All I Want for Christmas is ..... A "Real" Christmas Story from the Carolinas

[Anonymous]

When you go and see Santa, they have a camera set up where they will take your picture for a fee.  That and people have cell phones with cameras.



Small children do all sorts of wonderfully surprising and sweet things.  Just after finding out I had MS, at an annual Christmas party we go to, my kids asked that I be cured.  It's not a stretch.

Kids can surprise us sometimes.

[RW]

Point taken.



So, how did this image get promulgated on the internet?

My guess would be Facebook.

[Renee]

Point taken.



So, how did this image get promulgated on the internet?

 Was that a serious question?

[Bricktop]

Well, to be honest, it was aimed at people who are able to think.



Examine the facts; the little fella MAY have acted spontaneously and without coaching...its unlikely, but let's assume that in this modern world a 4 year old child has the capability to form a degree of compassion and humanity for his fellow man. Its further possible that a 4 year old would identify Santa with prayer and giving, without having been coached and cajoled.



So, this sweet little fella, filled with concern for a baby he's never met (according to reports) goes to the mall to meet Santa and put in his order, but spontaneously drops to his knee (where did he learn that?), and asks the fat dude in red to join him in prayer for a total stranger. The camera operator (given the angle, the camera was not aimed at the common area where the usual kid on a lap image would be shot...look at the background) then takes the image.



I assume the image is then printed out (for the usual fee) and given to the child's carers or parents. Printed, not digitised. I don't think the photographic business hands out the digital version, because then no-one will order reprints.



Then, a carer/parent is motivated to scan the print and put it online? Where did it first appear? In a forum? Was it emailed? Facebook?



Nope. This smells of American hype and manipulation, and I am not buying it for a moment.

[Bricktop]

And bingo...



"Prestyn Barnette met Santa at the Dutch Square Mall in Columbia., S.C., a week ago. First, the shy little boy asked for a toy train. Then he asked St. Nick to pray for Baby Knox, a 2-month-old being kept alive on a respirator. Prestyn learned about the infant through his grandmother's Facebook prayer group.



"Santa said we will pray now and he got down and prayed," the grandmother Robin Sharpe told WIS-TV. "There were many bystanders there that day. They just stood some of them, just bowed their head and prayed."



Prestyn's aunt, Rebekah Lauren Sharpe, snapped a shot of the boy praying with Santa and posted it on Facebook. The photo went viral."



The photo was taken by the boy's carer. Then posted on a "prayer group"'s Facebook page.



Staged and manipulated, or spontaneity driven by the power of God?



YOU decide.



But don't be fooled by what you see.

[RW]

Someone took a pic of her nephew praying with Santa, posted it on Facebook where people were so touched by it that they circulated it.  It's kind of how social media works Crow.  I find it silly to think it's some plot to manipulate - manipulate people into what?  Believing there are sweet little kids out there that will warm your heart?



They exist.

[Bricktop]

I know. I have three. Plus 4.



However, none of them at 4 years old, would have been intellectually, emotionally and humanely capable of carrying out such a sweet gesture UNLESS THEY WERE HEAVILY PROGRAMMED, INDOCTRINATED AND COACHED.



It does NOT reflect a spontaneous and GENUINE outburst of human spirit. It is a pre-programmed, orchestrated and utterly fallacious gesture by a poor little child who has had his innocence and individuality replaced by a perverted and discredited belief system.



Put another way, this poor little boy is being exploited to advance the interests of christianity, and is no less subversive and repugnant than an image of a 10 year old muslim child holding an AK47.

[Renee]

Oh Good God, you really are an angst riddled old fool.



Comparing a little boy praying with Santa to a brainwash child soldier is about the dumbest thing you have ever said and that's saying something.



I swear there are times when you absolutely nauseate me.

[Bricktop]

Oh Good God, you really are an angst riddled old fool.



Comparing a little boy praying with Santa to a brainwash child soldier is about the dumbest thing you have ever said and that's saying something.



