“Your Thoughts on Halloween”

[Gwen]

While I don't care for Halloween, I enjoy handing out candy to the children who dress up and go door to door. Tonight was trick-or-treat night in our town, and it was a very fun, safe neighborhood event for the children. I passed out apples this year, along with gospel tracts that explained the plan of salvation.
This year most of the kids were tiny little ones in cute costumes. I had very few gory, ugly stuff, except for some of the older boys. We had at least 100, and I even gave doggie treats and loved on the dogs who were brought along.

It was a great time to meet people in my town and show some kindness to their kids. Many of the children were thrilled to get apples instead of candy (go figure) and I complimented the parents who taught their kids good manners.

If we lived in a big city I probably would feel differently, but for now, I'm ok with it here.

Wow-you had more than 100!!! I thot we had a lot and we have about 50 kids. That's a lotta apples, ABC!

 

[abcgrad94]

Wow-you had more than 100!!! I thot we had a lot and we have about 50 kids. That's a lotta apples, ABC!

Actually, there were more but my bushel of apples was gone after the first hour of trick-or-treat and I had to turn the light off for the last hour. We live in a rural town and people truck the kids in from the country roads and even from a neighboring town, so we get hit hard. The Methodist pastor lives on the most "upscale" street in town and said he had 800 last year.

No way I could afford that many! One year I taped suckers to tracks and we gave out about 200.

 

[Gina B]

Because some of us are able to teach our children that there are aspects of halloween that aren't healthy for them, but to avoid those aspects. My children dress up in costumes that have nothing to do with death, withcraft, or anything of the nature. We escort them around to our neighbors, who we know, and let them get some candy.

If you are going to exclude anything that would allow your children to see evil, then you are going to have a lot of sheltering to do. I hope your kids are prepared for the outside world when they leave your nest.

If that's the logic, why not take them to your local juice bar? After all, juice is healthy, and it would be a great teaching moment about avoiding watching topless dancers while expounding the goodness of healthy vitamins and having a balanced diet.

I don't exclude everything that allows my children to see evil or we'd not be able to live in this world. However, I do NOT take them to places, events, or celebrations that expressly glorify things such as death and evil.
Halloween expressly glorifies death and evil. Whether you choose to participate in that aspect of it, it IS the basis of Halloween celbrations in the United States. I have not walked into a single store that didn't decorate in bloody, ghoulish themes. The yards aren't decorated with cute little glittery things. They're decorated with fake tombstones and guillotines.

 

[menageriekeeper]

Halloween expressly glorifies death and evil.

Personally I think Halloween expressly glorifies Christ's victory over death and evil. We no longer have to fear the grave or the many routes humans take to get there because Christ rose from the grave with the keys to death and hell in His hands!

PTL!

And while I might not take my child to a topless bar to see neckid women, I've certainly taken them to the Smithsonian Art mueseums and there are plenty of examples there!

There are appropriate venues for "exposing" children to the realities of life. It is up to the parent to decide what is appropriate for their child.

 

[annsni]

If that's the logic, why not take them to your local juice bar? After all, juice is healthy, and it would be a great teaching moment about avoiding watching topless dancers while expounding the goodness of healthy vitamins and having a balanced diet.

I don't exclude everything that allows my children to see evil or we'd not be able to live in this world. However, I do NOT take them to places, events, or celebrations that expressly glorify things such as death and evil.
Halloween expressly glorifies death and evil. Whether you choose to participate in that aspect of it, it IS the basis of Halloween celbrations in the United States. I have not walked into a single store that didn't decorate in bloody, ghoulish themes. The yards aren't decorated with cute little glittery things. They're decorated with fake tombstones and guillotines.

See, in my neighborhood, the houses that are decorated are decorated for fall. Pumpkins, corn stalks, straw bales, mums, etc. None of them are all about guillotines or death. Instead it's a community thing. It's about the kids dressing up, seeing neighbors, having some fun. Yes, some of the teens get out of hand but fortunately, our local village police are amazing and keep those sorts of things to a minimum. The worst thing we ever had was a note "You stink" on the driveway when we were not home because I was in the hospital having a baby on Halloween. But other than that, it's a great opportunity to minister to our neighbors and be a light in a dark world. Can't do that with the lights out while we hide in the bedroom.

 

[menageriekeeper]

Yes, some of the teens get out of hand

You know. It's nearly Halloween and I STILL haven't seen a single tree covered toliet paper. Whatever are kids coming to these day?

:laugh:

 

[annsni]

You know. It's nearly Halloween and I STILL haven't seen a single tree covered toliet paper. Whatever are kids coming to these day?

:laugh:

Hey - all BB members - we're heading to MK's house. Bring lots of Charmin!!

 

[Gina B]

Personally I think Halloween expressly glorifies Christ's victory over death and evil. We no longer have to fear the grave or the many routes humans take to get there because Christ rose from the grave with the keys to death and hell in His hands!

