Sarah CB Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 How do you explain it to Christians who don't? We were at our Pastor's house a couple of weeks back and he explained it really well. He said that every day and every night are God's and that he doesn't believe we should allow evil to take October 31. He looks at October 31st as a way to have fun in his community, eat treats, dress up on fun costumes (not evil costumes) and hold a community festival at the church for the rest of our community to enjoy. He takes his kids trick-or-treating before the festival. We've always felt the same thing. Halloween is about having fun with your neighbours, eating candy, and dressing up. I think we're honouring God by acknowledging his sovereignty over the night and treating it as a way to honour him through our fellowship with neighbours. If anything, I think there should be more Christians out on Halloween being the light in their communities. I love what Doug Wilson says about Reformation Day and about giving out *more* candy than non-Christians :D So, what do you say when a Christian friend questions your decision to dress up or go out on Halloween? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H.S. Burrow Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 I've never had to. Almost all of the churches in my area host a Halloween carnival/festival, a Trunk or Treat, a Pumpkin Patch, etc...:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeefreak Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 I say exactly what you just said. It makes me mad when other's judge me without cause. ESPECIALLY other Christians. Besides, we have a blast on Halloween! Our church does a carnival at a local park with free food, music and games. It's a safer alternative to trick or treating and it has a huge turn out. A lot of people are grateful for it because they either live in a neighborhood that's more rural and doesn't have trick or treating, or they live in an area they'd rather not trick or treat in. My kids love it because they don't like scary houses or people that purposely scare them on the streets while they're trick or treating. It's all how you look at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NevadaRabbit Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 So, what do you say when a Christian friend questions your decision to dress up or go out on Halloween? I've never been questioned about it, but we would say something similar. Our church hosts a Harvest Festival but we actually stay home because there are so many kids in our neighborhood, all friends of our kids, and they have a blast together. My daughter wants to be a cat (she's deep into the Warriors series) and my son wants to be a ghost (the white-sheet Casper variety), and honestly I don't have a problem with that. I'd discourage any costumes related to violence or in opposition to our religious beliefs, but frankly I see it as an opportunity to be out there in our neighborhood, enjoying our friends. I also have tracts available at the door - we don't give them to every trick or treater, we just have them there for anyone who is interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 (edited) Oops, Sorry. I read this the totally opposite way. Duh. Edited October 19, 2008 by Daisy For extreme stupidity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabrett Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 The churches I have attended have all participated in Halloween. The church I grew up in (Nazarene) did a big haunted house that scared me to death!!!. The church I went to as a teen (Wesleyan Methodist) did a haunted house in the basement of a church. I loved it. I don't get the problem with Halloween. When my dh was a church planter (Southern Baptists), we did a Halloween carnival for the neighborhood as a reach out program. It went awesome! I think the anti-Halloween thing is a rather new idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 (edited) More duh. I'm running slow today. Edited October 19, 2008 by Daisy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 No one has ever questioned us, but we didn't grow up with any sort of stigma against Halloween, Easter, etc., either. I see a lot more things said against the secularization of holidays now than I did growing up. I believe the constant pummeling with *stuff* is beginning to get to a lot of folks. Who wants to see Halloween in the stores in August, for instance? There are pagan or secular elements to every single holiday. You can choose to teach that particular items come from origins other than Christianity, talk about what you think of those things, and still participate in the holidays - or you can choose to sanitize your holiday to be precisely what you feel it should be. It's okay with me whatever a particular family chooses to do for itself; it's really none of my business. Likewise, I think that the way in which my own family chooses to celebrate any sort of holiday is our business. I do not allow costumes, decor, movie watching, candy or other things that are gory in my estimation. What is gory for one might not be considered gory by another. For me, it's no blood, skulls, ugly monsters, creepy "evil" looking things, no gross looking sorts of candy, etc. But others might think this all in fun and enjoy it. I don't think participating in a secular holiday makes someone un-Christian. Do we, as Christians, refuse to participate in Secretary's Day, Mother's Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, etc. because they are secular? How do we cleanse, completely, any hint of pagan ideas out of