Comments re: some Christians and their hatred of Halloween

[dmp]

I was driving along last week, when I noticed a church's billboard/readerboard thingy.

"Don't celebrate Satan's day - come visit our Fall Festival!"

or something like that...

Why do Christians have such hatred or dislike for Halloween? I found this comment on another site, and wanted to start this thread around the comments, as I agree 100%.

...I make a point of finding very little offensive, I don't' look for hidden meaning...behind every door, catch phrase, fad, or any particular day. My faith is based on something that is real to me and is not shaken by those who do not believe or those that even try to distort what it is. My testimony is not for the saved but the un-saved. Standing on a soap box to proclaim rightousness and your feelings do little for anyone else but bolster your ego. My actions and deeds are what separate me from others. It seems rather absurd to me to be offended over any of this or somehow feel it is important

If you are a Christian, you are in the minority in most places in the world, if you live by your faith you are a minority in this country,

You can take any holiday that we celebrate and bend a twist the meaning or intentions of it, you can also find reason to celebrate and be thankful in any of them also.

 

[Nienna]

I understand why some Christians hate Halloween. The orgy of bloody, deformed, or "undead" creatures, the grotesque images of violence, the glorification of evil. I personally can't see why anyone would think of this as "fun." And I certainly don't think this is the type of thing God would want us to celebrate.

However, I don't think the best approach to the problem is to "stand on a soapbox," or to disengage from the culture. Some people attend Harvest Festivals and eschew trick-or-treat. In our family, we don't allow our kids to wear gory, evil, or slutty costumes. We decorate with happy jack-o-lanterns, pumpkins, gourds, and scarecrows. In this way, the kids don't miss out on the fun, and I actually think it is a much better witness. We are not too good to walk around the neighborhood and collect candy, talk to the neighbors. But if no one will see evil imagery at our house, and I'd be glad to tell them why!

 

[Hagbard Celine]

I understand why some Christians hate Halloween. The orgy of bloody, deformed, or "undead" creatures, the grotesque images of violence, the glorification of evil. I personally can't see why anyone would think of this as "fun." And I certainly don't think this is the type of thing God would want us to celebrate.

However, I don't think the best approach to the problem is to "stand on a soapbox," or to disengage from the culture. Some people attend Harvest Festivals and eschew trick-or-treat. In our family, we don't allow our kids to wear gory, evil, or slutty costumes. We decorate with happy jack-o-lanterns, pumpkins, gourds, and scarecrows. In this way, the kids don't miss out on the fun, and I actually think it is a much better witness. We are not too good to walk around the neighborhood and collect candy, talk to the neighbors. But if no one will see evil imagery at our house, and I'd be glad to tell them why!

I think it's silly to interpret Halloween as "an orgy of blood" or as anything "evil." It was originally a day to honor the dead and celebrate the harvest. Now it's just a fun holiday for kids to dress-up as a monster or whatever and get candy. If anything, Christians should be more upset that Christmas has become less about Christ and more about materialistic corporation worship than they should be about kids dressing up like vampires and witches on Halloween.

 

[Gunny]

I was driving along last week, when I noticed a church's billboard/readerboard thingy.

"Don't celebrate Satan's day - come visit our Fall Festival!"

or something like that...

Why do Christians have such hatred or dislike for Halloween? I found this comment on another site, and wanted to start this thread around the comments, as I agree 100%.

It's a dental bill thing ......

 

[Nienna]

I think it's silly to interpret Halloween as "an orgy of blood" or as anything "evil." It was originally a day to honor the dead and celebrate the harvest. Now it's just a fun holiday for kids to dress-up as a monster or whatever and get candy. If anything, Christians should be more upset that Christmas has become less about Christ and more about materialistic corporation worship than they should be about kids dressing up like vampires and witches on Halloween.

The Catholic Church did originally declare All Saints' [Hallows'] Day as a day to honor the deceased in the Lord. It is then followed by All Souls' Day, a day to pray for those souls in Purgatory, or whose afterlife condition is unsure. All Hallows' Eve was simply the night before the festival. These feast days were declared in an effort to detract from some of the more fearful pagan rites and harvest festivals.

Now-a-days, very few celebrate the saints or pray for those in Purgatory. Maybe things are different in your part of the country, but around here, the "Eve" has completely overshadowed the feast day. Displays can be graphically gruesome... decapitations, hangings, half-rotted hands poking out of the ground. Some displays are more harvest-oriented, with maybe a happy witch on a broom, while others are exactly what I called them---orgies of blood.

As far as Christmas goes, yes, that is upsetting, too. But maybe we can debate that in a couple of months.

 

[5stringJeff]

We (my family) don't celebrate Halloween, because it celebrates death, the dead, and is a high pagan holiday. However, I agree that the church reader board was probably a little bit out of line. Most people aren't going to feel invited by such a sign.

 

[GotZoom]

One year, I went Trick-or-Treating dressed like Moses with the 10 Commandments.

1. Thou shalt be nice to everyone.

2. Thou shalt give me lots of candy.

etc....

 

[dmp]

We aren't celebrating Halloween, we're celebrating the chance to dress up and get candy. For us, it's an excuse for the kids to play dress-up. It's like...Acting, without having to really know any lines but one. Think: Every Keanu Reeves movie made.

