As a boy, J. Lynn Currie’s idea of belief was wrapped in Christmas magic. He trusted that Santa Claus would arrive each year, not because he had proof, but because the signs were there, stockings filled, gifts under the tree, and parents who swore they’d heard reindeer on the roof.
When the truth came out, suddenly and with a sting, he discovered something about the nature of belief. Believing in something is not always the same as believing that something exists.
To believe in something often means to trust it, value it, or depend on it, like believing in a friend’s loyalty or in the power of love to change lives. It’s personal. It carries weight.
Believing that something exists, however, is about facts and evidence. One might believe that the ocean exists because they’ve seen its waves and felt its tide. It’s an acknowledgement, not necessarily an act of trust.
Currie uses this difference to explain how he can still say, “I believe in Santa Claus,” while also proclaiming, “I believe in God,” and mean two very different things. The first is about honoring a tradition he once cherished. The second is about placing his trust and hope in a living God he cannot see, but for whom he finds compelling evidence and personal reason to believe.
For him, belief is more than mental agreement, it’s a choice to commit. And it invites a question for every reader:
Do you believe in this… or do you simply believe that it’s there?
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- Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Believe-Santa-Claus-God-Why/dp/B0CYSQBDPW
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