"Is he going to come back to life? Jesus came back to life." when talking about my dead dad

[StupidTrombone]

Since nursery did the easter story we have had a lot of questions about things coming back to life - my dad, a squashed spider etc.

I'm an aethist so have told him its just a story. How do other people handle this?

He's been told Jesus was a magic man so I wonder if I should be telling him my dad wasn't magic. But it sounds like a bit of an insult to me!

[capsium]

I can see that in a way the modern embellished Santa could move into the idolatry arena. Christmas becomes very materialistic , expensive gifts over eating etc. The naughty or nice business becomes about having to 'earn' gifts through certain behaviour and being punished by getting a sack of coal / ashes which ignores grace and redemption through Christ not by own works.

However this is a matter of perspective and how Santa Claus is viewed in terms of Christmas. Kind, Godly Saint or a figure which stands for something very different.

[capsium]

^to my mind you can chose which aspect of the Santa Claus tradition you wish to focus on and celebrate.

[kaffkooks]

Haven't read all the replies to this thread so just thinking how I would answer your child's question. Probably something along the lines of Christians believe that one day Jesus will come back to Earth and everyone will come back to life.