# How do you perceive Halloween?



## Johnny Thunder (Feb 24, 2006)

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gDIKcMaxfChpUjdBbmB_nNlw_7Ig


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Guess I better light a candle for myself next time I'm in church - which will be tonight for All Souls' Day (Nov 2, which is the day of remembrance for deceased loved ones, not November 1, which is the day all saints are honored, in spite of what the article said). And I guess all those TOTs that showed up at our house on Saturday were little devil-worshipping pagans. Geez, there goes the neighborhood

I did see signs for a Fall Festival at one of the local Christian megachurches. Personally I think there's room for all kind of ways to mark holidays, and I think little kids in benign costumes are totally adorable. I'd rather see a kid dressed as Mickey Mouse than someone with no costume at all Which reminds me - the most common explanation for a lack of costume that I heard on Saturday - "I'm a rapper".:jol:


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## joker (Sep 25, 2007)

RoxyBlue said:


> ...Which reminds me - the most common explanation for a lack of costume that I heard on Saturday - "I'm a rapper".:jol:


Just keep the candy wrappers from your personal stash next year and give candy wrappers to the rappers


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

LOL, joker, good suggestion


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## Wildcat (Nov 3, 2007)

I don't personally see Halloween as a religious event at all. For me it's a night where people get to have a little fun, albeit on the more gruesome side it's still in good fun. Even the way I look on Halloween the tot's have no fear of me, nor do the parents (accept the parents that aren't watching since they're the ones I sneak up on.)
We have a minister that lives down the street and he always makes it with his family to my yard. I always have hot cider and coffee for those that wish to hang out for a bit.
I see it more as a social event for me and my neighbours. With everyone's busy lifestyles there aren't to many times through the year that I get to talk with all my neighbour in one day.

It's all in good fun and I think events like Halloween can help bring people that would normally never meet together as a community.

Then on the other hand I could just be full of pumpkin seeds:jol:


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## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

Funny with how this growing trend is going... objecting to Halloween as being satanic and antiChristian... considering that the first 3 pro-haunts I worked at in my childhood were run by churches and Christian organizations to raise money for charities.

and as for Dirty Sanchez or whatever that bishop's name was... it has a background in _anti_-Christianity? Yo, 'tard... try PRE-Christianity. In a sense, you could say we were here first. So there, Nyeah.


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## joker (Sep 25, 2007)

Wildcat said:


> I don't personally see Halloween as a religious event at all. For me it's a night where people get to have a little fun, albeit on the more gruesome side it's still in good fun.
> ...
> I see it more as a social event for me and my neighbours. With everyone's busy lifestyles there aren't to many times through the year that I get to talk with all my neighbour in one day.
> 
> It's all in good fun and I think events like Halloween can help bring people that would normally never meet together as a community.


That's exactly how my family and I look at the Holiday.

Those who oppose Halloween for religious reasons always tickle me, with there ignorance of the pagan roots of most popular Christmas customs. Few are even aware of the history behind Christmas trees, mistletoes or the ancient midwinter celebration of a mother-goddess with the midwinter babe.

Habitat for Humanity, the charity I'm helping raise money for is a Christian based charity. We had one from their group try to make issue with the haunt, but I think it was more about other motives than religious reasons even though that's the card she was trying to play.


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## incubus0 (Oct 13, 2006)

joker said:


> ...We had one from their group try to make issue with the haunt, but I think it was more about other motives than religious reasons even though that's the card she was trying to play.


How did you counter it?


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## joker (Sep 25, 2007)

incubus0 said:


> How did you counter it?


I got one version saying a Board member had issue, but she's all willing to help out if I need it. I gave her my shpeel about Christmas traditions and where some of them came from, but pretty much ended with if that board member felt that strongly about it that I wouldn't expect any participation from them and it was ok, but the board had already voted to move forward. I told her I was just trying to help them raise money and provide a safe environment for the local kids.

The president of the board was told by her that it she was the one that had religious reasons for not wanting anything to do with it.

Funny thing is she ended up working at a haunted hay ride in a nearby town that her daughter was working at and has in the past. That pretty much led me to believe that she had an alterior (sp?) motive.

After talking with the pres of the board we pretty much just ignored her.


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## InfernoFudd (Aug 26, 2008)

I do get a bit annoyed with churches that want to take the fun out of Halloween, but so be it. The real problem is with the soccer moms that think the neighbors are wringing their hands, crouched over a cauldron of candy, their minds festering with the effects that their tainted candy will have on the little kiddies. Mu uu aaa haaa haaa!

My HOA hosts a trunk of treats in front of the neighborhood, but thankfully most of the kids go straight to the houses afterward.


