Anti-Halloween Weenies

[Lasher]

Leave it to Christians to suck the fun out of, well, EVERYTHING!

Some churches rebel against the dark side of Halloween

The article talks about how some local Christian churches are offering alternatives to Halloween and Trick or Treat, because, well, kids have fun at Halloween and some Christians just can't stand to see anyone smiling. My favorite "alternative" is this:

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"Word and Worship Fellowship, an independent charismatic church in North Braddock, puts on a Christianized haunted house called Hellstop that's aimed at teenagers. It depicts the dangers of drinking and driving. A gruesome car accident is re-enacted, complete with fake blood, and a grim reaper leads participants through hell before encouraging them to accept Jesus Christ as their savior.

Hundreds of other evangelical denominations have gone further by purchasing Judgment House kits, where abortion and homosexuality are described as a straight route to hell. One of the companies that offers the kits -- New Creation Evangelism, a Clearwater, Fla., not-for-profit business -- has trained 220 churches in 27 states on how to host a Judgment House. "
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The Grim Reaper strikes me as a bit of a non-Christian icon thrown in there, but as long as it's used in the spirit of not having fun we can let it slide.

But it is good to see some people doing their damnedest to scar their children at as early an age as possible.

 

[Bob_Bytchin]

This sounds like my in-laws' church.

When I first met my wife, it was around Halloween time that we began dating. Her parents asked me what my plans were for Halloween, and I told them that I would be out helping my friend walk his kids around door to door.

They were aghast. Because good "Christians" don't participate in Halloween traditions. They instead go to the movies, have Christian themed parties, and shun the Halloween lovers.

I participated in their idea of "fun" and was truly bored. I am not a Christian and only see Halloween as a time of letting loose and enjoying yourself with others.

I know it really upsets them in knowing that we let our 4 kids dress up on Halloween, eat a lot of candy, and watch scary movies. But hey, it's harmless fun. We don't take them out trick-or-treating though...mainly because we would prefer to buy them candy that we can be sure is a lot safer.

 

[Molly Bloom]

Jaysis, it's just "Pagan New Year." Maybe we should put a hex on 'em?

 

[WaxNWane]

Eh, they're all pagan holidays at their origin - many still have their pagan roots in plain view - it's just that Halloween doesn't have a Christian veneer placed on top of it.

And besides, everyone is somebody else's pagan.

 

[Angel]

And besides, everyone is somebody else's pagan.

Can I borrow that?

 

[Guest]

 

[Bob_Bytchin]

Eh, they're all pagan holidays at their origin - many still have their pagan roots in plain view - it's just that Halloween doesn't have a Christian veneer placed on top of it.

And besides, everyone is somebody else's pagan.

Very true....

Christmas and Easter....two that were originally, and still are to some extent, pagan holidays. But were warped to fit the needs of the Christians.

Of course, when you closely examine the Bible, you can see many stories that have parallel stories in other mythos.

 

[MunchinMark]

Well, im a Christian and I love Halloween.


I also like porn, masturbation and sex............

No. That cannot be!

 

[Sillyman]

Halloween is a perfectly Christian holiday.

 

[Azwed]

Halloween is a perfectly Christian holiday.

*Triumph the Insult comic dog voice*

for me to poop on

Sorry just some randomness for you.

 

[Sillyman]

*Triumph the Insult comic dog voice*

for me to poop on

Sorry just some randomness for you.

You know I appreciate randomness

Prong.

 

[The Heretic]

Well, im a Christian and I love Halloween.


I also like porn, masturbation and sex............

Okay, I am a Christian and I don't care for Halloween. I never did. And no I wasn't raised by parents who were against celebration of Halloween - they just didn't have any clue. And no I am not aghast that my daughter celebrated Halloween - although I would prefer that she didn't. I explained to her my feelings about it and let her make up her own mind.

As for the other Christian holidays being Christianized pagan holidays - yes some are, but then what was mostly substituted were the rituals and the purpose. I don't think Christians don't want anybody to have fun, but we do have our beliefs, and just like anybody else we prefer that our children learn and adopt our beliefs, not someone elses.

