That's funny, Grant. It was even worse with the earlier day synthesizers, too. Phil. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Grant E. Metcalf" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Sunday, December 16, 2007 9:32 AM Subject: the origin of santa claus > Hi Folks, > > Ronda's submission about jesus and Santa provoked me into contributing a > couple of paragraphs from my recent posting of an article on the Bartimaeus > website. Enjoy! > > Begin quote: > > Something that has always been of interest to me is the matter of how > we men are able to take words and phrases out of context in order to > prove our misconceptions, prejudice, and especially ignorance. As an > illustration of this, I would like to briefly relate a recent experience > of mine. > > Because I am blind, I use a voice synthesizer and screen reading > software when at the computer. As I was working my way through the > Gospel of John, chapter 6 and verse 12, in the Greek New Testament, my > attention was suddenly arrested by what sounded like the words "Santa > Claus". Did I really hear that? Yes! What's more, it was right in the > middle of the passage describing the feeding of the 5000. Now just > imagine with me for a moment. What could 5000 hungry people, with their > bellies now full, want more than a real Santa Claus? The rest I'll > leave to your own imagination. Silly isn't it? However, the syllables > of the name are there in two Greek words "perisseu-santa klas-mata", > and they have nothing to do with my crazy imagination, but are to be > understood in the full illumination of "context! context! context!" > > End quote. > > A couple more observations: > 1. Saint Nicolas wasn't the first Santa Claus after all. > 2. Santa is based at the North Pole: compare this with Satan's intent in > Isaiah 14:13 to ascend into the sides of the north. > > WELL! enough of my crazy imagination. Phil, the rest is up to you! > > Grant > Visit the home page of BABINC at: > http://bartimaeus.us/ > >