our religious holidays when the very church incorporated those into the holidays as a way to draw in followers a millennia or more ago? I'd enjoy seeing more Christian themed costumes on Halloween, or more history themed costumes, for that matter. I'm rather tired of the same ol', same ol'..... Trick or Treat will be for us, this year, as my entire life, a night to dress up and get candy. Period. No Satan worship. No worshipping of any sort. Just dress up and get candy. I don't think every single thing we do has to be about worship. We don't say a prayer when we go to the library or the grocery store, either, you know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 I haven't ever been questioned, but I love what your pastor said. Thanks for posting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in Austin Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 "Who wants to see Halloween in the stores in August, for instance?" I think we can ALL agree that THAT is evil! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesmama3 Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 Hi, This will only be our 2nd year officially trick or treating in our neighborhood. In the past we've done trunk or treating at a local church. In my mind I somehow was not participating in "Halloween" but another fall festival activity. By going to the church, we avoided saying things like "Trick or Treat" and "Halloween"; we also avoided all of the scary evil looking things and costumes. The verses that changed my thinking were Romans 14:5-6 5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he does not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. Halloween now is a day like any other day, neither more holy or more evil. And in no way am I participating in old outdated pagan customs.I am fully convinced that my heart is pure concerning this day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teamturner Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 We were at our Pastor's house a couple of weeks back and he explained it really well. He said that every day and every night are God's and that he doesn't believe we should allow evil to take October 31. He looks at October 31st as a way to have fun in his community, eat treats, dress up on fun costumes (not evil costumes) and hold a community festival at the church for the rest of our community to enjoy. He takes his kids trick-or-treating before the festival. We've always felt the same thing. Halloween is about having fun with your neighbours, eating candy, and dressing up. I think we're honouring God by acknowledging his sovereignty over the night and treating it as a way to honour him through our fellowship with neighbours. If anything, I think there should be more Christians out on Halloween being the light in their communities. quote] :iagree: This is totally how we feel about it. We don't do "goulish" costumes or decorate "Halloween" other than some pumpkins/wreath/scarecrow. We go trick-or-treating every year and I see it as some good 'ole fall fun! We also carve jack-o-lanterns and put them out with a candle on Halloween. Again, it's just fall fun and sadly it's the only time I see my neighbors (at least that many of them). I don't have any Christian friends asking me about it at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura K (NC) Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 I put 1 Thess 4:13 on the bottom of the invitation. We don't mourn like those who have no hope. We shouldn't be afraid of death because it has no power over us. We can poke fun at it. I said our philosophy was "silly and slightly spooky," but not occult. I have not met very many parents of high schoolers who would object to "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein." I almost had an All Saints Day party instead, but I thought defending All Saints Day would be more difficult than defending Halloween. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 (edited) I don't remember ever being questioned about it. We don't trick-or-treat door to door because it always made me uncomfortable as a kid and isn't necessary, with all the other Halloween events going on in town. We do dress up and attend a local business's trick-or-treating events as well as my sisters' church's harvest festival, which is way more fun anyway. For some reason, our neighborhood doesn't do trick-or-treating, and I think I've had only 1 or 2 kids show up in the few years we've lived here. (Granted, we're not always home much of the evening.) Edited October 19, 2008 by WordGirl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ma23peas Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 I'm sure there will be a few on here to post otherwise, but I think we sometimes want a 'good' answer for those we feel may judge us. But, in reality, Christians (atleast in my walk for over thirty years) don't ask or respect your family traditions. We trick or treat with our old (we moved to a farm) subdivision buddies...and it's meant as a time for fellowship and fun with them. I do put limitations on what costumes we wear, I try to honor God in all things and promoting blood/gore/scary costumes are not something I would encourage. We also do the fall festivals with our church...but I have never been asked why I do or don't trick or treat, sounds like many others have the same experience. It's the same with Santa or no Santa...each family has its convictions and I respect their decisions.. