Halloween -- A Lutheran Perspective.

[SPALATIN]

I saw a thread on the General Theology forum that I thought maybe should be discussed here.How do we as Lutherans view Halloween? Personally I don't have a problem with it as I take my kids door to door and I check their candy afterwards. I haven't heard any warnings about "bad" candy in several years.

As to the usual Christian complaints about the "evil" in Halloween I am thinking that way too much ado is made about this.

I would like to see some perspectives from y'all on this subject.

 

[JMRE5150]

I agree with you on this...


Personally, alot is made of the origins of this holiday, and what it "used to" stand for.

My quick summarized point of view is this:

If you and your family treat Halloween as what it has become; a secular holiday filled with apples, pumpkins, costumes and candy; there is nothing wrong with participating.

Many argue that it still reeks of its true meaning, and that the holiday as it once was considered is still alive...but I agrue that its old sense is only still kept alive by those who constantly want to refer to the old traditions as non-christian.

Those folks are right...it IS non-christian..in a secular sense, not an evil one.

But alas, some folks will never let this conflict die out.

My kids view Halloween as a time to get dressed up like a princess or pirate and go get candy...lots of it. Nuff said. They aren't secretly holding a coven beforehand in my basement to honor the wicked.

You think I'm going to stop them from enjoying a secular holiday? Bah, of course not.

I personally like what Oct 31 is to a Lutheran anyway...does the sound of a hammer sound familar?

Robb

 

[SPALATIN]

I agree with you on this...


Personally, alot is made of the origins of this holiday, and what it "used to" stand for.

My quick summarized point of view is this:

If you and your family treat Halloween as what it has become; a secular holiday filled with apples, pumpkins, costumes and candy; there is nothing wrong with participating.

Many argue that it still reeks of its true meaning, and that the holiday as it once was considered is still alive...but I agrue that its old sense is only still kept alive by those who constantly want to refer to the old traditions as non-christian.

Those folks are right...it IS non-christian..in a secular sense, not an evil one.

But alas, some folks will never let this conflict die out.

My kids view Halloween as a time to get dressed up like a princess or pirate and go get candy...lots of it. Nuff said. They aren't secretly holding a coven beforehand in my basement to honor the wicked.

You think I'm going to stop them from enjoying a secular holiday? Bah, of course not.

I personally like what Oct 31 is to a Lutheran anyway...does the sound of a hammer sound familar?

Robb

I have a few theses I would like to nail to the President of the LCMS door.

 

[JMRE5150]

I have a few theses I would like to nail to the President of the LCMS door.

As I would like to do to the ELCA.

 

[Zoomer]

The only people who see Halloween as a pagan holiday nowadays are either pagan or a Christian. The rest of us see it as a holiday to dress up as a favorite character and get tons of free candy. I fall into the "secular holiday that is pointless but can be fun and celebrated by Christians category".

 

[sculpturegirl]

I LOVE getting dressed up. Yeah, I still do! When we were kids we weren't allowed to dress up as evil things, though we did do old school witches and dracula, but it was more of an old-movie sort of theme. I like that approach.

I don't want my kids eating candy, so trick or treating can be tricky! Maybe we can collect candy and give it to poor kids or something. Or maybe we can nail stuff to people's doors- he he he.

Yes, I too have wanted to nail a few things to the ELCA door. I thought that Luther's 95 theses would be sufficient since the ELCA is ignoring many things Lutheran.

 

[JMRE5150]

The only people who see Halloween as a pagan holiday nowadays are either pagan or a Christian.

YOU SAYING I'M NOT A CHRISTIAN BECAUSE I DON'T VIEW HALLOWEEN AS A PAGAN HOLIDAY???????? :banned:

LOL, just kidding dear. Just poking fun at how you worded that! Couldn't resist!

 

[Carrye]

I personally like what Oct 31 is to a Lutheran anyway...does the sound of a hammer sound familar?

Oh man, you're just trying to provoke me, aren't you? Do I need to tell my 95 Theses story again?

 

[KagomeShuko]

I saw a thread on the General Theology forum that I thought maybe should be discussed here.How do we as Lutherans view Halloween? Personally I don't have a problem with it as I take my kids door to door and I check their candy afterwards. I haven't heard any warnings about "bad" candy in several years.

As to the usual Christian complaints about the "evil" in Halloween I am thinking that way too much ado is made about this.

I would like to see some perspectives from y'all on this subject.