And yes, I like porn and sex too - but I've explained here on Lit. in detail how I do not believe that conflicts with my religious beliefs - but I do not celebrate Halloween.

 

[Bob_Bytchin]

As for the other Christian holidays being Christianized pagan holidays - yes some are, but then what was mostly substituted were the rituals and the purpose. I don't think Christians don't want anybody to have fun, but we do have our beliefs, and just like anybody else we prefer that our children learn and adopt our beliefs, not someone elses.

The Christian purposes behind Christmas and Easter are fake. In order to bring converts into the Church, the Christians had to appeal to practitioners of various pagan beliefs.

I appreciate Christians firmly believing in the purposes behind the various holiday's. But I think it would be interesting to just once....just once hear a minister stand up before his flock and explain how these holidays really came about.

 

[The Heretic]

The Christian purposes behind Christmas and Easter are fake. In order to bring converts into the Church, the Christians had to appeal to practitioners of various pagan beliefs.

Please choose your words more carefully. Because a particular church promotes a certain church holiday for one purpose, such as to appeal to "pagans", does not mean that all Christians celebrate Christmas and Easter with that purpose in mind. It simply isn't true of most Christians, no more so than most people celebrate Halloween with a Satanic or "pagan" purpose in mind as some Christians would assert.

 

[SilvaTungDevil]

Please choose your words more carefully. Because a particular church promotes a certain church holiday for one purpose, such as to appeal to "pagans", does not mean that all Christians celebrate Christmas and Easter with that purpose in mind. It simply isn't true of most Christians, no more so than most people celebrate Halloween with a Satanic or "pagan" purpose in mind as some Christians would assert. [/B]

I suspect he's talking about the time period when Christianity was spreading. These pratices occurred some 100s of yrs later. In the beginning, there were plenty of converts from the Jews in order to avoid Roman persecution. Later, as Christianity spread outside the domain of the Jews, it encountered the pagan religions. It had to adjust in order to take them into the fold.

 

[Bob_Bytchin]

I meant exactly what I said.

Christmas....the celebration of the birth of Christ. Amazing to celebrate the birth of Christ on the 25th of December, when he wasn't even born until late January. Coincidence that the 25th of December was actually a pagan holiday celebrating Mithra? It celebrated the "coming light" since the 25th of December is right after the winter solstice. The early Christians saw the Mithraists as a competing religion...so instead of fighting them, they chose to try and absorb them.

Something to read about Christmas and the pagans - http://216.239.39.100/search?q=cach...P/xmas.htm+25th+December+Pagan&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

Easter has very similar beginnnings. And the Christians again chose to absorb, rather than compete or fight.

Yes, I meant what I said. Christian holidays are fake.

 

[phrodeau]

Who takes Hallowe'en seriously? It's an excuse to throw a party. It's also an excuse for wet-blankets to lecture the revellers.

So is Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Mardi Gras, Yom Kippur, Mother's Day and New Year's.

 

[phrodeau]

BTW Bob, pagans celebrate Solstice on 12/22, not 12/25.

 

[SilvaTungDevil]

I meant exactly what I said.

Yes, I meant what I said. Christian holidays are fake.

Ok yeah, but Christianity wasn't even spreading until fifty years later when Paul started looking around for a way to save the Jews asses from the Romans (he in a unique position as he was both). Jesus the warrior martyr already had followers so Paul usurped the christ cult and manipulated it to be the hippie jesus cult. It wasn't until the church was somewhat established and had to win over the Romans and others that it began to change and pinpoint holidays. That's my take anyway.

 

[Bob_Bytchin]

BTW Bob, pagans celebrate Solstice on 12/22, not 12/25.

