How are you celebrating Halloween? Or are you? Why or why not?

[David1701]

5 hours ago, LadyKay said:

So this is a short story of my experience.  When I was growing up. Our church had Halloween parties. Well not at the church so much. But at church member's houses. There was never any issue. Then in the 1990's we got a new pastor. Then Halloween became evil and no one was suppose to do Halloween anymore. But....they then starting having what they called "Hallelujah  Parties". Where they did the same thing that do at a Halloween Party. But I guess changing the name to a "Hallelujah Party" made it okay again. 

That was a very long time ago. Nothing like that is going on now or has gone on for a few years. 

What?  They dressed up as witches and warlocks at "Hallelujah Parties"?  Seriously?

[David1701]

2 hours ago, Aimes said:

I guess I'm in the minority that believe there's nothing wrong in having a little fun. I celebrate the holidays. I smile at little children dressed up as pumpkins and super heroes and I give them all the candy I can. I decorate a Christmas tree every year. I hang lights and ornaments and give gifts to those I love. I think the Easter bunny is harmless and laugh at all the little babies who cry while meeting him for the first time and some years I even sneak in a picture with him myself.  

Sometimes as Christians we really do just overly spiritualize everything (IN MY OPINION). 

Witchcraft and evil activity take place every day of the week, every week of the year. 

Don't come at me, I'm not planning to post in this thread again. I've said my two cents and I leave you with that. 

Actually, as Christians, most nowadays DE-spiritualise many things.  They are so worldly that they couldn't care less about holiness, or pleasing God, or the influences of witchcraft and fertility festivals on those desensitised souls who participate.

[David1701]

Here's an interesting question: how many here would be happy to celebrate Reformation Day, instead of Halloween?

[leah777]

14 minutes ago, David1701 said:

Your point was clear; in fact, I have to wonder if the one who responded to it was being deliberately obtuse.  I hope not.

I think the US people have different ways of reasoning from cause to effect than we do in Europe. Same with a certain type of lateral thinking.

Certainly words and phrasing is not the same.

[JohnR7]

23 hours ago, Starise said:

When I was young someone was putting razor blades in apples and someone was poisoning candy. These are the people who are really celebrating the holiday. 

Was any of that ever substantiated or was that just stories people were making up?  

[BeauJangles]

How are you celebrating Halloween? Or are you? Why or why not?

We did as children, innocent of knowing what the evils of it really were and exactly what and how Halloween is a wicked annual event. Getting dressed up in costumes were a lot of fun, but the free candy was even better. Sure, it was fun. Then I grew up and no longer felt it was something worth ringing bells only to find the distasteful looks and curt remarks saying, "You look kinda old to be out 'trick-or-treating' don't ya, kid?" and that was the end of it. Then later on I learned just exactly what the deal was. My overall favorite costume during childhood (age 5-to-25) till the last one attended, I dressed up as a pirate. I must say it was a dashing look for me!  

[BeauJangles]

37 minutes ago, JohnR7 said:

On 10/27/2020 at 5:10 AM, Starise said:

When I was young someone was putting razor blades in apples and someone was poisoning candy. These are the people who are really celebrating the holiday. 

Was any of that ever substantiated or was that just stories people were making up?  

Indeed they were when inspected by x-ray scanners, including some of the candy found by police finding mysterious oddly wrapped candy in recent years here in our city having been laced with the hallucinogen, LSD. Our local press may not be the New York Times, but there are cases such as these that are not all that rare. It does happen and this is why parents who allow their children to to "trick-or-treating" should thoroughly investigate the so-called, "treats". 

[BeauJangles]

13 hours ago, David1701 said:

Here's an interesting question: how many here would be happy to celebrate Reformation Day, instead of Halloween?

I had to look this up being unfamiliar to what this day of celebration pertains to. Comparatively speaking, it seems quite a bit better than getting out old vinyl LP pressings of the hard rock band, Black Sabbath onto the turntables of their stereo systems. 

 

Reformation Day - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reformation_Day

 

Reformation Day is a Protestant Christian religious holiday celebrated on 31 October, alongside All Hallows' Eve (Halloween) during the triduum of Allhallowtide, in remembrance of the onset of the Reformation. According to Philip Melanchthon, 31 October 1517 was the day German monk Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-five Theses on the door of the All Saints' Church in Wittenberg, Electorate of Saxony in the Holy Roman Empire.

[Marathoner]

Life as a wanderer and outsider predisposed me toward abstaining from the idolatrous pride which is common to these nations of earth. I gladly render that service which the Lord expects of us who are called by His name: obey laws, pay taxes, and conduct ourselves circumspectly while we sojourn in this world. I am an alien for the nation to which I belong is not of this world.

And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. 

And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:57-62)

I'm in agreement with @David1701. He wrote,
 

I don't festoon myself with emblems of prior military service, reminders of that time when I served under the banner of men. I avoid celebrations of the same (i.e. Veterans Day), remembering the words which a certain sergeant spoke after I graduated from advanced training: "Never let anyone thank you for doing your job. Doing your job is the minimum required of you."

What use do we have for such things? The worldliness of which our brother writes is the fruit of a poisonous tree. When my experience of "holidays" becomes known to those beholden of the world, they cannot comprehend why I avoid them all with equal fervor. Let the dead bury their dead... let them bid farewell to those who are in their house... but I will not turn to look back upon the world which the Lord delivered me from.  

Edited October 28, 2020 by Marathoner

[Starise]

@Marathoner well said. You have less than 1000 posts. Me even less. I think LadyKay was referring to something that has come around before.

I can imagine it's "here we go again". 

@BeauJangles I think you would make a nice John Lennon.

As Christians we have three choices

- Detach totally away from all society except when absolutely necessary

- In a backslidden state blend in operfectly with the world. Do everything they do all the time.

- Go into the world. Ask to be used to further the kingdom. 

Food for thought- Jesus ate with publicans and sinners. He didn't sin though. I think there's a Christian culture that seems to think they should only hang with other Christians. 

Maybe I'm backslidden but I play some Irish music in bars. I can't say who is saved and who isn't. Yes, I even buy a beer sometimes. * ducks and runs*