4 Ways Halloween shows that faith is unavoidable

[Michie]

The 4th reason might be the most unexpected. But isn't it the most true?

I know, I know. Our culture is way too into Halloween, in ways that are unnerving and excessive if not downright evil.

But I’m a big believer in the power of ordinary common-sense — a power celebrated by Catholic intellectuals from Aquinas to Newman. Human beings are made in the image and likeness of God, so when human beings are involved, there is a silver lining to every dark cloud.

At Halloween, that’s a lot of darkness. But here are four silver linings:


1: At Halloween, mainstream culture finally admits that the supernatural is real.

The philosopher Charles Taylor makes a key distinction between the way we see ourselves now vs. the way people always saw themselves before.



We used to have “porous selves” he said — we were beings existing in a world that included lots of inhabitants, seen and unseen, that impact us daily, from our own souls, to spirits distinct from ourselves. Now we are “buffered selves” — autonomous, sovereign individuals, less like porous sponges and more like billiard balls that bounce off each other.

This self-conception seems impenetrable and unchangeable, until Halloween, when we forget all that and admit it: There is another layer to reality, dimensions beyond what we can see and explain, or explain away.

2: And that means Halloween reminds us that we are not ultimately in control.

Continued below.

4 Ways Halloween shows that faith is unavoidable

The 4th reason might be the most unexpected. But isn't it the most true?

aleteia.org

 

[ChurchBuilder]

The 4th reason might be the most unexpected. But isn't it the most true?

I know, I know. Our culture is way too into Halloween, in ways that are unnerving and excessive if not downright evil.

But I’m a big believer in the power of ordinary common-sense — a power celebrated by Catholic intellectuals from Aquinas to Newman. Human beings are made in the image and likeness of God, so when human beings are involved, there is a silver lining to every dark cloud.

At Halloween, that’s a lot of darkness. But here are four silver linings:


1: At Halloween, mainstream culture finally admits that the supernatural is real.

The philosopher Charles Taylor makes a key distinction between the way we see ourselves now vs. the way people always saw themselves before.



We used to have “porous selves” he said — we were beings existing in a world that included lots of inhabitants, seen and unseen, that impact us daily, from our own souls, to spirits distinct from ourselves. Now we are “buffered selves” — autonomous, sovereign individuals, less like porous sponges and more like billiard balls that bounce off each other.

This self-conception seems impenetrable and unchangeable, until Halloween, when we forget all that and admit it: There is another layer to reality, dimensions beyond what we can see and explain, or explain away.

2: And that means Halloween reminds us that we are not ultimately in control.

Continued below.

4 Ways Halloween shows that faith is unavoidable

The 4th reason might be the most unexpected. But isn't it the most true?

aleteia.org

Interesting perspective. Thank you for posting.