Ok, I knew that the festival was around the winter solstice, but wasn't sure on the exact date. Thanks

 

[Bob_Bytchin]

Ok yeah, but Christianity wasn't even spreading until fifty years later when Paul started looking around for a way to save the Jews asses from the Romans (he in a unique position as he was both). Jesus the warrior martyr already had followers so Paul usurped the christ cult and manipulated it to be the hippie jesus cult. It wasn't until the church was somewhat established and had to win over the Romans and others that it began to change and pinpoint holidays. That's my take anyway.

Oh yeah....thank you Emperor Constantine.

 

[The Heretic]

I meant exactly what I said.

Then you are mistaken and/or stereotyping Christians. First, the Church of Rome, which evolved into the Roman Catholic Church (IIRC), was not the only Christian church in the world. Second, what any one church, denomination or sect does or proclaims does not represent the beliefs and practices of all Christians, especially those of other churches, sects and denominations. What Jerry Falwell proclaims no more reflects my beliefs, practices or purposes than does the pope. As such, I ask again, please chose your words more carefully and do not categorize all Christians, past or present, in that manner. Some Christians make a big deal about celebrating the sabbath on Sunday, some celebrate on Saturday, but I don't go about categorizing their purposes based based on the original purposes of some small minority of church officials who decided the sabbath was this day instead of that day.

Christmas....the celebration of the birth of Christ. Amazing to celebrate the birth of Christ on the 25th of December, when he wasn't even born until late January.

If you are going to go on about the subject, then try to get the dates correct; most historians and theologians now agree that, as can best be determined fro mthe evidence, Christ was born in the fall, probably August September, not 8-9 months earlier in Janurary. In fact, some say it is quite possible, given the timing, that when Christians celebrate XMas, they are celebrating the conception date of Christ, or a date just a very few days away.

Again, making a big deal about Christian holidays is as silly as making a big deal about Halloween.

 

[Lasher]

In fact, some say it is quite possible, given the timing, that when Christians celebrate XMas, they are celebrating the conception date of Christ, or a date just a very few days away.

Yeh! More goofy Christian dogma...

You can celebrate the conception of a child that was conceived out of wedlock, but if you do it yourself you're going straight to HELL! Especially if you decided to terminate the pregnancy.

 

[Bob_Bytchin]

Then you are mistaken and/or stereotyping Christians. First, the Church of Rome, which evolved into the Roman Catholic Church (IIRC), was not the only Christian church in the world. Second, what any one church, denomination or sect does or proclaims does not represent the beliefs and practices of all Christians, especially those of other churches, sects and denominations. What Jerry Falwell proclaims no more reflects my beliefs, practices or purposes than does the pope. As such, I ask again, please chose your words more carefully and do not categorize all Christians, past or present, in that manner. Some Christians make a big deal about celebrating the sabbath on Sunday, some celebrate on Saturday, but I don't go about categorizing their purposes based based on the original purposes of some small minority of church officials who decided the sabbath was this day instead of that day.

If you are going to go on about the subject, then try to get the dates correct; most historians and theologians now agree that, as can best be determined fro mthe evidence, Christ was born in the fall, probably August September, not 8-9 months earlier in Janurary. In fact, some say it is quite possible, given the timing, that when Christians celebrate XMas, they are celebrating the conception date of Christ, or a date just a very few days away.

Again, making a big deal about Christian holidays is as silly as making a big deal about Halloween.

I wasn't categorizing Christians. If you look back up the thread a bit, you will see me say "I appreciate Christians firmly believing in the purposes behind the various holiday's."

I was making the point that behind every Christian holiday (Christian meaning - not Jewish, not Islamic, not Hindu etc...) is a pagan wanting to have their story told. But will that ever happen? No.

 

[SilvaTungDevil]

Yeh! More goofy Christian dogma...

You can celebrate the conception of a child that was conceived out of wedlock, but if you do it yourself you're going straight to HELL! Especially if you decided to terminate the pregnancy.

That's pretty funny. In those times, children of God, was the name given to babies concieved by those whacky religious leaders who even then couldnt keep their dicks out of their young parishoners. That way the young girl wouldn't get stoned to death for not being a virgin when bedded by her husband.