Bad message

greekgoddess31

Active Member
I was reading through a kids book called The Story of Christmas and I really think it has a horrible message. After giving the generally accepted story of Jesus' birth it said that the wise men brought Jesus gifts because they loved him and that we give presents to show our love. I think it leads kids (mind you this was a toddler board book) to believe that presents equal love which is not the case.
 

Nadai

Active Member
I suppose it's no worse than changing the entire meaning of Christmas to revolve around the idea of a "jolly, fat, prowler breaking in your house to leave gifts";)
Christmas is individualized now I suppose, it means different things to different people.
 

Setharoth

New Member
The Bible tells of the wise men bringing gifts to the baby king. How could you retell that story without that detail? Children get their values messages more from parents than they will in a book.
 

RLynn

Active Member
Okay, someone tries to butter up the boss at Christmas by giving them a bottle of booze (while at the same time wishing they would drop dead). A toddler doesn't have enough life experience to understand this, or even to understand a social mandate to give gifts at Christmas whether or not one agrees with the custom. Greekgoddess31, while I see your point, I don't think a story about giving presents to express love is neceesarly harmful in itself. As Setharoth wisely stated, children ultimately get their values from their parents. This may not always be a good thing, but it is a fact nonetheless.
 

Myrddin

Well-Known Member
... children ultimately get their values from their parents. This may not always be a good thing, but it is a fact nonetheless.
No, it certainly isn't always a good thing. Sometimes parents screw up and teach their children the wrong thing. But we also must remember that it's not just the parents who teach values to their children. Children learn from everyone around them, including their teachers and peers, and at such a young age all it takes is one bad teacher or friend to send out the wrong message, and voila, they've picked up a value or belief that is generally considered bad, and can't be rectified.
 

LegendofJoe

Active Member
The Jesus story is also what i grew up believing.
But I always interpreted it to mean that we give presents to express our love.
Sometimes I give little presents to people throghout the year because I like to see the
joy in their faces.
 

greekgoddess31

Active Member
But what upsets me about it is --Gifts are not proof of love. In what universe does a new video game or a gift card to Applebees say "I love you"? I think as a society we should do a major reevaluation if that is the definition of love. And what about those children who live in poor households who can't afford presents? Does that mean their parents don't love them?
 

RLynn

Active Member
But what upsets me about it is --Gifts are not proof of love.......
Gifts can be an expression of love. Only an idiot would think that gifts are proof of love or the only way to express love. Giving a necktie to someone because you drew their name at the office is not the same as giving a dozen red roses to one's sweetheart. In fact, giving the necktie (or similar gift) at the office Christmas party was required, but the roses are totally unnecessary, simply a really nice symbolic way of saying "I love you."
Even as a child I don't recall ever thinking of gifts as proof of love. I just liked receiving gifts. It was fun. The love between me and my parents was never associated with gifts, although I knew that their generosity toward me was motivated by love.
Maybe I'm weird. Actually I know I'm a little weird. :)
 

OracleLady

Member
I was reading through a kids book called The Story of Christmas and I really think it has a horrible message. After giving the generally accepted story of Jesus' birth it said that the wise men brought Jesus gifts because they loved him and that we give presents to show our love. I think it leads kids (mind you this was a toddler board book) to believe that presents equal love which is not the case.
I don't see it that way. These gifts weren't bribes, or to show they loved him. They were to honor him, perhaps to revere him. There's a line in the song, "The Little Drummer Boy," that goes: "so to honor him, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum on my drum." The line comes after the little boy declares he has "no gift to bring that's fit to give our King. . . " I do agree that the book could have said it better than with the words above. It is a misleading message.
 

RLynn

Active Member
Yes, the gifts from the Magi were tokens of homage to the newborn King. The book apparently screwed up on that point.
 

greekgoddess31

Active Member
RLynn we are talking about a book aimed at 2-4 year olds, not grown ups, so it isn't an idiot but a child. They can't always separate the concepts. I just feel like they could have told the story without having to equate the giving of gifts to love. Gifts of homage and respect to kings were the general practice during the time of Jesus' birth, not necessarily given out of love.
 
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