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## Death's Door (Mar 22, 2006)

hmmmm - after reading that clipping, I ponder - _"In Spain earlier this week, Roman Catholic leaders sounded an alarm over the growing popularity of Halloween, calling it "pagan," "anti-Christian" and a celebration of death over life."_ Doesn't everyone celebrate death and life by going to funerals and having memorials of friends, acquaintences/relatives? Don't you usually wear black? Do they consider that "pagan".


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

I think the difference is that the Roman Catholic/Christian view of funerals and memorials is that they are meant to be a celebration of life over death in the "He is risen" sense. Somber colors are indeed traditional, although I plan to leave instructions for people who come to my funeral to wear bright colors

Other than that, pay no attention to the men behind the curtain They mean well, but they're sometimes still living in the Dark Ages.

Now I have to go light another candle for myself.


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## joker (Sep 25, 2007)

RoxyBlue said:


> I think the difference is that the Roman Catholic/Christian view of funerals and memorials is that they are meant to be a celebration of life over death in the "He is risen" sense. Somber colors are indeed traditional, although I plan to leave instructions for people who come to my funeral to wear bright colors
> 
> Other than that, pay no attention to the men behind the curtain They mean well, but they're sometimes still living in the Dark Ages.
> 
> Now I have to go light another candle for myself.


Bright colors? I'm requesting Halloween cosutmes


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

joker said:


> Bright colors? I'm requesting Halloween cosutmes


Will you have a bowl of candy resting on your chest as you lie in state?:googly:


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## SeaHoCaptain (Sep 20, 2009)

RoxyBlue said:


> ...which will be tonight for All Souls' Day (Nov 2, which is the day of remembrance for deceased loved ones, not November 1, which is the day all saints are honored, in spite of what the article said...


Glad someone else caught that too. All Saints is Nov 1 and for all the saints that didnt have a day to them selves. All souls is the nexty day Nov 2.

David


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## randomr8 (Oct 24, 2009)

I don't quite get the conservative religious argument but
maybe the conservative right should view Halloween as an opportunity to face up to some perceived fears of evil so that the young won't be afraid to face it? Aren't we kinda making fun of "evil"?
I just thought is was about some good scare time and candy. We have enough secular based fears these days. I think a little getaway time, even if it is only one day a year, is good. I like my year 'round feeling that Halloween is coming and don't want anyone messing with that.


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## HomeyDaClown (Oct 3, 2009)

I say let them gripe all they want, it's useless. Halloween has been around more than 3000 years and has withstood all attacks. I know of several local churches (Catholic and otherwise) that like Halloween because they have several family activities planned around the event in an attempt to distract evil souls. What better way to bring people together than celebrating Halloween traditions???


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## Wildcat (Nov 3, 2007)

RoxyBlue said:


> Now I have to go light another candle for myself.


You keep that up lady and you're going to burn the house down. lol.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Wildcat said:


> You keep that up lady and you're going to burn the house down. lol.


I light the candles at the Catholic church - it seems somehow appropriate


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## HauntCast (Jul 25, 2008)

I don't think it's a conservative right attack on Halloween. There are plenty of people on both sides of the isle that don't like Halloween. It's not a political issue although it maybe a religious one.


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## Haunted Bayou (Feb 16, 2007)

Revenant said:


> and as for Dirty Sanchez or whatever that bishop's name was.












You made me laugh out loud Revenant

The complaints about Halloween being anti-Christian will never go away as long as the nuts gather together and tell each other how bad it is.
I love the fear factor "halloween is dangerous"...I heard a religious leader on the radio trying to convince everybody that it isn't innocent and just having the stuff around is dangerous. Dangerous..how? Demons will walk the earth? You'll go to hell? HUH?

They believe this crap based on nothing but fear.... then they use the fear to control.

The other thing I don't get is this...why would it matter what costume you are wearing. If you are in costume and out on 10/31 are you not participating in the celebration of the ghoulish, macabre, anti-Christian holiday? WHATEVER!:zombie:


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## Hauntiholik (May 17, 2006)

The Archivist - I deleted your post.

Please keep political discussions out of this forum.


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## Jack Reaper (May 27, 2006)

Every dang year...the same dang idiots....
Every dang year...I try to educate the thumpers...to no avail.

Halloween/Samhain has been so commercialized , very few know the true meaning...except for some of you Halloween fanatics who actual studied the old rituals and meanings.

Christians demonized it.

The main thing we should all appreciate about Halloween is the creativity without boundries. Halloween parties can these days be Spooky, Sci-Fi, Historical,Cute, Funny,and completely outside the box.....

As a PAGAN....the commercialization does not bother me at all....let everyone have some fun!


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