Bishop and Halloween

[PollySis]

We were talking about Halloween and Samhain on the pagan thread. I thought the non pagan cysters might be interested in this story which has hit the UK press in the past couple of weeks, look for the Better Than Halloween article, as my puter is playing up tonight! Or of you Google Better than Halloween, you should find what the Bishop thinks:
www.ekklesia.co.uk/content/news_syndication/article_060918better_than_halloween.shtml What do you all think?

[Ajani]

“This year, I would like you to offer your customers a choice. Amongst your displays, I would like to see products that enable parents, teachers and children to choose a positive, alternative way to celebrate Halloween,” says the Bishop, suggesting that the supermarkets present a range of alternative products such as bright balloons, hair braids and colourful costumes.

Not sure what you're asking. Many people don't dress their kids up as 'dark' things already. What this bishop is proposing is really not new. At least not here in Canada, anyway. There are lots of costumes that are light and fun, and lots of decorations that are, too. And many churches do alternative things like harvest festivals and have no trouble finding decorations and such. Or am I missing something in the article? That's very possible.

[Swingin' Cyster]

I think you'll find quite a few Christian groups that either don't do anything at all for Halloween or celebrate it more as All Saints Day. We definitely dressed up as saints - lots of fun b/c they were pretty dramatic - quite a bit. My roommate was VERY sheltered and doesn't even pass out candy. I don't think Halloween is evil, in fact I wish it was celebrated as it originally was as All Hallows Eve.
~Kara

[PollySis]

Kara, can you or someone else tell me a bit about All Hallow's Eve? I haven't a clue how it was originally celebrated, or what it was for?

[juststartn]

My dd's are going as St Lucy (eyeballs on plate, of course!), St Helena (her patron saint), and St Agnes (lamb tied to waist so she won't lose it)

LOL

Rachel

[Swingin' Cyster]

What I know about All Hallows Eve is that back in the Middle Ages, when the populace was highly illiterate and highly superstitious, the night before All Saints Day some people would dress up in scary costumes and go from home to home scaring away demons. I believe the people in the home would have some kind of treat for the "service" rendered. So kind of more trick AND treat I guess..... This book I think explains it more. We've had the author on our radio program and he's very interesting.

[Purple_monkfish]

Wasn't the "true" meaning of halloween known as "all hallows eve"... followed by all saints day... it's a time to honor those who have passed... it's an intrinsicly dark festival but quite beautiful in a way. Sad that some so called christians have forgotten the importance of rejoicing in life and remembering the dead.
Pretty colourful balloons sorta defeat the point... It's a somber celebration... I love halloween.

Yeah, I think the jackolanterns and costumes and things were to scare away negative energy and malevolent spirits pretending to be loved ones... the threshold between this world and the spirit world (at least in some "pagan" beliefs) is thinnest at this point... and not only good things come through.

Evil my ass, Halloween's just lost it's original conetation with the ignorent and nieve all too quick to label things as evil... they should go back to the roots... and see this holiday for what it is.. a very spiritual and wonderfully moving time of year.

[Ajani]

Sad that some so called christians have forgotten the importance of rejoicing in life and remembering the dead.

Can't people do that without sending their kids out door to door dressed as demons and vampires? I don't see what not participating in modern Hallowe'en celebrations has to do with the origins of the day, or remembering the dead and rejoicing in life, which by the way, should be an every day occurrence that has nothing to do with a specified date on the calender.

[PollySis]

The interesting thing is that the Bishop seems unaware of the groundswell of dislike for it in the 'serious' pagan community as well, as we feel it derides us. With most bishops presumably having interfaith advisors (here in the UK anyway) these days, that's hard to understand. It's nto like we want it, either!

[Ajani]

Given the long history that the UK has compared to North America, I'm guessing that Hallowe'en is quite different there. Here (at least in my corner of the world), it's about kids and candy and adults going to costume parties at bars, often dressed in raunchy or tastelss costumes to win prizes. There is little, if any, historical significance at all ever mentioned.

[Swingin' Cyster]

I'm with Ajani on this. Also, I think you'll agree that when you meet someone who converts to your way of thinking due in part to your influence, it makes you happy to add to your family per se. And the opposite is true that you don't want to see people leaving your family for another one. Part of the Bishop's job is to keep his flock healthy and protect them from influences he thinks could lead them away, so encouraging people not to delve into evil costumes, etc. makes sense. Does that help you understand the Bishops' motives more?
Hope so!!
~Kara

[CelticSpirit]

Yeah, I'm also with Ajani on what she said.

There's one thing that bothers me here...why are people thinking that the pagans are in favor of people wandering around looking like vampires and other "villains of the night". The pagan holiday isn't anything that the Christians should be afraid of.

It wasn't the pagans (to the best of my knowledge) to decide to dress up like scary and bloodied monsters.

Samhain isn't really too different from Dia de los Muertos of Mexican tradition which is fully endorsed by the churches in Mexico.

Now, please forgive me for rambling...I'm exhausted and haven't had enough caffeine yet.