LadyRaven Posted September 26, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 13 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 1,981 Content Per Day: 0.30 Reputation: 3 Days Won: 0 Joined: 05/22/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 04/20/1964 Share Posted September 26, 2008 Wow! ok. I couldn't see the legalsm... I'm pretty certain that people know what a lie is. You feel you are right in not celebrating Halloween, that's kewl. But you don't find any problem with decieving the kids, and their parents, that come to your door? When it is considered deceptive to not answer the door one has to answer why this would be. The only reason I could think of is an obligation to answer a knock, regardless if the visitor is welcome or not. But there is no such obligation. If a visitor is not welcome, there is no obligation to open the door and say so to his face, one simply does not answer a knock on the door. When a porch light is not on, it means that company is not desired. It could be, but is not necessarily, an indication that nobody is home. In fact, leaving the light on is a greater indication that nobody is home as they will need the light to see when they return. (I get peeved when my sons do not leave the light on for me when I work). When people are home and the light is on, this means that company can come, they are welcome, and the residents have left the lights on so that they do not stumble. There is nothing deceptive about leaving the lights off and not answering your door if you dont want to do so. There is no obligation to answer it if you are home. There is an expectation of privacy that says that when a person answers the door they wanted to do so and if they do not answer that this is their prerogative. It's called respecting people's privacy. And, historically, if you do not participate in Halloween, the traditionally accepted response is to turn out the light and not answer the door. To me it's a double standard. If we choose not to celebrate Halloween, and we want people to think we are not home....we don't stay home. Simple as that. There are lots of places to go on Halloween night. It's only an hour or two anyway. Get out, go to the mall. It's not like there aren't 364 other days of the year you can stay in and watch movies. and the other 365 days of the year you are not required to turn on the porch light or answer the door if you do not want to do so either. There is no double standard. And for myself, as I have no car, where am I going to go? I can pay my bills, barely, and we eat, that is about it. I cant afford a car, so needless to say I cant afford to rent one to be out the night the children collect candy. I used to go out, it was much more pleasant than listening to children repeatedly ignore the lack of porch light and knock. I've known people who do this, and they are purposfully protesting Halloween by staying in, and "pretending" they are not home. It's not a good witness to me. Purposfully, knowingly being deceitfull....That's wrong. Nowadays if you dont want to participate and dont want to have to deal with it at all, the best thing to do is stay home because someone is going to ask your kids something. Depending on their ages, that may not be a good thing for them, or the person asking who is now uncomfortable with the answer that you dont participate. There is nothing deceitful about staying home and not participating in Halloween. Is it deceitful for Jews or Buddhists to not decorate or not turn the lights on or not come to the doors if people go Christmas carolling? NO, and its not deceptive to stay in and turn the porch light off and not respond to the door on Halloween. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nebula Posted September 26, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 10 Topic Count: 5,823 Topics Per Day: 0.76 Content Count: 45,870 Content Per Day: 5.95 Reputation: 1,897 Days Won: 83 Joined: 03/22/2003 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/19/1970 Share Posted September 26, 2008 FA - I figured out how to solve your problem and make everyone happy. Get some cardboard and paint and paintbrushes. Paint a Scripture verse or two dealing with Jesus' victory over the Devil and the grave. Stick that at the entrance to your home. Below add a note stating that because you celebrate Jesus' resurrection, it is against your conscience to partake in a celebration of death and evil; therefore, no candy is being distributed at this house. The Lord bless you, and have a good night! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floatingaxe Posted September 26, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 62 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 9,613 Content Per Day: 1.45 Reputation: 656 Days Won: 9 Joined: 03/11/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 05/31/1952 Share Posted September 26, 2008 FA - I figured out how to solve your problem and make everyone happy. Get some cardboard and paint and paintbrushes. Paint a Scripture verse or two dealing with Jesus' victory over the Devil and the grave. Stick that at the entrance to your home. Below add a note stating that because you celebrate Jesus' resurrection, it is against your conscience to partake in a celebration of death and evil; therefore, no candy is being distributed at this house. The Lord bless you, and have a good night! Haha! That's a good one. Thanks, neb! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyRaven Posted September 26, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 13 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 1,981 Content Per Day: 0.30 Reputation: 3 Days Won: 0 Joined: 05/22/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 04/20/1964 Share Posted September 26, 2008 FA - I figured out how to solve your problem and make everyone happy. Get some cardboard and paint and paintbrushes. Paint a Scripture verse or two dealing with Jesus' victory over the Devil and the grave. Stick that at the entrance to your home. Below add a note stating that because you celebrate Jesus' resurrection, it is against your conscience to partake in a celebration of death and evil; therefore, no candy is being distributed at this house. The Lord bless you, and have a good night! I've done similar things and that's fine if that's what you want to do. However, this gets back to freedom and manners. When I go Christmas Carolling, I am aware that it is an invasive activity and that not everyone