Okay, soap box time!!

What really bugs me around this time of year is how the majority of so-called Christians jump on the condemnation bandwagon, spouting off about how Halloween is a satanic holiday and refusing to allow their children to participate in anything "evil". What's so evil about dressing up and getting candy???

I find this absolutely AMAZING when you look at the most sacred of Christian holidays - Easter. (Why doesn't anyone think to ask what colored eggs and bunnies have to do with the resurrection of Jesus?) The condemnation Christians let their children play with easter eggs and give them stuffed bunnies but they have absolutely no clue where that little tradition started or how the holiday even came to be called such an unusual name. Guess what people? Easter traces its roots to the pagan worship of Eostre, the mother goddess of the Saxons, whose animal was the spring hare; and of Astarte, the Babylonian goddess of fertility. Egg hunts were held in the name of Astarte and women who found an egg were said to be blessed with a child that year.

And Christmas, being celebrated on December 25th...why? Jesus wasn't born anywhere close to December 25th but in the spring, most likely April...but 12/25 WAS celebrated as the birthday of Mithra, the pagan Roman sun god. And Christmas trees date back to winter solstice celebrations by the ancient Druids.

What I'd like to know is, in light of the obviously pagan and some might say evil or even satanic, roots of the two most holy holidays on the Christian calendar, how can these same Christians still single out Halloween for shunning when it's roots lie with the very same Druids, Romans and other ancient peoples???

The only reason I can come up with is that when the Romans decided to force Christianity on the masses and linked Christian celebrations with already established pagan feast days, they simply didn't align a Christian celebration with Halloween. That is the ONLY difference between these three holidays.

So far, I can't get anyone from the condemnation side to give me a straight answer. They mumble a lot and then walk away. So come on, TDF posters, what are your thoughts? I know you've GOT to have some.

I like to put on a mask and extort candy from elderly neighbors. If they don't have enough, I make them go into the house and we check the refrigerator.

I really don't know anybody who condemns it. We have trunk or treat at church.

Several years ago I had a guy who worked with me who said his wife was really in to putting it down. She was a Freewill Baptist.

i live in russellville and every year downtown turns in to trick or treat central! but there have been many times when religious groups (i'm not sure which ones) have marched downtown protesting it. when i was in high school they marched up and down the streets through hundreds of halloweeners carrying a cross and yelling about our sinful ways.

i thought it was absolutely ridiculous! i don't put too much stock in holidays period. holidays are really just money making machines anyway. the only reason i mess with them is b/c it makes my kids so darn happy. and i don't see anything wrong with that! they aren't being taught to worship the devil or anything crazy like that, so why worry?

just my opinion.

I've looked into my magic ball & I see a sermon coming from Bill Gray.
After all, the Religion section does belong to him.

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What really bugs me around this time of year is how the majority of so-called Christians jump on the condemnation bandwagon, spouting off about how Halloween is a satanic holiday and refusing to allow their children to participate in anything "evil". What's so evil about dressing up and getting candy???

Your premise is wrong: the majority of Christians have no problem with Halloween, only the goofball fundamentalists who hate for anyone to have fun.

The irony is that Halloween was created as a religious holiday. It was the day before All Saint's day, or All-Hallows. That would make the night before All Hallows Eve.

Long story short, traditions slowly changed and now we have a holiday where kids can dress up and get candy and adults can enjoy scary movies. Not a big deal.

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Originally posted by TopDownBeemer:
Okay, soap box time!!

What really bugs me around this time of year is how the majority of so-called Christians jump on the condemnation bandwagon, spouting off about how Halloween is a satanic holiday and refusing to allow their children to participate in anything "evil"

Yeah, right? IMO these folks have way too much free time. Either that or they're way too sensitive. No wonder this nationis slowly becoming a big pile of Prozac-munching weenies...

We never told the Sgt about Santa or the Easter Bunny, since God really doesn't need more competition; that whole "he sees you when you're sleeping...knows if you're bad or good" stuff is just creepy, too. And we figured it would be kind of difficult to explain to him why indigent children don't get as many gifts as other kids on Christmas (Santa only likes middle-class to rich kids?). He's done fine knowing mom and dad are behind it. Besides, he's an only child - the only recipient of stuff under the tree on December 25.

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Originally posted by CrustyMac:

quote:

What really bugs me around this time of year is how the majority of so-called Christians jump on the condemnation bandwagon, spouting off about how Halloween is a satanic holiday and refusing to allow their children to participate in anything "evil". What's so evil about dressing up and getting candy???

Your premise is wrong: the majority of Christians have no problem with Halloween, only the goofball fundamentalists who hate for anyone to have fun.

I beg to differ with you. Even here is liberal land California, every church you come across is having a Fall Festival but they prohibit any of what they consider "dark, evil or scary" costumes so any kid who might want to dress up as your typical Halloween characters is banned from attending these events. You can only have wholesome costumes.

A little off subject, but schools no longer have "Halloween Carnivals" either; it's "Fall Festivals" now. No fun. At the carnival, I remember a haunted house with vampires and ghosts that would scare the daylights out of you; all you had to do was give them your ticket. And our carnivals were always at night - not 3:00 in the afternoon. My son never wants to go to the Fall Festival at his school.

The same folks who complain about Halloween are the same ones who want to ban Harry Potter books and play Led Zeppelin records backwards. They are best ignored.

Nash is right ignore the nitwits who want to ban what they don't agree with. Although I have had some fun messing with my Baptist brethren on where exactly the tree is in the Christmas story.

quote:

Originally posted by TopDownBeemer
I beg to differ with you. Even here is liberal land California, every church you come across is having a Fall Festival but they prohibit any of what they consider "dark, evil or scary" costumes so any kid who might want to dress up as your typical Halloween characters is banned from attending these events. You can only have wholesome costumes.

These are church events held in churches, what do you expect? And I will bet that 99% of the members of non-fundy congregations dress their kids up and send them out on Halloween.

Sharon Randall reported in her syndicated column(TD) that her son was told not to dress as a witch,etc.for a church Halloween party. She sent him as John the Baptist with a head on a platter! I love that woman!