I swear there are times when you absolutely nauseate me.

An early Xmas gift to me, then.



Rather than attack the player, why not prove me wrong?



If that was a muslim kid of 4, asking his imam for the head of an infidel, how would you feel then?



The American child is asking for salvation for a baby he ahsn't met, clearly and manifestly "programmed" by his handlers to do so. To American values, this is a charming and heartwarming gesture, despite its obvious exploitation.



To a muslim, killing infidels is a part of the survival and protection of their land and way of life. A child praying for the protection of his home by seeking the killing of one that threatens it would be seen as charming and heartwarming.



We are, of course, reviled at that concept, yet it is all a matter of perpsective.



The principle of forcing belief systems on young children to perpetuate lies, myths and deceit is abhorrent.



In any culture.



Puke your heart out.

[Anonymous]

Oh Good God, you really are an angst riddled old fool.



Comparing a little boy praying with Santa to a brainwash child soldier is about the dumbest thing you have ever said and that's saying something.



I swear there are times when you absolutely nauseate me.

An early Xmas gift to me, then.



Rather than attack the player, why not prove me wrong?



If that was a muslim kid of 4, asking his imam for the head of an infidel, how would you feel then?



The American child is asking for salvation for a baby he ahsn't met, clearly and manifestly "programmed" by his handlers to do so. To American values, this is a charming and heartwarming gesture, despite its obvious exploitation.



To a muslim, killing infidels is a part of the survival and protection of their land and way of life. A child praying for the protection of his home by seeking the killing of one that threatens it would be seen as charming and heartwarming.



We are, of course, reviled at that concept, yet it is all a matter of perpsective.



The principle of forcing belief systems on young children to perpetuate lies, myths and deceit is abhorrent.



In any culture.



Puke your heart out.

How can you make a comparison like that?

 :001_rolleyes:

[Renee]

Oh Good God, you really are an angst riddled old fool.



Comparing a little boy praying with Santa to a brainwash child soldier is about the dumbest thing you have ever said and that's saying something.



I swear there are times when you absolutely nauseate me.

An early Xmas gift to me, then.



Rather than attack the player, why not prove me wrong?



If that was a muslim kid of 4, asking his imam for the head of an infidel, how would you feel then?



The American child is asking for salvation for a baby he ahsn't met, clearly and manifestly "programmed" by his handlers to do so. To American values, this is a charming and heartwarming gesture, despite its obvious exploitation.



To a muslim, killing infidels is a part of the survival and protection of their land and way of life. A child praying for the protection of his home by seeking the killing of one that threatens it would be seen as charming and heartwarming.



We are, of course, reviled at that concept, yet it is all a matter of perpsective.



The principle of forcing belief systems on young children to perpetuate lies, myths and deceit is abhorrent.



In any culture.



Puke your heart out.

How can you make a comparison like that?

 :001_rolleyes:

Because he's a horse's ass and he assumes that ALL small childern that have a rudimentary understanding of God and prayer must be under the evil spell of overly zealous Jesus freaks.



That's secular socialist programming in action. A significant number of atheists in this world behave like a militant cult. They see religion as evil and exposing children to any form of it, no matter how limited, as a form of abuse. Remember how loony evs comment about abuse and sending your children to religious private school was?  Well Crowley's assumptions in this case are about just as nutty.



This also play's right in with his teenage angst regarding the US. To a furious anti-American idiot like him, a child praying is symptomatic of the social decay in America and as you know our arrogant foaming at the mouth Aussie will never pass up an opportunity to bash the US.

[Anonymous]

Oh Good God, you really are an angst riddled old fool.



Comparing a little boy praying with Santa to a brainwash child soldier is about the dumbest thing you have ever said and that's saying something.



I swear there are times when you absolutely nauseate me.

An early Xmas gift to me, then.



Rather than attack the player, why not prove me wrong?



