Halloween - What Do You Think?
Saturday, October 15, 2005
Halloween is coming up soon. I personally don't celebrate the holiday but I was wondering where you stand. Most people I know feel it is a totally harmless holiday, but I personally base my decision on 1 Thess. 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. Now to me, that means many things, I mean such as hating our brother, or lying, participating in something we know is wrong.
I might be an extremist, I mean I don't run around telling people I dont think they should celebrate Halloween but I do have people ask me whether I celebrate or not. I usually explain most of our holidays in America originated from pagan roots, but this one just seems to have much to do with the dead, witches, skeletons, ghosts, ghouls, bats and demons. I also realize there are some cartoon costumes, etc, but the majority seems to center around the other. So, I made the decision not to participate. Of course I also do not watch anything on TV or at the movies that appears evil or scary. The bible says the eyes are the window to our soul and King David said, I will put no evil thing before my eyes. Psalm 101:3
Halloween origin
The term "Halloween" derives from Hallowe'en, an old contraction, still retained in Scotland and some parts of Canada, of "All Hallow's Eve," so called as it is the day before the Catholic All Saints holy day, which used to be called "All Hallows," derived from All Hallowed Souls. In Ireland, the name was Hallow Eve and this name is still used by some older people. Halloween was formerly also sometimes called All Saints' Eve. The holiday was a day of religious festivities in various northern European pagan traditions, until it was appropriated by Christian missionaries (along with Christmas and Easter, two other traditional northern European pagan holidays) and given a Christian reinterpretation. In Mexico, All Saint's Day, following Halloween, is the Day of the Dead.
Halloween is also called Pooky Night in some parts of Ireland, presumably named after the púca, a mischievous spirit.
In the United Kingdom in particular, the pagan Celts celebrated the Day of the Dead on Halloween. The spirits supposedly rose from the dead and, in order to attract them, food was left on the doors. To scare off the evil spirits, the Celts wore masks. When the Romans invaded Britain, they embellished the tradition with their own, which is the celebration of the harvest and honoring the dead. These traditions were then passed on to the United States.
Halloween is sometimes associated with the occult. Many European cultural traditions hold that Halloween is one of the "liminal" times of the year when the spirit world can make contact with the natural world and when magic is most potent (see, for example, Catalan mythology about witches).
Anyway, what do you think? I really want to know your stand on Halloween.
I might be an extremist, I mean I don't run around telling people I dont think they should celebrate Halloween but I do have people ask me whether I celebrate or not. I usually explain most of our holidays in America originated from pagan roots, but this one just seems to have much to do with the dead, witches, skeletons, ghosts, ghouls, bats and demons. I also realize there are some cartoon costumes, etc, but the majority seems to center around the other. So, I made the decision not to participate. Of course I also do not watch anything on TV or at the movies that appears evil or scary. The bible says the eyes are the window to our soul and King David said, I will put no evil thing before my eyes. Psalm 101:3
Halloween origin
The term "Halloween" derives from Hallowe'en, an old contraction, still retained in Scotland and some parts of Canada, of "All Hallow's Eve," so called as it is the day before the Catholic All Saints holy day, which used to be called "All Hallows," derived from All Hallowed Souls. In Ireland, the name was Hallow Eve and this name is still used by some older people. Halloween was formerly also sometimes called All Saints' Eve. The holiday was a day of religious festivities in various northern European pagan traditions, until it was appropriated by Christian missionaries (along with Christmas and Easter, two other traditional northern European pagan holidays) and given a Christian reinterpretation. In Mexico, All Saint's Day, following Halloween, is the Day of the Dead.
Halloween is also called Pooky Night in some parts of Ireland, presumably named after the púca, a mischievous spirit.
In the United Kingdom in particular, the pagan Celts celebrated the Day of the Dead on Halloween. The spirits supposedly rose from the dead and, in order to attract them, food was left on the doors. To scare off the evil spirits, the Celts wore masks. When the Romans invaded Britain, they embellished the tradition with their own, which is the celebration of the harvest and honoring the dead. These traditions were then passed on to the United States.
Halloween is sometimes associated with the occult. Many European cultural traditions hold that Halloween is one of the "liminal" times of the year when the spirit world can make contact with the natural world and when magic is most potent (see, for example, Catalan mythology about witches).
Anyway, what do you think? I really want to know your stand on Halloween.
posted by Live, Love, Laugh | 10:58 PM
18 Comments:
I personally always celebrated it as a kid, but don't really celebrate it now. I never got into that "costume party" atmosphere of getting all dressed up and going to some lame party to drink. But overall I don't mind it.
The scary movies, it depends on the scary movie.. if it appears dark or evil, or has ANYTHING to do with Vampires I will not watch it. Like Constatine, or Blade I refuse to watch them. But stuff like the Village, or the Cell I watched.
