The Halloween Culture War

[Nostalgiascape]

I think in general there is a realization among Halloween lovers that the church is over killing a innocent and fun event. I don't belive myself that we are going to change the church's mind about it. It is best simply to lkive and let live.

[Pumpkin_Man]

When you say "the Chburch," which demonination are you refering to? I'm Catholic, and I have heard absolutely nothing that would even suggest we stop having Halloween and "Trick or Treat." In fact, they even sponsored "Trick or Trunk" last Halloween and they allways have a "spook house" and Halloween danc/party at the Parish hall. Pumpkins are carved, skulls, bats, coffins and the like are used as decor and the entire thing is quite fun for the little ones.

Mike

[DemonSlayerMau]

Halloween, or All Hallow's Eve...is short for "Hallowed Evening" meaning, it's supposed to be holy. Oh the irony. Originally when the Christian church took over Halloween, it was meant to be a holiday for celebration of those who are in heaven glorifying the saints and perhaps even a celebration of Christ's triumph over evil. Then the follow day is all saint's day.
Now, don't quote on this because I could be wrong. The thing of it is, Halloween gives us an oppurtunity to laugh at death and make death a more light hearted subject. I remember someone on this forum saying that but I can't remember who, but that individual is right.
Bearing that in mind, Christmas and Easter both have pagan traditions, a lot of Christians are bothered by them.
But, I don't think fall harvest celebrations will destroy Halloween, but personally a fall harvest celebration to me, is reserved for Thanksgiving.

[Rising Dead Man]

Halloween is evil and will damn you to Hell. So will Harry Potter, Dungeons And Dragons, rock music, anything that involves magic or dark themes.

(I am just being sarcastic.)

[Pumpkin_Man]

DemonSlayer, Halloween is and allways was a day that we honored our dearly departed loved ones. We have days to celebrate births, Christmas, and other events that involve the living. Halloween, All Saints Day and All Souls Day are a time we celebrate those dealy departed who have gone into eternity. All Hallows Eve is the day before All Saints day, and is considered holy in that respect. All Saints Day is actualy a 'holy day of obligation' for Catholics, and is a day we celebrate all those who are in Heaven with the Lord. All Souls Day, which comes right after All Saints Day, is the day we pray for the sould in Purgatory, and for those who recently passed away.

It is NOT, repeat, NOT a day we celebrate satan or hell.

Mike

[iHaunt]

Why do some people love Halloween War??? I really do not freaking like that!!!! Whose idea from???

[CannibalsOnCannabis]

To think that Halloween is a holiday glorifying Evil is ignorance at its finest. For 99.9% of the American population, Halloween is a holiday of make-believe, a returning to childhood, the complete antithesis of evil.
It's a complete overreaction of the church. Just down the street from me, one of the most devoted Christian's I've ever know...every year, he's dressed up as a vampire, a mummy, Gene Simmons of KISS, and he's out there on his driveway loading kids up with candy, having the time of his life. If anything, Halloween is our cure for evil. I'm sure that if everybody in the world went trick-or-treating one night a month, we wouldn't have to worrry so much about the latest travesty on the six o' clock news.
And if anybody tries to take my beloved Hallows Eve from me, I'll show 'em real evil. Muahaha, I kid.

[Wicked Witch]

I am Catholic as well and I have not heard anything about the Catholic Church calling Halloween evil. That would be huge change from the Church that I grew up - we have always done spook houses and trick or treating and Halloween parties. I would like to know what church the OP is specifically talking about. A lot of people think that when someone says "The Church" that people mean the Catholic church - but they could be refrencing another religion.

[shanda]

I am a Halloween loving, Haunted house making, costume wearing Christian. I live in Small Town USA right in the middle of the Bible Belt! We have "Trunk or Treat" in our church parking lot. I came with my SUV tricked out. Strobe lights, smoke, spooky music. Everyone loved it!! Even the preacher.
It is all in the delivery. I embrace the fun of the holiday, not the evil.

Santa was not at the original birth place of Jesus.
The Easter Bunny wasn't at the resurection, either.

I am open minded. Live and let live. I may not agree with you, and you may not with me.
So what!

That is why I come here! To chat with others who have the same interests and fantastic ideas!
If you don't want to see my spiders on my roof ...Don't look.

[ElMuertoMan17]

Grrrrr, I hate how religious people try to take over every single holiday. I am not religious and I think if they don't like Halloween then they should just stay away from it, not shut it down. If some church were to try to shut down my favorite holiday, then I would defend it "a capa y espada" as they say in my country.

[Morticia]

Honestly, don't these "church people" have something better to do? Like start a soup kitchen or help someone in trouble? I mean seriously?

[CannibalsOnCannabis]

I'm sure they believe that, by banishing Halloween, the world will no longer need soup kitchens. Homelessness will be nonexistent, hunger a thing of the past. The rape rate will drop considerably and murder will be an archaic notion.
It's such foolishness.

[hippieluvn]

They don't care about the poor; that's why they're all Republicans!!! They only care about really important issues, like the pagan dangers of Halloween and gay love!!!

Hell, their favorite retort for liberals like me, who cry out for social justice, is John 12:8:

You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.

I'd take the poor over these freaks any day!!!

[Pumpkin_Man]

Like I said, All Hallows Eve is the beginning of a very devoutly Christian 3 day holiday that honors our dead. It undoubetedly has peagan roots as do many other customs that we enjoy, but Halloween is by no means a day for honoring the devil or evil.

I, too am a little tired of the "againsters" who allways have to try to take something away that I like. For instance, there are those who want a national ban on fireworks. There are also those who want to have a total ban on motorcycling, boxing, and all kinds of other activities under the guise that they aren't "safe." Where does it end??? How many of my simple liberties and freedoms do I have to give up in the name of safety???

Mike

[LivingDeadGrl666]

I I have many friends who are pagan or are friends or otherwise related to pagans. I enjoy the art and love the elegance and dignaty of the ceremonies. I am not pagan I am christian but most of my extended family is catholic. I love All Hallows Eve and the church I go to supports it whole-heartedly. They even do a trick-or-treat after service on the sunday before Hallows Eve. On Hallows Eve, they let the pagans who go there celebrate by holding a ceremony in the sanctuary. my church is not all Cristians, many people come there. ps, how do you attach a signature?