PTL!

And while I might not take my child to a topless bar to see neckid women, I've certainly taken them to the Smithsonian Art mueseums and there are plenty of examples there!

There are appropriate venues for "exposing" children to the realities of life. It is up to the parent to decide what is appropriate for their child.

Exactly. The opportunity for teaching comes in appropriate venues.

I just don't think Halloween is one of them, and I'm pretty sure nobody honestly thinks all the blood and gore is REALLY people celebrating Christ's victory over death. :laugh:

Annsni, that's pretty cool to live in a place like that. Must be nice!
Even as a kid I used to hate it because it was scary. And all we did was throw sheets over our heads with eyes cut out. I remember checking out candy first and chewing carefully because there were stories of people putting needles and such in candy.
But we still ate it.
Smart, huh?

 

[Jim1999]

Why don't Christians who hate halloween celebrate All Hallow's Eve?

Cheers,

Jim

 

[annsni]

Why don't Christians who hate halloween celebrate All Hallow's Eve?

Cheers,

Jim

Because I think they feel that it's STILL celebrating Halloween - just naming it something different. They would rather do nothing on that day at all except hide in the back bedroom while the world knocks on their door.

 

[Jim1999]

All Hallows Eve and All Saints Day was around long before Halloween. It was not designed to counter Hallowe-en.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[annsni]

All Hallows Eve and All Saints Day was around long before Halloween. It was not designed to counter Hallowe-en.

Cheers,

Jim

That's what YOU say, but we know that it's truly to just replace Halloween.

Honestly, I don't think it matters to those who are against Halloween. They will find a reason to not do anything no matter WHAT else happened that day, you know?

 

[Jim1999]

Well, anything is possible in the USA, I guess.

Historical facts only have meaning in the rest of the world.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[following-Him]

We hate it and probably won't open the door to anyone tonight. One year my husband opened the door to a whole group of children and he told them it was demanding money with menaces. There was an adult present in the background and she slunk away without saying a word.

 

[Alcott]

All Hallows Eve and All Saints Day was around long before Halloween. It was not designed to counter Hallowe-en.

Is History Channel wrong by saying in its documentary that All Saints' Day was originally in May? And "designed to counter Hallowe-en? The day would not have been called such until it was the day before All Saints' Day [a.ka.a All Hallow's]. So I think something in your facts, or at least your terminology ain't right.
All Hallow's Evening
All Hallow's E'en.
Hallow's E'en.
Hallowe'en.
Halloween.

Well, anything is possible in the USA, I guess.
Historical facts only have meaning in the rest of the world.

Yeah, it was our superaction comics that built an atomic bomb and put a man on the moon. Don't be too shocked when you hear reports of Aquaman showing up in Bristol Dock riding his seahorse.

 

[rbell]

We do "trunk or treat" at our church, and it is a big-time evangelistic event. Every year, several come to Christ. Not to mention there's a huge turnout from the unchurched--this year, we expect 1,500.

Just two weeks ago, we ordained a deacon. He was saved at our trunk or treat nearly a decade ago.

So, am I for it? Dunno...but it gives us a fine shot at sharing the Gospel with a crowd who might now show up to hear it otherwise.

 

[rbell]

Well, anything is possible in the USA, I guess.

Historical facts only have meaning in the rest of the world.

Cheers,

Jim

Thanks for insulting my country. I shall not return in kind.

 

[abcgrad94]

Because I think they feel that it's STILL celebrating Halloween - just naming it something different. They would rather do nothing on that day at all except hide in the back bedroom while the world knocks on their door.

I can understand this point of view as I did the same thing last year. I was all prepared to hand out apples last year, but then I saw big groups of teens and adults walking around about half an hour before trick-or-treat started. They were dressed in all black with hideous, bloody, demonic outfits. Some of them carried big objects, like the Grim Reaper and club/sword-like things. I decided not to hand out anything.

I would not open my door to a masked person and freely give them a handout on any other night of the year, so why do it on halloween? Especially if they are carrying big, weapon-like objects! This year was different, with mostly families and young children, so I sat on the porch to hand out my apples to toddlers.

I think it depends on the setting and how people are acting about it.

 

[webdog]

We hate it and probably won't open the door to anyone tonight. One year my husband opened the door to a whole group of children and he told them it was demanding money with menaces. There was an adult present in the background and she slunk away without saying a word.

There's the love of Christ for you WWJD...

How many evening do you have the LOST going door to door to a believer's home?

 

[Jim1999]

I deliver little bags of candies to all those in the shops that serve us all year. It falls on Sunday this year, so I delivered all 77 yesterday, even the liquor store. They all know my Christian background, so I guess that is sort of a witness.

Living in the country, not a soul knocks on my door. Guess they are too scared to walk my 1/4 mile lane through the woods...........

Cheers,

Jim