Tuesday, October 27, 2009
More feedback for the Halloween entry
A few more insightful comments:
Marie Jost
posted on Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 7:03PM
The "dark side" is part of being human, and it is very much a part of our world. To fear it is to fear a part of yourself. Much better to examine it through play and play-acting as a child for one day a year and see that, really, there isn't so much to fear. Love will always be greater than fear, hatred and death, even if, in the limited picture this does not appear to be true. I would also argue to Christians that, if everything is from God and of God as you argue, what is there to fear? Think of it as the innocence of children infiltrating the dark and scary aspects of life and transforming them through play and imagination. Why does that sound so scary?
MissScarlett
posted on Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 10:23PM
Yep. My church is one of those hosting a party. It's great fun! Nice, safe, warm(!) place for the kids to run around, show of their costume and mingle with other kids. I myself plan on wearing my pirate dress ;)
I think some people just aren't happy and go out of their way to drag as many other people down with them as possible. Just like so many other things, in celebrating Halloween, what is YOUR INTENT?! And who are these naysayers people to be the judge? Pff... I think they've just forgotten how to have fun...
Etchy
posted on Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 8:33PM
OR when you see pumpkin girl you can shout out something about damnation and slam the door.... and mentally scar the poor girl for life!
j/k!
MissScarlett
posted on Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 9:55PM
Amen brothers... And, honestly, who are we to judge anyone? I seem to have read somewhere that right is reserved for a Higher Power. Love, love, love and love some more.
lol @ Etchy!
smile
posted on Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009 12:41AM
Yeah, what will jesus do？﹗
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Marie Jost
posted on Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 7:03PM
The "dark side" is part of being human, and it is very much a part of our world. To fear it is to fear a part of yourself. Much better to examine it through play and play-acting as a child for one day a year and see that, really, there isn't so much to fear. Love will always be greater than fear, hatred and death, even if, in the limited picture this does not appear to be true. I would also argue to Christians that, if everything is from God and of God as you argue, what is there to fear? Think of it as the innocence of children infiltrating the dark and scary aspects of life and transforming them through play and imagination. Why does that sound so scary?
MissScarlett
posted on Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 10:23PM
Yep. My church is one of those hosting a party. It's great fun! Nice, safe, warm(!) place for the kids to run around, show of their costume and mingle with other kids. I myself plan on wearing my pirate dress ;)
I think some people just aren't happy and go out of their way to drag as many other people down with them as possible. Just like so many other things, in celebrating Halloween, what is YOUR INTENT?! And who are these naysayers people to be the judge? Pff... I think they've just forgotten how to have fun...
Etchy
posted on Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 8:33PM
OR when you see pumpkin girl you can shout out something about damnation and slam the door.... and mentally scar the poor girl for life!
j/k!
MissScarlett
posted on Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 9:55PM
Amen brothers... And, honestly, who are we to judge anyone? I seem to have read somewhere that right is reserved for a Higher Power. Love, love, love and love some more.
lol @ Etchy!
smile
posted on Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009 12:41AM
Yeah, what will jesus do？﹗
Labels: Christian faith, Halloween, religious, secular
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Feedback for my Halloween entry
I received the following feedback from my Halloween entry on my alivenotdead blog. Very interesting discussion. There's no right or wrong answer, but it stimulates a rather thoughtful dialogue. As Christians, these kinds of exchange are healthy for our maturity and the growth of our spiritual life. Just want to share with you:-
smile
posted on Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 2:27PM [Report]
「凡事都可行,但不都有益處;凡事都可行;但不都造就人。 」(林前十23)
基督徒扮 witches and devils , 上帝同意嗎？祂喜歡嗎？答案是明明白白，清清楚楚。一想到這裡，我並不感到funny, 我反而很傷心。因為天父見到祂的兒女扮巫婆扮撒旦，祂很難過。
Etchy
posted on Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 4:19PM [Report]
if you are turned into a satan worshiper from halloween or from reading harry potter books, there's probably some underlying issues that need to be addressed beyond the immediate ones. :-P
My response:
posted on Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 5:45PM
First of all, not ALL children dress up as "witches and devils." I've seen some creative custumes as Tigger, Winnie the Pooh, Joker, Batman, Bugs Bunny, and a butcher with a huge belly.
I don't think the answer is 明明白白，清清楚楚. God gives us free will. We're free to use it. If the intention is to have fun and not to hurt anybody, I don't think God will interfere.
In my opinion, I think God would be more upset that some Christians spend their time and energy standing on higher moral grounds judging and bashing a harmless festival than using their time focusing on how to spread the gospel of love on earth.
When a child comes tricking a treating on your door, you show your love not by telling her to get rid of her pumpkin costume, but to give her a smile, hand out your candy and say "Happy Halloween!"
I think that's what Jesus would do!
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smile
posted on Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 2:27PM [Report]
「凡事都可行,但不都有益處;凡事都可行;但不都造就人。 」(林前十23)
基督徒扮 witches and devils , 上帝同意嗎？祂喜歡嗎？答案是明明白白，清清楚楚。一想到這裡，我並不感到funny, 我反而很傷心。因為天父見到祂的兒女扮巫婆扮撒旦，祂很難過。
Etchy
posted on Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 4:19PM [Report]
if you are turned into a satan worshiper from halloween or from reading harry potter books, there's probably some underlying issues that need to be addressed beyond the immediate ones. :-P
My response:
posted on Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 5:45PM
First of all, not ALL children dress up as "witches and devils." I've seen some creative custumes as Tigger, Winnie the Pooh, Joker, Batman, Bugs Bunny, and a butcher with a huge belly.
