[...] Halloween-centric blog post on Pen and Parchment got me thinking about which view I hold. Obviously, growing up it was the first option. The blog [...]

What an inspiring post!

Too bad it took me a year to find it! =(

@Moe

“Speaking of running from evil, good thing the blog owner doesn’t edit posts from nonchristians about the subject of Halloween and what they see some Christians do during that time, right?”

Yep. It is good that Mr. Patton respects the posts and posters and allows for honest discussion. Even as a non-religious guy myself, I can respect that.

Which is more than I can say for you, Moe. You delete comments and ignore honest posts on your livejournal. So I think you should learn a lesson from the people here, and man up.

This my view on Halloween.It may not have started out as what I am about to say,but you asked for our opinions.I believe it is a holiday for children of all ages.They can dress up as what they want within reason.There is nothing demonic about it except what people make of it.There are those who choose to worship Satan on that day,and that is them.I do not like the Satanists.I see nothing wrong about dressing up and the children to get candy or toys or whatever the people give as long as it is not harmful.That is why you check everything they get.I have seen church’s put up haunted houses,so my upbringing taut me Halloween is not a bad holiday for children,it is the people who do bad things that make it look bad.I love dressing up silly and being goofy for 1 night a year.There is no harm,only bad people who make it that way.

@ Headless unicorn guy

You aren’t just whistling dixie there, pal!

To this day, the fact that I am both devout and a long-time rpg fan seems to bring looks of total shock.

Hey, if you’re headless, how do we know that you’re really a unicorn guy? Do we just take your word for it? I have some epistemic issues here.

Toe: No, it happens subtly. You know, like with Harry Potter.”

Yeah, that is right. In twenty-first century America, I can see how much satanism has grown because of Harry Potter and Halloween.

We talking the “HARRY POTTER IS SAY-TANN-IC!!!” preaching and book-burnings while Pullman’s Golden Compass trilogy was becoming recommended reading for children endorsed by Children’s librarians and teachers? As in while the escorts are busy depth-charging a false contact, the real torpedoes bore into the convoy from the other side?

I got nailed by The Satanic Panic back in the Eighties. With me it was Dungeons & Dragons. You know, “Satan’s Game”?

And the treatment gamers got from Christian Activists at the time caused a “Xians are The Enemy” backlash among gamers that continues to this day. How do you think all the Uber-Uber-Dark Fantasy RPGs & gamers got started?

(Oh, and one more thing. Don’t just give out tracts…Shame, shame. Give out the best candy in the neighborhood. Let people know that you are the house that is not cheap.)

And the Jack Chick Tract du jour wasn’t “BOO!” but “DARK DUNGEONS”.

Speaking of running from evil, good thing the blog owner doesn’t edit posts from nonchristians about the subject of Halloween and what they see some Christians do during that time, right?

Our church (an evangelical Baptist stripe) meets in the local charter school complex so we are limited in space and what we can do for activities. However for the past four years we have hosted a Trunk or Treat for the local community in the church/school parking lot. For one it’s safer in our community to get the kids to a central event. And the kids get tons more candy. Church members all try and out-do one another (in Christian love) when it comes to decorating our cars, trucks, and vans. Kids – and adults – all come dressed up as whatever. Yes, he have witches and other “non-biblical” costumes but no is turned away. And, yes, we give out tracts (not the Chick variety) and follow up on folks. This year we added inflatables and pizza, all at no cost, and wound up with 1500 people coming out. About 1200 indicated they have no home church.
Here’s the point. Paul said if we regard the day we regard it as unto the Lord. Oct 31 is just another day we regard as the Lord’s. True, not all of our church members are in favor of this event. But what if just one family out of 1200 came to saving faith in Christ? Did Jesus have His lights on on Halloween? I’d like to think He had about 50 decorated vehicles out that night as well.

Graceshaker in post 127 has an interesting and valid approach:telling her/his kids about the real stories behind some of the halloween traditions or materials. It’s not one that even crossed my mind. Having thought about it a bit, I think I’ll stick with the way I was raised, in ignorance: Halloween is a night to dress up in costumes and get candy and people have spooky yard displays. It was that simple for me growing up and I never went beyond it, even up into my 30s (when the wacko evangelicals got into satanism and began to take over church halloween events and morality). I honestly had no clue about all the other allegedly background stuff. It was, literally, simple and fun. That’s what I want for my kids, so I’ll leave them ignorant just as I was. If the topic comes up, I’m prepared to discuss it and learn more about it with them. My position with them will be that it’s possible for christians to participate in cultural events in a way that does not dishonour God and does not lead nonChristians into thinking that we are stark raving looney mad. I will also teach them about Samuel and Saul and the wrongness of calling on dead spirits.

Also, I wouldn’t really call Halloween a festival or celebration. Sure, it’s an event, but I don’t think it rises to the level of being either of the former.

Until I participated in this thread, I didn’t know about the Irish/English tale of Jack not getting into either heaven or hell but being forced to carry a lit turnip and wander the earth. An interesting tale, maybe I’ll tell that to my kids since they can take it in as just a tale and not a true story of the nature of heaven and hell and salvation.

regards,
#John