I guess it's about our own personal convictions and what line can we draw bso it doesn't affect our walk with God.
I wouldn't say I celebrate it, but I've always loved scare flicks, like Friday the 13th and all. One of my many character flaws, I guess. ;-)
I try to minimize the so-called holiday but don't have a ban against it. My kids have always gone out trick or treating, or have done an alternative church thing.
All Saints day is a nice day to celebrate. It's good to remember those who came before.
Halloween is more pagan than most, but really all our Christian holidays appropriated pagan festivals--it was a marketing thing useful at the time.
The kids have fun picking pumpkins and dressing up on Halloween. My rule is the costumes and pumpkin faces can't be scary. We like to go around the neighborhood and collect candy. It's nothing more than that. When we look at the history of Halloween and why/how they celebrated it, it's nothing like what we do on the 31st, so I don't feel badly about it. I understand most Christians don't feel this way. That's okay, too. God is my judge.
I don't like halloween myself.Thats when all the evilness comes out in people.
I don't like Halloween, but I love the kids who trick-or-treat. I try to be a good witness to them.
Tommy mentioned the other day when we were studying the flood that it mentions the time of the year that it occured, and it seems to match up with our calendar's October 31. Could be why so many cultures "celebrate" the dead on that day.
Just a thought!
SO great to meet you last night. Finally!!! Y'all are so nice!
I wrote a post about Halloween a few months ago, and I'm going to repost it, maybe tomorrow. Basically, it is about how the Lord showed me that my self-righteous, holier than thou attitude I used to have about the holiday were incredibly wrong, and not a good witness to the world. I'm not saying you are self-righteous, but that I was. It all has to do with attitude, and how the world perceives the stance we take. I myself do not care for scary movies because I do not enjoy peeing my pants. But to each his own!
Wow... when you put it like that, I guess I may have to change my stance.
Msthang, I too celebrated as a kid and let my kids celebrate in traditional ways then as ordinary christian. Nowadays you never know what you are going to get ahold of, times have changed, so I would really be probably even more careful now.
If I were to watch scary movies I would be jumpy, I just can't watch them, it grieves my spirit, the other night the BTK killer came on and I watched about five minutes and I couldn't take it cause he was so evil. I see and hear enough evil on my job, I guess I just can't stomach it.
FTS
Friday the 13th!!! eeeekkkkk!
Ordinary Christian
My kids also used to do the alternative church thing.
Norma,
That's a good point. We do need to remember those who have gone before. I sometimes think of what it must've been like to be there during that time frame, but even now in places like China, there are many who are severely persecuted for their faith, yet never waiver.
Maria,
I agree God is our judge and that's why I don't try to change anyone else, thanks for the comment.
Bonnie,
Nowadays people are bolder and evil is abounding. I agree with your comment, we see alot of crim mischief etc around that time of year.
AmStaff,
It was great to meet you too. You and your sister are so sweet. Eddo really loves you both! and of course all the blog buddies too.
Jennifer,
Your comment made me laugh about peeing your pants. haha
Joe,
I think the kids are cute also, but I don't usually celebrate at all, so I don't give out candy.
Jayleigh,
Many things have shaped my decision to not celebrate the holiday, but the scriptures were pointed out to me by a friend after I had already made my decision.
We do an alternative church thing. No scary or satanic costumes, but trunk-or-treat, memory verses and bounce houses. It's more of a celebration of Fall.
I don't think the celebration is intrinsically evil - but, some people are wicked. As Joe said, the little kids are cute - however, the big goofs that are roaming the streets are surely up to no good.
Our church does Hallelujah night. We have a big tent and plain wrapper candy and christian music (no costumes)and such in our church parking lot, to change the atmosphere. I'm going to do a opst right before the day. I've got a few things to add to what you put out there. Great post....repost it closer to the day!
As I get older, I try to talk the family into skipping this holiday. Of course the 3 kids refuse. I do not allow any devilish, scary or slutty costumes for the kids. Only happy & cute costumes here. We attend our church fall festival, which has a western theme & do a little trick or treating. I wouldn't mind it at all if the holiday just ceased to exist. Like that'll happen. In Awana's we have crazy hair night as a way to let the kids do something "different" with themselves.
I noticed last year that few parents were out WITH their kids. I saw several small groups of 9 yr & up trick or treating & wondered where the heck their parents were. Large groups of teenagers were out acting just plain stupid & I again wondered where the parents are. Within 5 mins of putting our candy on the porch, it was gone. Years past one could put the treats on the porch with a note to only take 2 or 3 & the children would respect that. This year, I'm not even going to bother.
Maybe I'm a Halloween Grinch, but I really really wish this holiday would just go away. I am excited about Thanksgiving & can't wait for it to get here. :-)
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