Monday, October 31, 2011

Halloween Take Two!

(This is a re-post from last year. I edited it some to get my main question across better! I didn't get as many opinions as I was hoping and I really would like to hear some from both sides! Let me know your thoughts on the matter!)

Many moons ago (I was 12) my parents researched Halloween and decided it wasn't something our family should celebrate (That was a sad, sad day, I love dresing up and candy!).....and while that is an important part of this post, it is not the main focus!

My quandary is this.....
We used to participate in our churches Halloween alternative harvest party, but something always bugged me about it and I could never put my finger on why. Only in the past few years have I discovered the reason.

If the churches feel the need to offer a Halloween alternative, does that mean there's something wrong with it in the first place? If so, shouldn't they find out why they feel the need to call the parties at this time of year anything but a Halloween party?

The don't call the Christmas party a winter time party and they don't call Easter egg hunts spring festivals. The don't offer alternatives to these holidays, they just have Christmas and Easter parties! So, why don't they just have Halloween parties?

If it really is just to provide a warm indoor place with prescreened candy to the kids, why the name change? So, in effect it's not Halloween it self that makes me cringe this time of year, it's the church dancing around an issue they obviously feel convicted about, but don't want to take a stand on because they might "lose" people. If something like that will make you "lose" people, did you really "have" them in them first place?

If your going to celebrate Halloween then celebrate it, but don't slap a different name on it and try to make it seem like you aren't celebrating it when you are. If you feel the need to call it something else, you might want to take a look at why.

2 comments:

  1. Hi! This is likely to be long-winded. I'd like to offer a reason for Halloween alternative parties, if I may.

    First, I think we agree that Halloween is basically the celebration of evil - darkness, death, devils, etc. Often community churches will attempt to offer some alternative.

    The problem I have with most of the alternatives I see is that the focus is still on candy and costumes. Please don't misunderstand me: I am fond of candy and dressing up. However, one cannot fight something evil by ignoring the evil. It must be fought with good - the only truly good is the Bible. So, when we celebrate, we should be celebrating Jesus, shouldn't we? Perhaps His kind providence in history? Oh, Martin Luther nailed his list of 95 questions for the Roman Catholic bishops on the door of the church in Wittenburg in 1517. This officially sparked the Protestant Reformation. Many churches offer this kind of celebration, including the one I attend. There is candy, and everyone who wishes to do so may dress up. We play games and have history quizzes.

    Whew. Off my soapbox now. This isn't meant to be belligerent, but rather to give a different viewpoint.
    Have a lovely year!

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  2. I totally agree!
    Bravo to your church for offering a God honoring alterative rather then just slapping a different name on Halloween!
    Don't worry, you didn't come across as belligerent at all! I have many, many soapboxes, and have to be dragged off of them kicking and screaming most days..... ;-)
    Thanks for chiming in!

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