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Unless they're lying, most of the people in my church don't trick or treat, but the church does put on a festival that's not scary. I do take the kids trick or treating because they don't like the festival and I personally LOVE trick or treating. But I don't tell anyone, because I don't want to have to explain myself. It's my secret. I guess the kids (6 and 3) might start telling the other church kids about it and my secret will be out soon... J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 LOL! My thoughts exactly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Thanks for thinking this through out loud. I enjoyed reading your process. I think that's really how I've always felt, too.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Academy of Jedi Arts Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 If I found out my church had a problem with Halloween, I would not be attending that church. My dd wore a jack-o-lantern shirt to church today, and got compliments on it from the pastor. My church does a Halloween festival, mainly for underprivileged kids, on Halloween night. My family can never attend because we have our own traditions, and no one faults us for that. We donate prizes for games, and other supplies because we support all the good it does for the community. There is no preaching or proselytizing- just a lot of Halloween fun and EVERYONE is welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magistramom Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Halloween is about having fun with your neighbours, eating candy, and dressing up. I think we're honouring God by acknowledging his sovereignty over the night and treating it as a way to honour him through our fellowship with neighbours. If anything, I think there should be more Christians out on Halloween being the light in their communities. I love what Doug Wilson says about Reformation Day and about giving out *more* candy than non-Christians :D I love Sarah's point about sovereignty. This is so important to understand, in order to understand the fullness of Christianity. Thank you Sarah! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alenee Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 I just want to put it out there...don't judge all of us Christians who don't celebrate it. My family isn't judging you. We have made a decision that we believe God led *us* to and have no reason to judge you who have decided something else for your families.:) Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 My EX MIL would make jibes, saying Halloween was "Satan's Holiday." I quickly informed her that was HER conviction of the day, and in our family, it was a day like any other. Dd does dress in non-goulish costumes and goes trick or treating. Other than one other friend getting uppity about it, how HER children know it's an evil day, no one says much about it at church. Trick or treating is not preached on as good or bad; it's left to the family to decide how to treat the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangermom Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 I've never gotten much trouble about it--maybe because I live in California? My church doesn't have any problem with Halloween, and I think it's a wonderful community day. So I would say pretty much the same thing as the OP's pastor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erica in PA Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 We seem to be in the minority among our friends, most of whom avoid Halloween or any events on that night. No one has ever given us a hard time about it, though. There have been a couple of times that some kids have told my kids that they must not believe in Jesus if they go trick or treating, but I think their parents would have been pretty horrified if they knew their kids said that! Mostly it hasn't been an issue, but it is nice to read on here about some other Christians who share our beliefs about it. Erica Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 I just want to put it out there...don't judge all of us Christians who don't celebrate it. My family isn't judging you. We have made a decision that we believe God led *us* to and have no reason to judge you who have decided something else for your families.:) Have fun! Who was doing this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alenee Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Who was doing this? There were at least two on page 2 with several others that eluded to it. I wasn't trying to be snarky. Just reminding that just because there are those out there who do not celebrate it, does not then logically mean they (we) are judging those of you who do. As I said above, have fun! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soph the vet Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 I go back and forth on this one. Usually my dh takes the kids to an All Saints Party at a local church. I stay home and hand out candy and tracts. This year dd10 wants to stay home with me. We don't buy into the scary stuff with our kids at all even though I liked going to a haunted house and dressing up like an ax murderer when I was a kid;). But I was not raised in a Christian home so there was no awareness of all that Halloween really is. Hey, Sarah.....Freak! I almost forgot:lol:! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Thanks Sarah! It's good to know that we aren't alone. Our neighborhood (former Air Force housing) is 5 1/2 miles from town....just a bunch of houses. We love to trick-or-treat here because we get to visit all of our neighbors on one night. It's so fun to watch the kids growing up. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 We were at our Pastor's house a couple of weeks back and he explained it really well. He said that every day and every night are God's and that he doesn't believe we should allow evil to take October 31. He looks at October 31st as a way to have fun in his community, eat treats, dress up on fun costumes (not evil costumes) and hold a community festival at the church for the rest of our community to enjoy. He takes his kids trick-or-treating before the festival. I should try to explain it the way your pastor does, Sarah. When ever I've been questioned about it I try to enlighten the questioner as to what Samhain was to the people of the time. It was a harvest festival, and in no way evil. The pagans didn't (don't) believe in Satan so it couldn't in any way be a Satanic celebration. I don't know if my explanation has any effect, but I hope the questioner decides to research the festival him/herself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlifemom Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 We don't celebrate and this year due to $ constraints will not hand out candy. We have done different things each year, but ultimately I would rather think about Oct. 31st as the anniversary of Luther and the 95 Theses. We used to use this as an opportunity to reach out to our neighbors with the best candy and tracts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 So, what do you say when a Christian friend questions your decision to dress up or go out on Halloween? This is a pass the bean dip moment for me. First, a true friend wouldn't question me about what I do with my kids just like I would not question her. Second, I've made a habit of not explaining myself to others just because they want an explanation. I do what I think is best for MY family so PLEASE pass the bean dip. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Hood Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 How do you explain it to Christians who don't? We were at our Pastor's house a couple of weeks back and he explained it really well. He said that every day and every night are God's and that he doesn't believe we should allow evil to take October 31. He looks at October 31st as a way to have fun in his community, eat treats, dress up on fun costumes (not evil costumes) and hold a community festival at the church for the rest of our community to enjoy. He takes his kids trick-or-treating before the festival. We've always felt the same thing. Halloween is about having fun with your neighbours, eating candy, and dressing up. I think we're honouring God by acknowledging his sovereignty over the night and treating it as a way to honour him through our fellowship with neighbours. If anything, I think there should be more Christians out on Halloween being the light in their communities. I love what Doug Wilson says about Reformation Day and about giving out *more* candy than non-Christians :D So, what do you say when a Christian friend questions your decision to dress up or go out on Halloween? I am just beginning to take it this way. I feel like I have alienated myself by my staunch beliefs and that it is better to reach into the community right where they are. It is so freeing. We have done the harvest party thing for 9 years and my kids had 100 times more fun last year going door to door. So tonight we talked it over during dinner and compared it to what Jesus said about the fields being white with "harvest" and the great commission. We encouraged them to share the Good News when ever they can, but dare I say that that night will be about one thing....who gets the most candy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 I just want to put it out there...don't judge all of us Christians who don't celebrate it. My family isn't judging you. We have made a decision that we believe God led *us* to and have no reason to judge you who have decided something else for your families.:) Have fun! :iagree: I've always shown respect towards my neighbours in matters such as these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Well, I can't say that I think I'm *honoring* God in any way by choosing to participate in the costumes and candy and games and whatnot. But I think there's just as much victory in taking a holiday that might have been meant for evil and turning it into just plain fun as there is in ignoring it altogether. God can redeem anything. There was a movie called "Back to the Beach," with Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon, a play-off of their beach days. Now they're married with children. The younger one, a boy about 12, tries to show how tough and rebellious he is, but every time he comes up with something, Annette laughs and thinks it's so cute. The son is all frustrated because it isn't having the affect he wanted. I think choosing to have fun on Halloween is the same thing; *maybe* Satan meant it for evil, but hey, we're wearing silly costumes--adults and children alike, 'cuz who doesn't like wearing costumes?