What opinions upon Halloween?

[Guest 1sheep]

21 hours ago, Jayne said:

This argument will be brought up every single October.  And the two camps will never convince each other.

Here's my view as I do not throw the baby out with the bathwater:

I:  NOT a sin:

• dressing children up in costumes and knocking on doors for candy
• Or, if your neighborhood is not safe, having a trunk-or-treat in the church parking lot and children going to car to car where people have them decorated with trunks filled with treats
• having a festival at your church with games and such - especially if it rains and kids can't trick or treat
• watching some of the old scary movies on tv on the classics channel
• staying at home and passing out candy in a friendly manner and hopefully strengthening relationships with your community [please don't pass out Chick tracts instead of candy!]

II:  Sinful

• inappropriate costumes
• drunkenness
• inappropriate movies
• candy corn ?

Each is going to have to be convinced in his/her own mind

I prefer gospel tracks other than the kind you mentioned and I think it is a wonderful idea to spread the gospel ANY DAY of the year.

[Guest 1sheep]

20 hours ago, LadyKay said:

I like Halloween. (now I sit back and wait for everyone to beat me over the head for saying so)

?

I am reminded of my rebellious child who seeks attention with bad behavior. 

[Guest 1sheep]

18 hours ago, ayin jade said:

That kind of thing bugs me. Why is a harvest festival (which churches put on here at the same time) acceptable and halloween isnt? They have costumes and candy etc and its celebrated at the same time. Either think halloween is ok and have your harvest festival or think halloween isnt ok and do not have any other festival. It seems hypocritical to have one and think the other is evil.

My sentiments exactly!!! But then par for the course with alot of the evangelical church today: lukewarm hypocrites imho

[Guest 1sheep]

18 hours ago, ayin jade said:

The ones in my area are just costume parties in a Christian setting. As far as I can see, its still celebrating the day.

Ive always reasoned the same thing. Christians should have the celebration BEFORE helloween perhaps. Maybe this would help the children to not feel left out because they reallt arent old enough to understand the spiritual implications.  By having a before party the adults are not joining hands with the enemy by sharing his day. Sounds like a good idea to me!

[Guest 1sheep]

17 hours ago, Cobalt1959 said:

To a staunch Legalist it is.  No room for personal conviction in their doctrine.

Im surprised you went there. I dont think the ones who are opposing participation are doing so to cling to law but to avoid taking part in the darkness that helloween symbolizes even to the most ignorant. 

[LadyKay]

45 minutes ago, 1sheep said:

I am reminded of my rebellious child who seeks attention with bad behavior. 

Well then I should put myself in time out until I learn to behave myself. 

[Guest 1sheep]

14 hours ago, Davida said:

I don't see it. Seems to me people who worked the land celebrated their harvest time and didn't celebrate death , ghosts and witchcraft. 

I think what is being implied by harvest is planting seeds and reaping and sowing maybe. But I still think it is joining in the world even if they do pin a diff name on it unless it is done on a different day altogether. Even then, Im not so certain I believe its a good decision.

[Guest 1sheep]

12 hours ago, ayin jade said:

Mexicans in my area celebrate day of the dead, the day after halloween. They go to the cemeteries, clean up the graves ... so far doesnt sound bad but ... they believe that the dead hang out with them on that day and set up altars to them at home. The altars have pictures of dead family and dead celebs they admire. Along with offerings of specific breads, decorations, flowers, sugar skulls, lit candles. 

Is this a catholic thing or a mexican cultural thing? 

[Guest 1sheep]

5 minutes ago, LadyKay said:

Well then I should put myself in time out until I learn to behave myself. 

And defeat your purpose? ?

[Neighbor]

I sure don't know of any  parent or adult guardian that sends their  innocent  kid dressed up in costume to go to houses alone knocking on doors for  halloween or at any time.

My parents knew better than that back in the 1940's. When the few people come to my door they are always in clusters with parents right with their kids and the parents in twos and threes. No one accepts home made items nor fruit. If it isn't factory packaged it gets tossed. Fact now most  go with their kids to the mall  and the stores give out things, candy etc.

 The horror of kidnapping and enslavement is sure real it happens,  but to blame that on  Halloween?  I don't think so. Evil is at work everyday it does not take a vacation only to come out on Halloween. Bad things do happen to even the most wonderful of individuals, even in  the most perfectly doctrined church settings it can happen. It does seem to be more prevalent. Perhaps it is just there are more people.

Our own church is testing yet another newer system of tracking our own and keeping survailance high for the protection of the children as well as for protection of the good testimony of our own adults,- to protect them from any errant accusation.

The threat  is highest  against the facilities, the student body, and staff all week long every week, whether it be cyber attack, attack by slander and libel or a real physical assault.  It is not just  on halloween that  strong deterrence is needed. It certainly is not just on halloween that bad people do evil.

One can rail against Halloween, Christmas, Easter, or any event celebration  and still evil will come visiting,-  any day any night. 

 

 

 

Edited October 3, 2018 by Neighbor
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