Is Belief in Jesus Similar to Believing in Santa Claus?

The famous atheist, Christopher Hitchens, loved making this statement: Believing in Jesus is no different than belief in Santa Claus.

Right out the gate, Jesus isn't a made-up character like Santa Claus. There's simply no comparison. To be clear, when referring to Santa Claus, I'm not referring to St. Nicolas, who lived sometime in the 3rd or 4thCentury.

When an atheist makes this statement, it may seem like a powerful argument against Christianity. However, when examined just a little, it falls apart.

Consider this. What serious debates and lectures are intellectuals really having over the existence of Santa Claus flying around in a sleigh led by reindeer on Christmas Eve?

The answer is obvious. None.

There are no serious intellectual debates over the existence of Santa because we know he is simply a made-up character for kids.

You never hear about people coming to believe in Santa as they enter their teen or adult years. Belief in Santa is for kids—not adults. However, when believing in Jesus Christ—you get all ages.

And because we know there is no real Santa—we know that his nonexistence doesn't affect our existence.

Yet, we are on different footing when dealing with the reality of Jesus.

When it comes to the existence and nature of Jesus Christ, there are scores of books, lectures, institutions, and debates over who He is.  

Why? Because when dealing with the person of Jesus Christ, you are dealing with a first century – historical figure—which has been empirically observable based on historiography.

1.      Historical Facts

·      No reasonable scholar denies Jesus existed. His existence as a first-century Jewish rabbi is affirmed by reputable scholars and verified by many credible sources.

·      Extra-biblical sources (Tacitus, the Roman historian, Flavius Josephus, the Jewish historian, and Pliny the Younger, a Governor in the 2nd Century, and many others)

·      Eyewitness testimony; four biographical accounts; with every single one of the disciples of Jesus willing to die for their belief that Jesus rose from the dead.

·      The textual purity and consistency of the Gospel account offer breathtaking accounts of the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus in great detail.

On the other hand, Santa is a fictitious character from the beginning. You read about him in children's books, not history books that undergo various tests to evaluate their credibility and authenticity.

2.     Prophetic Facts

Jesus met the Messianic credentials by fulfilling almost 200 prophecies n the Hebrew Scriptures.

·      Seed of a woman (virgin birth, Gen. 3:15; Gal 4:4-5; Matt 1:18)

·      He would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)

·      He would be born of a virgin.  (Isaiah 7:14)

·      He would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver.  (Zechariah 11:12)

For a more extensive list of fulfilled prophecies, click here.

While Santa's origins and life at the North Pole, inhabited by working elves, are clearly fanciful and purely crafted for entertaining children.

3.     Theological Facts

·      Christianity claims Jesus lived a sinless life, performed miracles, proclaimed on many occasions that He is God, predicted His death and resurrection, and it's well-attested by many eyewitnesses of His ascension to heaven.

·      Through His death, burial, and resurrection—Jesus has become Savior for billions of people through the centuries.

On the other hand, Santa is a jolly character fit to make the Christmas season fun and bring smiles to children's faces. However, no one is claiming this invented personality to be God.

With Santa, you have fun telling kids how the presents got underneath the Christmas tree. But, with Jesus comes the ultimate gift—the gift of salvation.

People don't look to Santa for forgiveness. We don't ask Santa (for Christmas) to atone for our sins. We look to Jesus. We look to the One who came into this world—took on flesh—and when the time came—took our sins—and died on a Roman cross. But on the third day, as He said—He rose from the dead.

That's why it matters. And that's why believing in Jesus isn't a version of Santa for adults.