| | Byron,
Speaking for the insane, I think you can give children the magic and mystery of myth without having to deceive them into believing something is real when you know it is not. No, it just isn't the same. It's good you acknowledge your insanity, though - that's the first step to recovery ;)
Fiction can be enjoyed, with the suspension of disbelief, without going around thinking that the events described are fact.
Of course it can. And so it should. But it's still no substitute for the fun, happy, risk-free beliefs that only a child can experience.
I am not sure why why you imply innocence is a virtue whose loss is to lamented when you also say (and rightly so) that there is value in questioning every belief, even long-held beliefs, and rejecting them if they prove to be false. If you're seeing a contradicition here, it is because I look at adults and children in completely different contexts. A child's innocence is a virtue. An adult's dogmatic ignorance is not. The former is temporary, harmless, fun, and exciting. The latter is dangerous and destructive.
I am going to teach my children ... about the Invisible Pink Elephant who will sit on them if they're being bad. Um.. Byron? What are you trying to say? That the Invisible Pink Elephant. . . isn't real?!! Tell me it isn't so, Byron! TELL ME IT ISN'T SO! (tears...)
Anyway, I don't actually think you are emotionless or retentive, but I do think it's a bit silly to have a moral objection over teaching your kids to believe in Santa Claus. (Note: I am not saying you personally have such an objection, as you have not said so either way).
Signed,
Gordon, The Voice Sanity (at least about 50% of the time)
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