(Part of the Synchroblog “A Christian response to Halloween“.)
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Halloween….why all the madness?
I have never understood why people get so upset about Halloween. As a kid I always dressed up. My favorite picture of me is a kid is one of me as a witch and I have my tongue sticking out. I always spent Halloween at church or at a school function (private Christian school that is) and there were always Goblins, Witches, Wizards, and beastly animals and things of all kinds. It was not until I was in my late teens did I start to think about Halloween in any other light rather than getting dressed up and getting candy.
People started telling me how awful Halloween was, how it was Satan’s night, I started seeing the day differently. In my late teens years I condemned anyone who celebrated Halloween (though it was perfectly acceptable to have a Fall Harvest Party). Halloween stood for everything I was against.
Looking back I see how easily people who seemed to be looking at for my best interest molded my mind. Now I wonder why all the madness? Why all the crazy feelings about Halloween?
I do not have kids (nor do I plan to have any) but if I did I would encourage Halloween play. The innocence of dressing up and make believe. I would encourage it whenever they felt like dressing up and playing. Imagination is at the heart of a child and taking that imagination, the wonder, and turning it into a sick offensive hatred of a day is just wrong.
I am not saying that everything that goes on around Halloween is good for kids or even adults, but there is a part of it that speaks to that wonder.
Three years ago I went on my first real trick or treat run. I grew up in the country and while I was always at church or school events walking door to door was really out of the question. So I went when I was in my late 20’s I went to my first door-to-door Halloween and cannot remember a time of so much fun. I was with a friend who was 12 or 13 at the time and we talked and laughed all night. We got back to her house and her mom, myself, and her sat in the floor and divided the candy and had a candy shower (yes that can hurt). After she went to bed her mother and I stayed up talking into the night. I hoped other people had as good of a day as I had.
Does any of this have any impact on my spiritual life? No not really. I think for me the hardest part is when people tell me how evil it is and try to scare me into thinking the same way they do about the day. It is hard for me to imagine why anyone would want to prove a point so badly as to take away the innocence of a child or an adult. I take offense to the hatred that can be spewed over one day of the year.
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Others:
The Christians and the Pagans Meet for Samhain at Phil Wyman’s Square No More
Our Own Private Zombie: Death and the Spirit of Fear by Lainie Petersen
Julie Clawson at One Hand Clapping
John Morehead at John Morehead’s Musings
Vampire Protection by Sonja Andrews
What’s So Bad About Halloween? at Igneous Quill
H-A-double-L-O-double-U-double-E-N Erin Word
Halloween….why all the madness? by Reba Baskett
Steve Hayes at Notes from the Underground
KW Leslie at The Evening of Kent
Hallmark Halloween by John Smulo
Mike Bursell at Mike’s Musings
Sam Norton at Elizaphanian
Removing Christendom from Halloween at On Earth as in Heaven
Vampires or Leeches: A conversation about making the Day of the Dead meaningful by David Fisher
Encountering hallow-tide creatively by Sally Coleman
Kay at Chaotic Spirit
Apples and Razorblades at Johnny Beloved
Steve Hayes at Notes from the Underground
Fall Festivals and Scary Masks at The Assembling of the Church
Why Christians don’t like Zombies at Hollow Again
Peering through the negatives of mission Paul Walker
Sea Raven at Gaia Rising
Halloween: My experiences by Lew A
Timothy Victor at Tim Victor’s Musings
Making Space for Halloween by Nic Paton
Technorati Tags: Christian, Halloween, Synchroblog
Popularity: 58% [?]
October 24th, 2007 at 4:47 am
“It is hard for me to imagine why anyone would want to prove a point so badly as to take away the innocence of a child “…yup and the same arguments are used about Santa- are we really going to divest ourselves of all stories???
October 24th, 2007 at 6:13 am
Ok, so that freaked me out to see that I made a comment that I didn’t actually make. It’s early… I’m allowed to be illogical:)
Yeah, I don’t really get any of the Halloween nonsense either. It’s part of a custom, and no more offensive than any other “non religious” holiday. What sort of amuses me is how the history of the day actually goes back to a pagan celebration, just like pretty much any other holiday we observe.
Sometimes people get so caught up in the details that they really miss the big picture.
October 24th, 2007 at 7:03 am
Sally #1 - Santa and the Easter Bunny are from Satan..LOL. Ya I do not get it.
Sally#2 - Christmas started out as a pagan holiday. I say we boycott it :)….or not.
October 24th, 2007 at 8:10 am
Does any of this have any impact on my spiritual life?
i know it does for me. i always have to be careful not to give into gluttony with all that awesome candy.
-dan
October 24th, 2007 at 8:31 am
Reba,
You said: “I am not saying that everything that goes on around Halloween is good…” Yeah… and everything that goes on around “Fall Festivals” is not good either. Thanks for this post! It seems that several of us had similar ideas.
-Alan
October 24th, 2007 at 8:33 am
It sounds like your first trick-or-treating experience was fantastic. There is a chance I may be making the rounds with a friend’s kids this year, as she can’t and it’s not clear whether their father will be available to take them out. It should be fun!
I’m also loving Dan’s comment about gluttony. But then, I’m also thinking that surely there might be some positive spiritual outcomes of having a good time with friends, no?
October 24th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
Dan- I think that kind of gluttony is okay…maybe once a year
Alan - I loved your post for this month!
Jarred - I hope you get to go. I think it is more fun as an adult!
October 25th, 2007 at 9:51 am
Dan, LOL.
Good post. Let’s all remember to be careful not to turn around and be guilty of judging those who are convicted differently, however!
October 25th, 2007 at 5:45 pm
I have kids and I encourage Halloween play!
Good stuff.
October 29th, 2007 at 1:31 pm
We don’t celebrate Halloween