Each year the American Atheists organization attempts to commandeer the holiday season to make their point about the existence of God and the truth of the divine life of Jesus Christ. They’ve placed billboards in Times Square and all over the country in past years. (You can read more about that here and see their press release here.) However, in their attempts to mock belief in God, they often just make the case for belief even stronger. Consider the billboard depicted above.
The billboard makes an obvious play on the issue of Santa Claus, with the implication being that even he is more believable than God. To them, the Bible and the arguments for God are merely fairy tales, no more realistic than the thought of a man in a red suit climbing down your chimney to drop off gifts. So, why don’t we put that theory to the test?
If Santa Claus is just as real as God…
Why is there no evidence of his existence? We don’t have to see or talk to Santa Claus to know he’s real, we just need signs that show us he is. Presents under the tree on Christmas morning that weren’t placed there by anyone in the family would be that kind of evidence. We don’t have that. On the other hand, though we don’t see God or converse with Him, the design we see in every single creature in nature (something we highlight each month in the “WeeThink” section of “Think” magazine) is more than enough evidence that a Designer worked on the world we inhabit.
Why are there no archaeological finds that back up the legend of a North Pole workshop? Because there are plenty of finds that have found the Bible to be true, even when “experts” disagreed right up until the finds were made.
Why aren’t the Santa Claus stories packed with references to real world events that display inexplicable foreknowledge legend attributes to Santa (“He knows when you’ve been bad or good…”)? Because the Bible has a number of scientific facts that only an omniscient God could’ve known at the time.[1]
If Santa Claus’ existence is just as believable as Jesus’…
Where is Santa’s genealogy? Because Jesus has a genealogy that went back dozens of generations and thousands of years before Him, filled with people who were historically recorded long before He lived (Matthew 1:1-17, Luke 3:23-38).
Why does the majority of the world measure history by the life of Jesus Christ and not Santa Claus?
Where are the prophecies of Santa Claus’ birth and life? Jesus fulfilled more than a few.[2]
Where are documentations of Santa Claus’ existence from his associates, contemporary historians, and governing authorities? Because Jesus has plenty to document both His life and enduring work.[3]
While I admittedly write this from a bit of a tongue-in-cheek perspective (I can’t say I thought I’d ever include a lyric to “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” in a post for this site), the fact is that there are really people who think God, Bible, and the history of Jesus Christ are no more believable than Santa Claus. We need to be ready to answer these people, and we need to take advantage of the opportunities given us in our daily conversations. Now is a great time to focus on evangelism as atheists, believers, and everyone in between seem to be discussing Jesus right now. Let’s help them sort myth from miraculous.
By Jack Wilkie

[1] Wayne Jackson, “The Incredible Accuracy of the Bible: An Argument for Inspiration,” Christian Courier, https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/82-incredible-accuracy-of-the-bible-an-argument-for-inspiration-the.
[2] Tim Chaffey, “Fulfilled Prophecies at the Birth of Christ,” AiG, https://answersingenesis.org/jesus-christ/birth/fulfilled-prophecies-at-the-birth-of-christ/, 24 December 2012.
[3] “Extra-Biblical Historical Evidence for the LIFE, DEATH, and RESURRECTION of JESUS,” West Ark church of Christ, http://www.westarkchurchofchrist.org/library/extrabiblical.htm.