I don't think the answer is 明明白白，清清楚楚. God gives us free will. We're free to use it. If the intention is to have fun and not to hurt anybody, I don't think God will interfere.
In my opinion, I think God would be more upset that some Christians spend their time and energy standing on higher moral grounds judging and bashing a harmless festival than using their time focusing on how to spread the gospel of love on earth.
When a child comes tricking a treating on your door, you show your love not by telling her to get rid of her pumpkin costume, but to give her a smile, hand out your candy and say "Happy Halloween!"
I think that's what Jesus would do!
Labels: Christian faith, Halloween, religious, secular
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Halloween is a fun festival! Live with it!
I've been reading a few articles about how Halloween is Satan's festival, many of which talk about the origins of Halloween as an evil feast and its negative aspects. In a recent article published by Kingdom Revival Post, borrowing an entry from Omega Times, it stated "萬聖節是屬撒旦的，我們應視之為瘟疫，亦要提醒別人。" After reading these misleading entries, I'm compelled to chip in my two cents.
Halloween has origins in the ancient celtic festival known as Samhain, which is derived from Old Irish and means roughly "summer's end". A similar festival was held by the ancient Britons and is known as Calan Gaeaf. The festival of Samhain celebrates the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half", and is sometimes regarded as the "Celtic New Year".
Indeed, Halloween has religious undertones. In the Anglican Church, some dioceses have chosen to emphasize the Christian traditions of All Saints' Day, while some other Protestants celebrate the holiday as Reformation Day, a day to remember the Protestant Reformation.
In fact, the Halloween tradition is far from being "satanic" in origin or practice and that it holds no threat to the spiritual lives of children: being taught about death and mortality, and the ways of the Celtic ancestors actually being a valuable life lesson and a part of many of their parishioners' heritage.
We, as Christians, should ascribe no negative significance to Halloween. We should treat it as a purely secular holiday devoted to celebrating "imaginary spooks" and handing out candy to childrem. Halloween celebrations are common among Roman Catholic parochial schools throughout North America and in Ireland. In fact, the Roman Catholic Church sees Halloween as having a Christian connection. Father Gabriele Amorth, a Vatican-appointed exorcist in Rome, has said, "[I]f English and American children like to dress up as witches and devils on one night of the year that is not a problem. If it is just a game, there is no harm in that."
Upon close inspection, Halloween is completely incompatible with the Christian faith due to its origin as a pagan "Festival of the Dead." In more recent years, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston has organized a "Saint Fest" on the holiday. Many contemporary Protestant churches view Halloween as a fun event for children, holding events in their churches where children and their parents can dress up, play games, and get candy.
Therefore, I regard Halloween as harmless, secular, and a fun holiday. Going to haunted houses and be sacred by ugly creatures should be regarded as a leisurely pastime and not an opportunity for Satan to spread his evildoings. Giving out candy to infant trick-or-treaters is a tradition that should be welcomed and endorsed to foster friendly atmosphere during festival times. Most of all, it's just a cute thing to do!
Why spend time discussing all the negative aspects of a largely fun and trivial festival while we can use this time to give back to the society by doing more meaningful things?
As children do have fun during Halloween, why don't we adults grow up?
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Halloween has origins in the ancient celtic festival known as Samhain, which is derived from Old Irish and means roughly "summer's end". A similar festival was held by the ancient Britons and is known as Calan Gaeaf. The festival of Samhain celebrates the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half", and is sometimes regarded as the "Celtic New Year".
Indeed, Halloween has religious undertones. In the Anglican Church, some dioceses have chosen to emphasize the Christian traditions of All Saints' Day, while some other Protestants celebrate the holiday as Reformation Day, a day to remember the Protestant Reformation.
In fact, the Halloween tradition is far from being "satanic" in origin or practice and that it holds no threat to the spiritual lives of children: being taught about death and mortality, and the ways of the Celtic ancestors actually being a valuable life lesson and a part of many of their parishioners' heritage.
We, as Christians, should ascribe no negative significance to Halloween. We should treat it as a purely secular holiday devoted to celebrating "imaginary spooks" and handing out candy to childrem. Halloween celebrations are common among Roman Catholic parochial schools throughout North America and in Ireland. In fact, the Roman Catholic Church sees Halloween as having a Christian connection. Father Gabriele Amorth, a Vatican-appointed exorcist in Rome, has said, "[I]f English and American children like to dress up as witches and devils on one night of the year that is not a problem. If it is just a game, there is no harm in that."
Upon close inspection, Halloween is completely incompatible with the Christian faith due to its origin as a pagan "Festival of the Dead." In more recent years, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston has organized a "Saint Fest" on the holiday. Many contemporary Protestant churches view Halloween as a fun event for children, holding events in their churches where children and their parents can dress up, play games, and get candy.
Therefore, I regard Halloween as harmless, secular, and a fun holiday. Going to haunted houses and be sacred by ugly creatures should be regarded as a leisurely pastime and not an opportunity for Satan to spread his evildoings. Giving out candy to infant trick-or-treaters is a tradition that should be welcomed and endorsed to foster friendly atmosphere during festival times. Most of all, it's just a cute thing to do!
Why spend time discussing all the negative aspects of a largely fun and trivial festival while we can use this time to give back to the society by doing more meaningful things?
As children do have fun during Halloween, why don't we adults grow up?
Labels: Christian faith, Halloween, religious, secular
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