Perceptions on Halloween

Jane_the_Bane

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Halloween isn't much of a thing in my country (Germany), and what little there is is attacked and contested by the Lutheran church each year: the protestants fear that this American import might endanger their own hegemony in keeping October 31st as Reformation Day. (A silly fear. In fact, neo-liberal reforms have done more to damage that holiday than Halloween ever could: it's a regular workday in most states at this point, due to the argument that less holidays would help the economy. Faugh. The most productive German states have got the most holidays.)

This year, however, Reformation Day is a nationwide holiday, celebrating the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's 95 theses and the beginning of the Protestant revolution.

I will host a Halloween party on the 30th, since people won't have to work the following morning (but November 1st is a regular work day).

I've also celebrated Samhain before: once, to be precise. It was nice, and I'd do so again, but lacking a community of spiritually like-minded folks, it seems kinda pointless to celebrate.
 
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ViaCrucis

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That's pretty interesting. I was brought up Catholic and have casually attended Lutheran services and frankly I don't feel the differences are that giant compared to Lutherans vs even other Protestants. That said, theologically there are a lot of big ones still. Thanks for sharing though, pretty interesting.

A traditional Lutheran Mass and a Novus Ordo Mass (the order of the Mass which came out of Vatican II) will likely be incredibly similar in most ways; in part because some of the reforms adopted at Vatican II for the Novus Ordo are more-or-less the same sorts of reforms adopted in the 16th century by Lutherans, for example the priest facing the congregation during the consecration of the Eucharist was something adopted in Lutheranism, which was then adopted by other Protestants, and then also was adopted as optional for the Novus Ordo. Historically priests faced the same direction as the congregation, and spoke quietly when consecrating the elements; the theological reasoning for this is that the priest is part of the congregation here; the reasons for having the priest face the congregation was so that the congregation could hear and understand what was going on.

-CryptoLutheran
 
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MehGuy

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Halloween was a touchy subject for me as a kid. My father wasn't cruel enough to ban me from trick or treating, although he pretty much hated the Holiday and thought it was pretty much a celebration of evil. While I view it as a harmless holiday now, I guess I still can't fully embrace it without a twinge of guilt. Lol.
 
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ViaCrucis

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Halloween was a touchy subject for me as a kid. My father wasn't cruel enough to ban me from trick or treating, although he pretty much hated the Holiday and thought it was pretty much a celebration of evil. While I view it as a harmless holiday now, I guess I still can't fully embrace it without a twinge of guilt. Lol.

Some of my own experiences:

I went trick-or-treating once, when I was maybe 4 years old, but the year after my parents didn't let me go. Not because they believed Halloween was evil, but because the whole moral panic of the 80's was in full swing and stories of poisoned candy or candy with razor blades were still in the news (all of which ended up being bogus of course) so instead my parents decided to hide candy around the house and let me go and find it. In the years after this a local church started holding a yearly harvest festival with games and candy prizes that my parents took me to.

In fact my parents never had a problem with Halloween, though others at our church certainly did. When I started being against Halloween at around eleven or twelve years old, it had nothing to do with what my parents felt about it, it was a position I had come to on my own because I read a Jack Chick tract at a local Christian book store and, being eleven or twelve years old assumed there's no reason a Christian book store would have things like that unless they were true. My parents simply respected my position on the matter because they thought me thinking for myself was a good thing.

This is usually a very different sort of story than many others, where it is usually the exact opposite happening. To which I can only conclude that I was a very strange child.

-CryptoLutheran
 
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celestialpearl

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I wasn't allowed to celebrate Halloween, but usually went to a church service geared to provide a christian alternative. One year I convince my grandparents to let me trick or treat...I was bitten by a chihuahua at a neighbor's house. I took it as a sign.

My children will be going to their school's fall festival mid-month which includes costumes and candy. That'll be it.
 
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dlamberth

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Growing up my brother and sister would go Halloween Trick or Treating. I grew during the time when popcorn balls and apples often found their way into my sack. Years later when married with children and a Christian, mostly at my wifes urging we spent Halloween evenings at the Church which was giving a different alternative. It was during my de-conversion process that things changed and we went to the dark side and my children started going Trick or Treating. Other than carving pumpkins that's about it for any kind of celebration. And now with the children grown up and gone we still hand out candy. We aren't consumers so we don't get into all of the decoration at all and never have.
 
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Silmarien

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I once identified with Neo-Paganism and took part in a Samhain ritual in college, so... mixed feelings, really.

On one hand, pretty much everything besides Christianity feels empty to me, so it'd be a bit like playing pretend. I've got a strong Celtic streak in my psyche, though, and it used to be the holiest day for me too, so I may do that infamous Christian thing and just... coopt it. ^_^ All Hallow's Eve, after all!
 
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Solomons Porch

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I apologize if I'm a little off topic, but Im very curious as to what this is and means to you, can you explain? If too personal I apologize.
I am mid-ritual planning as we speak

its basically the highest religious day of my calendar
 
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Armoured

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Halloween is devil worship. It's massive in America. Ok, other countries celebrate it too but in the USA it is a very big thing indeed. I hate Halloween.

We should be remembering all the people who have died instead. Praying for them etc.
Halloween is a Christian festival. It has nothing to do with devil worship. Sheesh.
 
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Armoured

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Given that its the month of Samhain and I am mid-ritual planning as we speak I figured I'd ask the forum given its pretty substantial change in demographics this year. As a Christian or non-Christian, what is your perception of Halloween?

Since they fall on the same day and Halloween is the better known of the two I figured it would be casting the widest net to ask about it. Do a big number of Christians still conflate Halloween with devil worship? Has there been a change of heart in either direction on the subject?

The thread isn't about me but my answer is its basically the highest religious day of my calendar but even for non-religious reasons I love it so.

Thanks.
Just out of curiosity, what sort of pagan tradition do you identify with?
 
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Silmarien

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@Armoured: Samhain, Beltaine, Lughnasadh, and Imbolc are the four Celtic seasonal festivals--Nov 1, May 1, August 1, and 1 February, respectively (though the day begins the night before, hence October 31). Samhain is the end of the Celtic year and the day when the boundary between this world and the Otherword is the thinnest, which is probably why it became All Soul's Day. Lots of leaving out offerings for the fay, since they were thought to be most active that night.

They're the major holidays in Wicca and other Celtic pagan revivalist religions.
 
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Goatee

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Halloween is a Christian festival. It has nothing to do with devil worship. Sheesh.

The way people celebrate it these days, dressed up as skeletons etc etc etc, is no way Christian! Sheesh sheesh! :doh:
 
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Armoured

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@Armoured: Samhain, Beltaine, Lughnasadh, and Imbolc are the four Celtic seasonal festivals--Nov 1, May 1, August 1, and 1 February, respectively (though the day begins the night before, hence October 31). Samhain is the end of the Celtic year and the day when the boundary between this world and the Otherword is the thinnest, which is probably why it became All Soul's Day. Lots of leaving out offerings for the fay, since they were thought to be most active that night.

They're the major holidays in Wicca and other Celtic pagan revivalist religions.
I was aware :)
 
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Silmarien

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I have never heard of this, how/who determined this? I promise I am not being sarcastic at all I am genuinely curious. :)

The same way any tradition develops, I suppose. It was the time of year when livestock was slaughtered for the winter, and it eventually became mythologically important. I'm not sure it's an aspect of Halloween which is familiar to people who aren't also into Celtic mythology, though.

On a related note, there is also Celtic Christianity, which incorporates the idea of thin places.
 
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Solomons Porch

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The same way any tradition develops, I suppose. It was the time of year when livestock was slaughtered for the winter, and it eventually became mythologically important. I'm not sure it's an aspect of Halloween which is familiar to people who aren't also into Celtic mythology, though.

On a related note, there is also Celtic Christianity, which incorporates the idea of thin places.
Interesting, thank you :)
 
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Robban

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The way people celebrate it these days, dressed up as skeletons etc etc etc, is no way Christian! Sheesh sheesh! :doh:

I checked out webb site for Swedish Church (Lutheran).

All saints day is officially 1st November but always observed on a Saturday,
nearest Saturday after Nov 1st.

It is a time when special remberence is given those who have passed on.
For those who have missed someone this year a special service is held,

Some read out the names of those in the congregration who have passed that year.

It is a time when graves are decorated with flowers, candles and lanterns.

If someone is in sorrow over a near one has passed the last thing they want is
people dressed up knocking on the door,

So in that way, Halloween is strange.

I would most probably be tempted to tell them to p-off,

but living in majority muslim district there is not much chance of it happening.
 
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awitch

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I checked out webb site for Swedish Church (Lutheran).

All saints day is officially 1st November but always observed on a Saturday,
nearest Saturday after Nov 1st.

It is a time when special remberence is given those who have passed on.
For those who have missed someone this year a special service is held,

Part of the Samhain tradition is to remember family, friends, and heroes who passed during the year.
(I often explain it as a combination of New Year's Eve, Memorial Day, and Thanksgiving)
 
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Robban

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Part of the Samhain tradition is to remember family, friends, and heroes who passed during the year.
(I often explain it as a combination of New Year's Eve, Memorial Day, and Thanksgiving)

That may be what is so confusing,

Here it is somewhat solemn day/night, I do not frequent graveyards but have seen pictures it is pretty amazing all the lights.

My own family have spread out in every direction on earth and almost all have passed on,
we are three left,and we never meet not for ages, but even so for me, they have not died, they have just passed on.

So I don,t feel so affected, even so, I do respect others who grieve.
 
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