the editor of the newspaper, THE SUN, because of his reputation
as printing what was true.
One of the newspaper's editors was a war correspondent during the Civil War named Francis Church.
The letter was printed in THE SUN and remain after a century the most reprinted editorial in the history of newspapers!
The actual written response was sent as a letter from Church to O'Hanlon and has been estimated (on Antiques Roadshow) as worth $20-30 thousand dollars as a collector's item.
Virginia died on May 13, 1971 in a nursing home. She had a Master's degree and Doctorate as an educator.
The famous Macy's department store partnered with the Make-A-Wish-Foundation to raise money for terminally ill children to grant their dying wishes based, as they have stated, "on positive beliefs articulated in the September 21,1897 editorial "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus."
Over a million letters (mailed by dying children to Santa) were collected and forwarded to the foundation along with a matching $1 million dollars to the Make-a-Wish-Foundation.
Compare the above positive affirmations written to an 8 year old child and the subsequent charitable works in granting children their dying requests to the handling of the whole issue of Christmas, Santa Claus and attitude of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Appeared in The Watchtower December 15, 2000 |
In Latin America, the three wise men replace the idea of Santa Claus. Still, as is done in other lands, many parents hide toys in the home. Then on the morning of January 6, the children look for them, as if the three wise men brought them. This is a money-making time for toy sellers, and some have made a fortune on what many honest-hearted people recognize is just a fantasy. The myth of the three wise men is losing credibility among a goodly number, even among little children. Though some are displeased that this myth is losing believers, what can anyone expect of a fantasy maintained only for the sake of tradition and for commercial convenience?
Watchtower December 15, 2000.
Pope Paul VI “began the tradition of setting up [in St. Peter’s Square, Rome] a massive Christmas tree” near the Nativity scene.
Do you find it acceptable that a religious leader would give a seemingly Christian meaning to events and symbols whose roots go back to ancient paganism? As to the proper course, the Scriptures admonish true Christians: “What fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness?”— 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 .
Watchtower December 15, 2007
The above Watchtower "truth" results in what positivegood to anybody as compared to the efforts of non-JW's?
Which attitude and believe contains love and charity?
John 13:35 (The Message)
34-35 "Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other."