What kind of "real" Christian lets the kids do Halloween? (page 3)

lovelylil

Thanks everyone for your comments. I tried to share that link with my hubby that ex-jw and others gave me about the real origin of Halloween but it did not work - he was not having any of it no matter what.

My hubby says the WT has not affected his views on Halloween or other holidays but it really has. He used to observe all of them (pre-WT) but now even though he says he is agnostic, he will not do any of them.

Tonight he told me that Halloween "glorifies death". Sound familiar? His reasoning is that during Halloween week most of the movies are about killings such as Halloween, Friday the 13th etc. I asked him how are they glorifying death? And what would have been his reasoning prior to these movies being made? After all they were not always around. But he had no answer except to say Halloween just does glorify death.

Anyway, I can't force him to agree and he did allow the kids to make up their own minds about it so that is good. But I could tell it bothered him by the comments he made to me. And I feel bad but he has a right too - to excercise his own conscience. Lilly

hambeak

Oh what the heck just have fun and be careful and balanced

mouthy

If you disagree with my stance by all means let me hear from you too. Lilly

My only disagreement with this is We teach our kids NOT to take candy from Strangers then one day a year we take them out to beg for it

skyking

I feel that a true Christian would not let thier children do Halloween. Even when you get the TRUE history you are worshipping an anti-christian religion founded long before Christianity was ever thought of.

I do not believe in the Jesus that most Christians believe in, I do not believe in the bible at all anymore and feel I have strong proof in my thinking.

If you call your self Christian and celebrate Halloween you are just deceiving yourselves. He that is faithful in little, is faithful in much.

misguided

I don't worry about the origins of Halloween any more. To me, it's not important. Halloween is about having fun. I LOVE it!

My boyfriend and I went to a halloween party Saturday night, had a wonderful time, won a prize for our costumes, and got engaged the next day (yesterday)!

Even though my youngest child's father (he's 9) is still "in" (a JW) and fighting me hard not to let him go out...my son is so excited about it...and willing to do it in spite of what his father thinks (he even sent him home from his last visitation with a huge bag of candy to try to bribe him to not go out.)

It just doesn't matter what the origins are to me...it's what it means to our generation...and to me and my 6 kids, it's the best!

Rose

cognizant dissident

OFG said: but then again... I'll be dressed up like jeezus handing out candy.....

OFG, you may be dressed like Jesus, but me thinks you are most certainly a little devil!

Cog

skyking

misguided Good for you all the best in your future life together.

From a 22 years together man with a great wife

lovelylil

mouthy,

thats a valid point. My son is going with a nieghbor and she is stopping only at the homes of people she and I personally know. I checked it out to make sure as that is what I would do too. I'd be very concerned too in this day and age to let the kids take candy from complete strangers. And I told my son not to eat anything until I checked it out. There are a lot of crazies out there so you just don't know.

sky,

would you object to people celebrating Halloween as a purely secular holiday and not for religious reasons? I think most people don't give a thought to it as a religious day. The same is true though with Christmas for many today. I am doing it as a religious day but have many friends who view it as a secular holiday only.

My reasoning too on the matter is that we could trace all our holidays, customs and even our calender to ancient false beliefs. But is it really that important what people did on that day thousands of years ago, or does it just matter what they do on that day today?

As far as it being pagan, I agree. But almost everything in our society is of pagan origin. And even though the WT has conditioned us to believe that "pagan" is automatically bad or evil, pagan can and does sometimes only refer to things that were "prior to the Christian era". Are we to believe that everything prior to the Christian era was bad in God's eyes? I don't think so as when God created the earth and everything in it - (prior to the Christian era) - he said "it was good".

I appreciate all the comments. Lilly

Tigerman

Halloween . . .ah yes, bring the children to my door, turn your head a moment and they will be mine!

My fav recipe: Skewer the little darlings and slowly roast them over a hickory fire, dousing them generously with home made marinade ( tail of rat, head of toad, . . .must not reveal the secret sauce ) check for doneness when eyes bulge, do not over cook . . .blood from nostrils must be visible, other head juices must run clear.

If uncertain when child is ready for dining, cast out. More will be at your door in no time. Have fun . . .I suggest a medium to dry vintage.

JWdaughter

Listen, sometimes a kid in a costume asking for candy is just a kid in a costume asking for candy.So give them toothpaste and brush and let them have their one night of community sanctioned candy solicitation.

Pagan religion predates Judaism, Christianity and JWism. Therefore, just about ANYTHING humans do could considered to be of pagan origin or association. Marriage and childbirth customs. Jewish feasts are based on seasons and harvests as much as any pagan (wicca/earth) type religion is. Times and seasons or family memorials like weddings, birthdays, etc figure into almost every human festival. Think about it. There is nothing a person can do, including wearing clothes and putting on shoes that I bet could not be related to pagan religion. So what do we do? Can we condemn every bit of humanity and its behavior? Or do we look at the reason a person is doing something? Are Susy and Johnny making their annual pilgrimage to worship the dead on halloween or are they looking to score a lot of chocolate bars (Dove and Hershey, preferably). Are you worshipping Saturnalia at Christmas? Do you know what Saturnalia is? (I used to be a JW and don't remember what the hell it is or if it was a person, a god or a planet they were worshipping!). Do you know or care who or what Eostre is? I wear a wedding ring and have no idea of its pagan origins.My reason, and yours, is not to worship the dead, honor Saturnalia, Eostre or a circle of gold. Gold stars could be said to have pagan associations-if you want to play that game-and I don't see anyone ripping up their kids perfect homework because their teacher stuck a pretty star on it. If one was to carry these things to their ridiculous extreme, they would need to go that far. Which brings us back to intent. What is your intent? And if my example is a ridiculous extreme, why isn't it ridiculous to tell a kid they can't dress up and charm their neighbors while collecting some candy when it is a custom that has no evil overtones unless you give it some?

Remember all the jokes that went over our heads as children? If we are innocent, then that is what happens-the 'real' meaning will go right over our heads. And if we have to be TOLD why something is pagan/wrong, it obviously is not our intent to be honoring pagan ideas with our activity. And whoever is telling you should MTOB. IMO.

What kind of "real" Christian lets the kids do Halloween?

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