in the community wants to participate in Christmas. And even those that do want to participate might not welcome our attempts at singing hymns on the night in question. So, if they leave their lights out and do not turn them on and open the door as we walk by singing, I am not going to be upset. Perhaps they are tired, perhaps they are Muslim or Jewish, perhaps they are in the throes of a migraine. Who knows? Since I am not going to be rude, I will pass them by for the house that throws on the lights and opens the door and the kids run out and sing with us. THEY want to be part of my celebration, the other house did not. There is an expectation, a right, to privacy. To be undisturbed on one's property, to not have to participate in something when one does not want to do so. When one does not respect this it is rude in the highest degree. When other believers demand that FA and I take some sort of action like going out on that night, this is actually requiring us to participate in some way. We are expected to react to the activities of others whether we wish to do so or not. That is unreasonable and to require it is rude. So, when I turn out the lights I am saying I want to be left alone, do not come here. (this is what it means on all other nights when it is off as well) That has been the traditional code of beggar's night for decades. Only rude children and a few who have no clue about personal safety walk up to a strange unlit house on beggars night and knock on the door. I'm not going to encourage their activity by rewarding it with an answer of any kind when I had no interest in participating in their holiday in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speckles Posted September 26, 2008 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 0 Topics Per Day: 0 Content Count: 217 Content Per Day: 0.03 Reputation: 2 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/18/2006 Status: Offline Share Posted September 26, 2008 Wow, who woulda thunk that leavin the porch light off was such a big deal. That's what everyone around here does if they don't have any candy for whatever reason. We were taught as younguns not to go to houses like that. Like LR said, it's respectful to stay away. I don't participate in Halloween, really, though I do not avoid it per se either. It's like Labor Day and Arbor Day, we know it's there but we only do something if we want to do it. We do all the fall stuff, the corn mazes, the "boo at the zoo" displays, that sort of thing, my kids like decorations no matter what they are for. And some times we've gone to masquerade parties that get put on by some churches if we have the materials and money to do so. Nothing wrong with it. I never heard of it called beggars night before, though somewhere I did hear it called mischief night a time or two. But it didn't seem to be disrespectful to children to have them called beggars when I'd seen LR use phrase in a few posts before that. Sometimes I think people go out of their way to be combative over the stupidest stuff here. Wonder why that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Biblicist Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 FA - I figured out how to solve your problem and make everyone happy. Get some cardboard and paint and paintbrushes. Paint a Scripture verse or two dealing with Jesus' victory over the Devil and the grave. Stick that at the entrance to your home. Below add a note stating that because you celebrate Jesus' resurrection, it is against your conscience to partake in a celebration of death and evil; therefore, no candy is being distributed at this house. The Lord bless you, and have a good night! A very good idea, Nebs. Honest and straightforward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floatingaxe Posted September 26, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 62 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 9,613 Content Per Day: 1.45 Reputation: 656 Days Won: 9 Joined: 03/11/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 05/31/1952 Share Posted September 26, 2008 Sometimes I think people go out of their way to be combative over the stupidest stuff here. Wonder why that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest man Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 I've known people who do this, and they are purposfully protesting Halloween by staying in, and "pretending" they are not home. It's not a good witness to me. Purposfully, knowingly being deceitfull....That's wrong. I don't see how it's better than letting your kids dress up and go out and collect candy from the neighborhood. Who's witnessing it? You? Then you should understand and have grace toward them. It isn't wrong. You ever heard of God? Do you think He only sees you when you want Him too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floatingaxe Posted September 26, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 62 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 9,613 Content Per Day: 1.45 Reputation: 656 Days Won: 9 Joined: 03/11/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 05/31/1952 Share Posted September 26, 2008 I've known people who do this, and they are purposfully protesting Halloween by staying in, and "pretending" they are not home. It's not a good witness to me. Purposfully, knowingly being deceitfull....That's wrong. I don't see how it's better than letting your kids dress up and go out and collect candy from the neighborhood. Who's witnessing it? You? Then you should understand and have grace toward them. It isn't wrong. You ever heard of God? Do you think He only sees you when you want Him too? Hey, man~ You are being unnecessarily aggressive. You need to pick your battles wisely. For me, I will not entertain your abusiveness and deliberate antagonism toward my posts. My actions are valid and my choices to deal with this silly "holiday" are mine to make and God gives me that autonomy. It is an unwise person who casts aspersions at a sister or brother for inconsequential reasons. You and others are making a mountain out of a molehill. (BTW, being a good witness in the context given was witnessing before others, FYI.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Biblicist Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 It was just a simple question... I don't understand why people are getting so defensive about it. You make your choices, and answer to God for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts