maybe you don't realize, but most pagans see halloween the same as atheists do. it's a time to dress up, eat candy and have fun. we pagans disconnect halloween from samhain (or whatever religious observance different pagan faiths have at that time)
it's like christmas and yule. one is secular, one is religious, but they both fall at the same time.
don't you think that maybe if you have to boycott a sacred pagan time, that you boycott samhain rituals themselves instead of innocent halloween fun? stop giving out silly bible verses, it's not a time for converting people, it's just a time to let loose and have some fun!
(although i really wish you'd just live and let live)
2007-10-31 04:37:41 · 24 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
and of course i'm not talking to ALL christians, but just the ones to whom this question applies
2007-10-31 04:41:36 · update #1
You mean live and let die. Halloween is a time of fun and laughter, but with so much evil in the world it is fastly fading. I am glad I experienced it at a time when it was innocent and something parents and kids looked forward to.
2007-10-31 04:44:10 · answer #1 · answered by Fish <>< 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Heh...Thank you for qualifying that statement. (g) I appreciate the courtesy.
I don't think of Christmas as being secular and Yule as being religious. To me, Christmas is the Christian religious holiday, and Yule is the Wiccan religious holiday. The fact that Christmas is so commercialized is deplorable and annoying, but that doesn't diminish the core religiosity of it.
I do agree with you about the dosconnect between Hallowe'en and Samhain, but that usually happens, I think, because the Samhain ritual is sometimes not held on Hallowe'en night. Also, I know that, in the coven whose rituals I attend, we will dress up in costumes for the ritual just because it's fun to.
(I am a Catholic who at one time considered becoming Wiccan. I joined a coven that I still belong to, though I am not as active in it as I once was.)
2007-10-31 11:56:46 · answer #2 · answered by Chantal G 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
i definitely separate samhain and halloween and yule and christmas. i still do samhain and yule rituals though. its still a religious day for me.
)o(
edit : something for all you christians to think about. samhain is the pagan new year in some specific religions. passing out candy originated from "bribing" the goddess into having another good year with good luck. like the chinese new year celebrations with red paper to bring good luck to the new year.
2007-10-31 23:05:09 · answer #3 · answered by Pluto VT 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not all Christians are like that.
In my religion we celebrate the modern day version of Halloween (dressing up and getting candy, etc). We think Halloween is fun.
If I wanted to I doubt there would be any problem with me celebrating Samhain as well, in its harvest celebration form. I've been considering starting up a tradition with it. We're Scottish.
2007-10-31 11:46:42 · answer #4 · answered by Annym 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
you know, normally I stay in my house with all the lights turned off and watch scary movies... I buy Halloween candy and eat it all and don't give out any to trick and treaters!! I don't even turn on my porch light cause I don't want them coming up to my door! Silly little kids in their silly costumes. Don't they know Halloween is for adults! Why should I share my chocolate with them!!
But this Halloween I will be supervising a bunch of kids in costumes at my church's family night.....
Somehow, I don't think I will be having very much fun.....
2007-10-31 12:15:09 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am not only a Christian, but a Pastor, and we celebrate Halloween every year.
We have a yard that is decorated to the hilt with witches come out of cauldrons, ghosts coming out of pumpkins, a horse drawn full-size carriage hearse with a pop-up skeleton in it, an 8 foot tall grim reaper, and an 8 ft tall frankenstein.
We also have orange, purple and green lights everywhere.
Kids come from all over town to see our yard, and they love it.
There is nothing wrong with Christians enjoying All Hallows Eve.
2007-10-31 11:47:21 · answer #6 · answered by vetone10 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
That's what I've been saying all along. We Christians do go overboard, occasionally. But I didn't realize Pagans separated the two holidays. I mean, I assumed modern Pagans didn't believe we had to wear mask to avoid evil spirits on October 31st; but I thought it was just a change in observance. Thanks for letting me know.
2007-10-31 11:51:34 · answer #7 · answered by starfishltd 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Luke 10:18
And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven."
There are two ways of looking at Halloween. Sure, from a Christian
perspective it's not especially great to have the kidlets dressing up as
the devil and whatnot. On the other hand, look at it from the devil's
perspective. You revolted against God and fell from heaven in this
primordial struggle against God Almighty Himself. In your titanic pride you
had high hopes of establishing yourself supreme in the universe. You
committed your greatest act of terrorism against God when you convinced His
own precious Adam and Eve to revolt against Him. You brought death
into the human race and you thought you had it made when God, as it
appeared to you, insanely chose to become human. On Good Friday you finally
had Him in your hand and you killed Him with all the savagery your
fallen angelic mind could invent. And now, for two thousand years, you've
been watching your revolt crumble as the Risen One turned all your
schemes into life for your victims and mockery for you. Now, so far from
ruling the universe, your face is on some stupid mask worn by a
6-year-old and the creatures you hoped to destroy are writing meditations
like this one to pull your pointy nose and remind you that the Christ you
killed has defeated you utterly.
Memo to Satan: Happy Halloween, loser!
2007-10-31 15:55:41 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not all Christians are this way. I have my wizards hat on as I sit here at work, I hosted a party last Saturday, and plan on conducting some mischief tonight. So... don't group all Christians together, I'm givin' out candy and causing havoc all night tonight. God has a sense of humor, I'm sure He thinks it's hilarious.
2007-10-31 11:45:24 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 1⤋
Hey man, I'm Christian, and I don't pass out Bible verses. I take my son trick or treating and eat his candy - I mean inspect his candy so HE can eat it LOL.
I never thought about it, so thanks for opening my eyes a bit, but I guess me celebrating Halloween is the secular version of your religious holiday, just like a non-Christian does when they put up a Christmas tree at Christmas. It's like I told someone yesterday, even if you're not Christian, if you like the tree and participating in the secular part of it, do it. Now I see it's come full circle back around to me.
Wow. Forgive me if that sounds dumb, but I just realized something. My awareness has been expanded. Cool!!
2007-10-31 11:43:23 · answer #10 · answered by Kiwi 5 · 7⤊ 3⤋