 

[Hagbard Celine]

We (my family) don't celebrate Halloween, because it celebrates death, the dead, and is a high pagan holiday. However, I agree that the church reader board was probably a little bit out of line. Most people aren't going to feel invited by such a sign.

You know Christmas and Easter were both originally Pagan holidays celebrating the winter and spring equinoxes. The significance has changed, but the roots remain the same. Letting your kids dress-up to get free candy isn't going to earn them or you a spot in hell. Many Holidays Pagan In Origin

 

[The ClayTaurus]

I understand why some Christians hate Halloween. The orgy of bloody, deformed, or "undead" creatures, the grotesque images of violence, the glorification of evil. I personally can't see why anyone would think of this as "fun." And I certainly don't think this is the type of thing God would want us to celebrate.

However, I don't think the best approach to the problem is to "stand on a soapbox," or to disengage from the culture. Some people attend Harvest Festivals and eschew trick-or-treat. In our family, we don't allow our kids to wear gory, evil, or slutty costumes. We decorate with happy jack-o-lanterns, pumpkins, gourds, and scarecrows. In this way, the kids don't miss out on the fun, and I actually think it is a much better witness. We are not too good to walk around the neighborhood and collect candy, talk to the neighbors. But if no one will see evil imagery at our house, and I'd be glad to tell them why!

Do you think it's fun to scare yourself, by going to haunted forrests or watching horror movies?

 

[The ClayTaurus]

We aren't celebrating Halloween, we're celebrating the chance to dress up and get candy. For us, it's an excuse for the kids to play dress-up. It's like...Acting, without having to really know any lines but one. Think: Every Keanu Reeves movie made.

"Whoa." ?

That gets you candy?

 

[5stringJeff]

You know Christmas and Easter were both originally Pagan holidays celebrating the winter and spring equinoxes. The significance has changed, but the roots remain the same. Letting your kids dress-up to get free candy isn't going to earn them or you a spot in hell. Many Holidays Pagan In Origin

While the dates and some symbols of Christmas and Easter are pagan in origin, the holiday itself signifies an event in Christian history, and can be celebrated without the use of those symbols if desired. Not so with Halloween; the celebration itself began - and still continues in many pagan and Satanist traditions - as their highest holiday.

 

[Nienna]

Do you think it's fun to scare yourself, by going to haunted forrests or watching horror movies?

No.

Even if I did, I wouldn't be likely to take my kids to a haunted forest or horror movie.

 

[The ClayTaurus]

No.

Even if I did, I wouldn't be likely to take my kids to a haunted forest or horror movie.

So, by doing so, do you think some inner evil desire is being indulged? (This is purely out of my curiousity, so don't read too deep into things)

 

[Nienna]

So, by doing so, do you think some inner evil desire is being indulged? (This is purely out of my curiousity, so don't read too deep into things)

I guess it would depend on the specific circumstance. Not exactly sure what you are asking.

 

[The ClayTaurus]

I guess it would depend on the specific circumstance. Not exactly sure what you are asking.

I'm wondering if, in your opinion, taking pleasure in being frightened by horror movies or haunted forrests is in some way indulging an evil part of one's mental complex.

 

[Nienna]

I'm wondering if, in your opinion, taking pleasure in being frightened by horror movies or haunted forrests is in some way indulging an evil part of one's mental complex.

I can understand people enjoying suspense and intrigue. My classic example is the movie The Fugitive. Awesome, very suspenseful, but not really any gore. I don't know about a haunted forest. Weird things are interesting, too. I guess the main thing I think is evil is the love of gore. I would say that enjoying seeing people or animals ripped apart, bloodied, dismembered, or rotted is indulging the evil side of humanity.

 

[The ClayTaurus]

I can understand people enjoying suspense and intrigue. My classic example is the movie The Fugitive. Awesome, very suspenseful, but not really any gore. I don't know about a haunted forest. Weird things are interesting, too. I guess the main thing I think is evil is the love of gore. I would say that enjoying seeing people or animals ripped apart, bloodied, dismembered, or rotted is indulging the evil side of humanity.

Even though it's make-believe?

 

[Hagbard Celine]

While the dates and some symbols of Christmas and Easter are pagan in origin, the holiday itself signifies an event in Christian history, and can be celebrated without the use of those symbols if desired. Not so with Halloween; the celebration itself began - and still continues in many pagan and Satanist traditions - as their highest holiday.

True. And Halloween can also be celebrated without worshipping Satan. The modern concept of Halloween has more to do with celebrating the harvest and honoring the dead than it does with Satanism. Think of it as the American version of the day of the dead.

 

[Nienna]

Even though it's make-believe?

Sometimes these things are taken beyond the realm of make-believe. Some of these things really happen.

But, yes, even if it is make-believe. Since I try to follow the Bible, I believe it when it says we are to take every thought captive to Christ. Jesus called it adultery if a man only just thought lustful thoughts about a woman. Seems like the same thing when we glut our eyes on tortured images, even though we aren't actually chopping people up. To me, it is no excuse that it isn't "real." The whole spiritual battle in this world is the battle for the loyalty (or possession) of our minds.

Now, I also, have a question, just out of curiosity... Do you really think it is enjoyable to view this type of gore?