If that was a muslim kid of 4, asking his imam for the head of an infidel, how would you feel then?



The American child is asking for salvation for a baby he ahsn't met, clearly and manifestly "programmed" by his handlers to do so. To American values, this is a charming and heartwarming gesture, despite its obvious exploitation.



To a muslim, killing infidels is a part of the survival and protection of their land and way of life. A child praying for the protection of his home by seeking the killing of one that threatens it would be seen as charming and heartwarming.



We are, of course, reviled at that concept, yet it is all a matter of perpsective.



The principle of forcing belief systems on young children to perpetuate lies, myths and deceit is abhorrent.



In any culture.



Puke your heart out.

How can you make a comparison like that?

 :001_rolleyes:

Because he's a horse's ass and he assumes that ALL small childern that have a rudimentary understanding of God and prayer must be under the evil spell of overly zealous Jesus freaks.



That's secular socialist programming in action. A significant number of atheists in this world behave like a militant cult. They see religion as evil and exposing children to any form of it, no matter how limited, as a form of abuse. Remember how loony evs comment about abuse and sending your children to religious private school was?  Well Crowley's assumptions in this case are about just as nutty.



This also play's right in with his teenage angst regarding the US. To a furious anti-American idiot like him, a child praying is symptomatic of the social decay in America and as you know our arrogant foaming at the mouth Aussie will never pass up an opportunity to bash the US.

I'm use to this incorrect assumption.

[Renee]

Oh Good God, you really are an angst riddled old fool.



Comparing a little boy praying with Santa to a brainwash child soldier is about the dumbest thing you have ever said and that's saying something.



I swear there are times when you absolutely nauseate me.

An early Xmas gift to me, then.



Rather than attack the player, why not prove me wrong?



If that was a muslim kid of 4, asking his imam for the head of an infidel, how would you feel then?



The American child is asking for salvation for a baby he ahsn't met, clearly and manifestly "programmed" by his handlers to do so. To American values, this is a charming and heartwarming gesture, despite its obvious exploitation.



To a muslim, killing infidels is a part of the survival and protection of their land and way of life. A child praying for the protection of his home by seeking the killing of one that threatens it would be seen as charming and heartwarming.



We are, of course, reviled at that concept, yet it is all a matter of perpsective.



The principle of forcing belief systems on young children to perpetuate lies, myths and deceit is abhorrent.



In any culture.



Puke your heart out.

How can you make a comparison like that?

 :001_rolleyes:

Because he's a horse's ass and he assumes that ALL small childern that have a rudimentary understanding of God and prayer must be under the evil spell of overly zealous Jesus freaks.



That's secular socialist programming in action. A significant number of atheists in this world behave like a militant cult. They see religion as evil and exposing children to any form of it, no matter how limited, as a form of abuse. Remember how loony evs comment about abuse and sending your children to religious private school was?  Well Crowley's assumptions in this case are about just as nutty.



This also play's right in with his teenage angst regarding the US. To a furious anti-American idiot like him, a child praying is symptomatic of the social decay in America and as you know our arrogant foaming at the mouth Aussie will never pass up an opportunity to bash the US.

I'm use to this incorrect assumption.

Well I'm not. I find it offensive because it makes the assumption that small children are stupid and have no intellectual curiosity and that they content to just play with teddy bears and alphabet blocks.

[Anonymous]

I'm used to this incorrect assumption.

Well I'm not. I find it offensive because it makes the assumption that small children are stupid and have no intellectual curiosity and that they are content to just play with teddy bears and alphabet blocks.

I know that assumption is not true from my own children.

[Anonymous]

Someone took a pic of her nephew praying with Santa, posted it on Facebook where people were so touched by it that they circulated it.  It's kind of how social media works Crow.  I find it silly to think it's some plot to manipulate - manipulate people into what?  Believing there are sweet little kids out there that will warm your heart?



They exist.

Sounds like a conspiracy to manipulate them young.