--and eating candy and meeting the neighbors in the streets and having a good old time. No Satan worshipping going on for most of us. OTOH, I don't argue with Christians who feel strongly that we shouldn't participate, because I understand their POV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 If I was addressed directly, which I have never been. I am prepared. It would go something like. Did you go trick or treating? Did you have fun? what were some of your costumes? Now did you ever want to be part of devil worshipping? cast a spell? Why would you not want your chyildren to have those fun memories. Halloween is such a fun holiday I so look forward to every year. every year my bil sends that crud about why halloween is so bad they have never given out candy. One time he went to his church's festival came home with bags of candy then rushed into the house before any trick or treaters came by. I have the same thoughts as the op. It can be a time to show kindness to your neighbors, I mean will it really hurt you to give your neighbors kids a lollipop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kay in Cal Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 and posted here before. I don't know the author, but it originally appeared in Homiletics magazine (a preaching magazine for pastors). Just Say Boo! Let's follow our ancestors in the early church: Rather than major in minors, bring biblical relevance and metamorphic approaches to non-Christian observances like Halloween. A new crusade is now being waged in some Christian circles against Halloween. For some Christians, Halloween has come to embody all that is wrong with our culture, our schools, our children, even ourselves. A creeping and creepy secular humanism, these Christians believe, has found its holiday home in Halloween, which supposedly celebrates the existence of witches, goblins, devils, vampires and ghosts. Not wanting to promote the presence of evil, some genuinely frightened Christian parents are actually pulling their children out of public schools with Halloween as their prime reason. Instead of fearing drugs or violence or a generally poor education for their children, these parents cite the prevalence of Halloween parties and spooky stories as evidence that while Christianity is expressly excluded from the classroom, Satanism is actively welcomed. The truth is hardly that dramatic. In fact, the truth is that Christianity itself "took over" Halloween, then called the "festival of Samhain," from the Druids about 1600 years ago. The Celts celebrated the beginning of their new year, November 1, by offering a variety of bonfires, animal and vegetable sacrifices, and well-wishing prayers to those that had died throughout the previous year. They believed that the souls of these departed friends and family members spent New Year's Eve being judged as to what form they should take for the next year (good souls entered other human bodies at birth, they believed; bad souls entered animal bodies). On November 1, New Year's Day, they traveled to their new abodes. Christian missionaries quickly took over this pagan celebration, transforming it into "All Saints' Day" or "All Hallows' Day," a holy day to commemorate the lives of all the saints of the church who have no special calendar day of their own, and to recognize the individual Christians within every congregation who have joined the Church Eternal in the last year. But it is hard to keep a good pagan down. And the Celtic celebration, its meaning and symbols newly enriched by layers of Christian theology, simply shifted the time this soul's rite of passage took place. The events that used to transpire on New Year's Day (November 1) now occurred on New Year's/All Hallows' Eve, October 31. All of Halloween's truly strange traditions -- disguising ourselves in costumes, welcoming strangers at our doors with "treats," keeping special jack-o'-lantern vigil lights -- stem from this ancient need for humans to both recognize and greet the certainty of death, yet find a way to somehow keep its powers at bay. Indeed the "underground" nature that the Christian presence necessarily imposed on the old Celtic celebration undoubtedly heightened its power and its appeal. There is in psychology "the rule of paradoxical effect." What this means is that if any point is stressed strongly enough, those listening or reading will develop an opposite attitude. For example, if I tell you that whatever happens, you are not to think of a whale in the next 10 minutes, what is the one thing that will haunt your mind for the next 10 minutes? Or in its classic formulation, tell your child who is eating beans not to stick a bean in his ear when you leave the room. The rule of paradoxical effect is exactly what those who now rail and flail against the "evilness" of Halloween may expect to see enacted. In fact, one might say the conservative crusade against Halloween is exactly what the Devil wants. Just as the early church failed to stamp out Samhain among pagan Celts, this new attack on Halloween by Christians can only succeed in making All Hallows' Eve all the more "devilish." By calling for its ban, one makes it stronger. The Pharisees in today's gospel text (Matthew 23:1-12) were also out to impose their version of what a pious person should believe and how they should behave. Jesus saw right through their prayerful posturing and fringed fakery, recognizing the Pharisees' demand that everyone should behave as they, the Pharisees, deemed fit as both hypocrisy and a dangerous invitation for the seeds of paradoxical effect to take root and flourish. Jesus urged his listeners to demonstrate their distinctiveness, their faithfulness, not through pretend-piety but through attitudes of true humility, acceptance and equality. One specific suggestion published by some groups battling the perceived satanic influence in Halloween calls for parents to band together, march into their child's public school a few days before Halloween, and dramatically tear down all the construction paper witches, ghosts and goblins adorning the halls and walls. Jack-o'-lanterns are to be smashed, orange and black streamers pulled down, and all is to be ceremoniously dumped in the principal's office with the declaration that the religion