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Do you feel it is ok to celebrate it or not?

Hello swift, welcome to FG.....................

SK:-6

Welcome. Personally I see no reason why we shouldn't have a halloween. Basically, the children put no spiritual connection to it. It is a night to collect candy and dress up. Now that is fun.

Shalom

Ted:-6

I think children dressing up and going to neighbors for candy hand outs is charming.

I remember it as a very fun part of my childhood. Of course, despite the warnings or razorblades in apples, life as a whole was a lot safer. It was exciting to go out and see what kind of "a haul" you could make.

I understand the spin some people may put on the day, as being an opening for devil worship, but if that is NOT the spirit in which you are dressing up, how can that be so?????????? I think evil is in the mind of the person. Most children are just out having fun --- dressing up and getting as much candy as they can -- for free.

I also think the Santa story for little children is a magical time too. Jesus, church, caroling, tree decorating, Santa and gift giving all can be enjoyed "together" without sullying the occasion.

It's for the birds,

we raise our kids as follows:

1) don't talk to strangers

2) don't take candy from strangers

3) don't go to strangers hourse's)

4) don't lurk about after dark

4) no staying out late on a school nite

And then

we send them out to the streets for Halloween hmmmm

Swift_Kick_To_The_Head wrote: Do you feel it is ok to celebrate it or not?I'm not sure why the question was asked at this time of year rather than a couple of months previously, but I agree with minks. It's a bad idea, given the realities of today's world. I suppose supervised parties are OK.

If you're looking for religious objections, there's no question that the holiday has pagan origins, but so do Christmas and Easter; in fact, there are sects such as Jehovah's Witnesses that refuse to celebrate the latter two holidays for just that reason.

Bronwen wrote:

If you're looking for religious objections, there's no question that the holiday has pagan origins, but so do Christmas and Easter; in fact, there are sects such as Jehovah's Witnesses that refuse to celebrate the latter two holidays for just that reason.


I am happy to see that you reconize that.

Here most folks take their kids out rather then send them out and they most of the children and their parents collect down at the bay for a bag of candy, hot chocolate, or coffee for the adults that want to stay awake all night. This is accompanied by a firewords show put on by the fire department who collect money at the ferry lineup for the purpose.

They all have a good and a safe time.

Shalom

Ted:-6

Ted wrote: This is accompanied by a firewords show put on by the fire department who collect money at the ferry lineup for the purpose.Firewords show? What kind of words do they fire, and at whom?

Ted wrote: Here most folks take their kids out rather then send them out and they most of the children and their parents collect down at the bay for a bag of candy, hot chocolate, or coffee for the adults that want to stay awake all night. This is accompanied by a firewords show put on by the fire department who collect money at the ferry lineup for the purpose.

They all have a good and a safe time.

Shalom

Ted:-6


ahhhh that is awesome, more reason why I love your fair province.

Swift_Kick_To_The_Head wrote: Do you feel it is ok to celebrate it or not?

SnoozeControl wrote: I'm obviously not very bright, but the symbolism escapes me. Do you mean trick-or-treaters end up as carrion?


carrion there own bags of candy.

We're not so big on Halloween here in England - probably the weather!

Aah Halloween, a great way to start kids on the road to obesity!

Swift_Kick_To_The_Head wrote: I am happy to see that you reconize that.Swifty, why are you so glad of that?

I'm not trying to be combative or confrontational at all, I'm just asking. What is your agenda here?

I certainly don't agree with the JW's on Christmas and Easter. It's clear what Christians are celebrating here. The fact that these holidays took over the dates, or times of year, of pagan festivals when the pagans converted seems irrelevant.

In the case of Hallowe'en, the Christian observance occurs the next day, All Saints' Day.

Bronwen wrote:

I'm not trying to be combative or confrontational at all, I'm just asking. What is your agenda here?


I was actually being quite sincere and I have no agenda.

It's clear what Christians are celebrating here. The fact that these holidays took over the dates, or times of year, of pagan festivals when the pagans converted seems irrelevant.




I raised the issue because I find that a lot of Christians shun Halloween yet openly accept all other holidays without knowing any history behind it. It bothers me to no end because then the world just looks at us like ignorant loudmouths.

Swift_Kick_To_The_Head wrote: I raised the issue because I find that a lot of Christians shun Halloween yet openly accept all other holidays without knowing any history behind it. It bothers me to no end because then the world just looks at us like ignorant loudmouths.Fair enough, and I have no doubt that many Christians, especially so-called 'fundamentalists' shun Hallowe'en because it is clearly a pagan holiday and nothing else. Many more, however, whether Christian or not, shun it because it is dangerous, especially in larger cities, to send children out at night unsupervised.

On Christmas, Christians celebrate the birth of Christ and on Easter His Resurrection. The important thing here is what the days commemorate, not the previous history of that day nor its meaning in other cultures.

4 posts, brilliant ! A real thinker.

We've never really made a big deal of Halloween, Bonfire night being so close a celebration (not sure if that's the reason though!). I know you folks in the USA celebrate it in a big way, I wonder why that is?

It's catching on now here although only I think because the shops have cottoned on to what a money spinning event it could be for them. As someone once said "The public wants what the public gets". Sort of true I think.