toldailytopic: Halloween: harmless fun or sinful celebration?

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Nathon Detroit

Nathon Detroit

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The TheologyOnline.com TOPIC OF THE DAY for October 29th, 2010 10:01 AM


toldailytopic: Halloween: harmless fun or sinful celebration?






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CabinetMaker

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Harmless celebration as far as kids are concerned. Just fun dressing up and collecting candy. Halloween has no religious connotations to us regardless of its origins in the Catholic tradition of All Hallows Eve, the night before All Saints Day, November 1st.

Now, some of the "adult" celebrations do cross the line into sinfulness based on the sexual immorality that goes on.
 
Seydlitz77

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I mainly see it as a children's activity and a reason for lots of sweets. Haven't really done anything about Halloween myself for years (except eat aforementioned sweets) though this year I've promised to make a token attempt at a costume as I've been invited to a party.
 
Nathon Detroit

Nathon Detroit

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I see both sides to this one.

I know folks who get all wrapped up in thinking that Halloween is some type of devil worship and if you play any part in it you will be essentially bowing to Satan. :sigh:

Yet...

I also know folks that get way too into it. Decorating their house months in advance, attending several Halloween parties, spending hundreds of dollars on costumes etc. They invest so much time and energy into it, that it's kinda creepy. :sigh:

To me.. Halloween is much like Valentines Day or St. Patricks Day... silly, meaningless, mildly amusing tradition that can be fun for the kids.
 
Town Heretic

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Halloween: harmless fun or sinful celebration?

:think: Depends, I suppose, on whether or not you have candy when I knock (said he, cradling an old egg).
 
Granite

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It's an opportunity for plenty of fun and it's the one time of year you have a license to go off the deep end.

The Granites are hosting a party this Saturday that should be an absolute...scream.:shocked:
 
Alate_One

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When I was a child my mother become convinced the holiday was Satanic so at about the age of 7 she convinced me that it should be my last Halloween to go trick or treating. My Grandmother ensured I had plenty of candy and I did a few of our Church's Halloween stand ins but it wasn't the same. Deep down I really missed the fun of dressing up so I ended up going with my nieces and nephews and then a friend's kid just to enjoy the holiday. There was a really awesome neighborhood back in Michigan where many houses had people with decorations and music etc. One family had a giant coffin in the front yard that a guy would hop out of to scare people. :)

My son isn't really old enough to enjoy it yet, though he may be meeting visitors dressed as a skeleton :). I have no qualms about him trick or treating with the rest when he's older.

My biggest problem with the modern version of Halloween is the parents and kids that drive their child to every house. Heaven forbid kids and parents actually WALK anywhere and burn off some of the candy calories. :kookoo:
 
Nathon Detroit

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Alate_One said:
My biggest problem with the modern version of Halloween is the parents and kids that drive their child to every house. Heaven forbid kids and parents actually WALK anywhere and burn off some of the candy calories. :kookoo:
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Yeah, that is sorta lame. You may as well just buy your kids a giant bag of candy from the store, stay at home and spare yourself the effort.

Although, here in Colorado it often gets so cold this time of year I don't blame parents for having a warm car for the kids to run to occasionally just to get the blood flowing in the hands and feet. :denver:
 
TomO

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:think: I went to a Church for a time which to my bemusement would refuse to acknowledge Halloween but instead woul have what they called a "Fall Festival".

The kids could dress in costumes (but not scary) and do the same Halloweeney type things.

I asked someone in leadership once what exactly one would be celebrating by having a "Fall Festival" since, for obvious reasons, they couldn't be Celebrating "All Hollow-eds Eve".
The person in question responded: Well...you know, fall....uh, the harvest...stuff like that. Ah, I replied, so it's kind of a harvest festival? Well yeah, he said. It celebrates fall and our thankfulness for it.

So then we are celebrating the Autumnal Equinox? I asked.

Yeah, I guess.


:doh:
 
Cracked

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It's about fun for the kids. They carve pumpkins (well, daddy carves), get dressed up, and get candy. My girls choose "princess" outfits - even if they are not really princess outfits (this year: Arial and Batgirl). We listen to some kids' Halloween music, and might watch It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.
 
nicholsmom

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We love to dress up - all of us, not just the kids. So we look for excuses... And candy? Who doesn't have a favorite?

I figure that the day is what you decide it is. If atheists can celebrate Christmas and not honor Christ in their celebration, then we Christians can celebrate Halloween and not honor pagan beliefs. That's what we do.
 
Nathon Detroit

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I think my most well-done costume was the year I went as a "has-been" Elvis. I had this sweet Elvis costume, a huge belly, and ridiculously overgrown pompadour hair with ginormous side burns.

That night I almost got into a fight with some jerk who was harassing my wife (she was dressed as Priscilla). I always laugh when I think about what that must have looked like to everyone else... this silly fat Elvis screaming at a lame zombie on the verge of going to "fisticuffs". :rotfl:
 
chrysostom

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Knight said:
What was your BEST or WORST Halloween costume?
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one year when the NFL players were on strike I had my kids wear a brown paper bag over their head marked with 'NFL Fan'

it was a big hit

I guess that sort of dates me
 
Dena

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I don't understand the trick or treating thing. Why is it okay to let your kids eat candy from total strangers? This year I will be attending two parties and I bought a pretty mask with feathers and crystals. That is as far as I've ever taken it. I used to do church parties but the past few years we've done absolutely nothing.
 
Nick M

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Knight said:
Although, here in Colorado it often gets so cold this time of year I don't blame parents for having a warm car for the kids to run to occasionally just to get the blood flowing in the hands and feet. :denver:
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So much for being able to beat the Raiders on Halloween week for Monday Night Football. My how times have changed.

It did seem to snow a lot on Halloween, followed by a warm Thanksgiving during my time in Denver.

From what I read, the rituals seem to be a response to evil spirits, not the invitation of them. And of course many people fall for superstition.
 
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