of satanism has no place in a public school curriculum. Are you willing to bet what percentage of those parents have the privilege of getting their windows soaped, lawns trashed, or something worse, come Halloween night? Halloween has always been the attempt to understand and to some degree exert control over the awesome power of death that arbitrates and permeates our fragile, mortal lives. Halloween traditions and symbols, silly as they are, continue to touch us even as we approach the 21st century because death is a constant, unchanging reality. Banning Halloween cannot banish death. But, Christians can face the truth of Halloween night with the knowledge that death is NOT the end. The real power of death, straightforwardly acknowledged on All Hallows' Eve, is shown to be truly broken by the celebration of All Saints' Day. Death does not plunge the Christian into separation and darkness. It ushers believers into the greater communion, the Church Eternal. In the face of all the specters of death conjured up on Halloween night by human fear and guilt, Christians should rejoice in their freedom to "Just Say BOO!" As members of Christ's eternal body, we need not fear any of the creatures of darkness the human mind has created to help it comprehend death or contend with its presence. In many churches, it is tradition that on All Saints' Day a list of those who have died in the past year is read to the congregation. In those moments, the congregation may feel a sense of loss or diminished resources. But the biblical faith teaches that the church's numbers and strength are swelling and growing stronger. As each name is called out, the "cloud of witnesses" grows thicker and more substantial, until the church grows misty and mighty with the presence of so many brother and sister saints. The ancient Celtic Festival of Samhain supposedly included a tradition that still speaks clearly about the power a cloud of witnesses may project into our lives. According to legend, as each family came to the communal bonfire on the Eve of Samhain, they brought with them the final coal from each of their own hearths. Combining these coals they would start a huge, warming watch-fire. At the conclusion of the night, after spending the evening telling stories about the ones who had passed away during the previous year, the participants would allow the bonfire to slowly die down. Finally, all that would be left were a few glowing coals. Each family would gather one of these embers and carefully nurture its warmth until they once again reached their home hearth. There, that single coal from the community bonfire would be used to restart the family peat fire as the New Year slowly dawned. It was a new day, a new winter, but it would be warmed by the memories of loved ones long past. So it is with All Saints' Day, that triumphs over All Hallows' Eve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Nice tract...however, can you show me from Scripture where Christians are called to "take over" Pagan Holy Days rather than reject them altogether? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhM Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 I just want to put it out there...don't judge all of us Christians who don't celebrate it. My family isn't judging you. We have made a decision that we believe God led *us* to and have no reason to judge you who have decided something else for your families.:) Have fun! Absolutely! This is the gist of my answer - we have never felt a particular conviction to withdraw from the community's observance, even knowing our pastor's convictions against trick-or-treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMindy Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Honestly, it has just never been an issue. I know people who chose to celebrate and people who choose not to. My dh grew up not celebrating Halloween, but we do costumes and trick-or-treating. It has not been the big controversial topic in our family that I know it has been in other places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowWhite Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 *If* it were ever to come up (and it's not likely to), I would say one of a couple of things, depending on the frame of reference. "I think everything we do should boil down to a proper motive and objective. Our motive and objective for letting our kids trick or treat is to let them have fun. It seems perfectly fine to me." Or: "We've just never had a personal conviction against doing the whole trick or treat thing. I do avoid spooky stuff though, and recently even got rid of our jack-o-lantern out of respect for those who would be offended by that." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peek a Boo Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Nice tract...however, can you show me from Scripture where Christians are called to "take over" Pagan Holy Days rather than reject them altogether? I can't -- but there IS the part from Paul about being all things to all people to preach the gospel. I know not every family is called to that, but there are definitely some out there ;) julesmama3 is convicted through Romans 14: 5-6. i haven't had anyone question *me* personally, but I do know several families [Christian AND non-Christian] who refrain from typical Halloween traditions. I try to let them know if a party [like our city's party] is going to have 'scary' or 'typical' Halloween stuff so they can be aware and won't get freaked out seeing me in my Catwoman costume. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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