I see it as just a secular holiday made to have fun. What's the big deal about costumes, candy, and carving pumpkins?

I've often thought about that Martin Luther jack-o-latern I've seen and even dressing up as Martin Luther is I had the money/could find the costume.

Too bad people here in Louisiana wouldn't get it since we don't have lots of Lutherans.

Stein Auf!
Bridget

 

[ByzantineDixie]

Did I hear someone say Martin Luther Pumpkin??? My husband and youngest son made this one!

My take on Halloween...I am less and less in favor of acknowledging it as the years go by. Of course we always buy plenty of candy and love giving it out. I don't think it's wrong but it is kinda stupid. Who needs all that candy anyway...

Our church is having a party for the kids as an alternative to Halloween...they will all come dressed-up.

Personally...I am all for dressing up as your favorite Reformer or Saint!

Peace

Rose

 

[SPALATIN]

Did I hear someone say Martin Luther Pumpkin??? My husband and youngest son made this one!

My take on Halloween...I am less and less in favor of acknowledging it as the years go by. Of course we always buy plenty of candy and love giving it out. I don't think it's wrong but it is kinda stupid. Who needs all that candy anyway...

Our church is having a party for the kids as an alternative to Halloween...they will all come dressed-up.

Personally...I am all for dressing up as your favorite Reformer or Saint!

Peace

Rose

If you ask me it is just as bad as Valentines day. Totally consumer driven with no real tie to anything significant. Just another chance for stores to make some extra money.

BTW Cool Pumpkin. Did they use a template or just do it based on looking at a picture?

 

[PuppyforChrist]

Well, I believe you should never pass up an oppertunity to get free candy!

I used to go trick or treating with my younger brother for years, but we just kind of grew out of it over the years.

My church is having a Halloween party as well for the kids. I'll be there to help out hopefully. I think the kids will be dressed up but I'm not sure. Boy would I love to see my Pastor dress up as something!

As for my opinion, it may have originated as a pagan holiday, but so what? *shrug* It doesn't hurt anyone to have a little safe fun now and then. I see nothing wrong with celebrating Halloween, as long as it is done in an appropreate manner, and I've never seen it celebrated innapropreatly.

 

[night2day]

For those treating Halloween as totally secular as with kids trick-or-treating, there's little issue I have with it.

The main problem I have as a Lutheran is it distracts from the Reformation and All Saint's Day. (Although some churches have used All Hallow's Eve to celebrate All Saint's Day by having the kids dressed up as Biblical characters.)

 

[KagomeShuko]

If you ask me it is just as bad as Valentines day. Totally consumer driven with no real tie to anything significant. Just another chance for stores to make some extra money.

I love that pumpkin! I think it's so cool!

Stein Auf!
Bridget

 

[filosofer]

Well, just for grins, I am not a proponent of "celebrating" Halloween. There are two aspects to it: certainly the victory in Christ over all authorities (Eph 6; 1 John 3:8), but also the reality of evil (Eph 6) and the appearance of not only accepting it passively, but even condoning such acceptance of evil. Having encountered the reality of demonic presence, it is nothing to blithely dismiss as "harmless fun".

More later...

 

[ByzantineDixie]

BTW Cool Pumpkin. Did they use a template or just do it based on looking at a picture?

The main outline of the picture was traced but the shading had to be redone so that it actually gave something "carve-able"...our youngest son rendered the shading independently. He is studying art and seems to have a good eye...my husband is the man behind the blade!

Having encountered the reality of demonic presence, it is nothing to blithely dismiss as "harmless fun".

Filo, interesting point. I, too, have had some experience with that...never put the two together. I need to think a bit on that.

Peace

Rose

 

[Phoebe]

Romans 14

 

[filosofer]

Romans 14

We have to be cautious about trying to make Romans 14 say or support more than it does. Paul's point is that in things adiaphoron - ("things indifferent") we are not bound. However, if the choice involves evil, then Romans 14 does not apply.

 

[LuxPerpetua]

Awesome pumpkin, Rose!! Tell your hubby and son that they did a fab job on that.

I am very anti-candy, so I like more of the harvest celebrations at this time of year with apple cider, pumpkin pies, roasted corn, etc. I kind of waiver over Halloween because of the point the filo brought up. I really doubt that we will allow our kiddos (no kidlets yet, but I'm speaking in theory here) to trick-or-treat because of the candy issue but I do hope there will be some good harvest carnivals where they can dress up and have lots of fun. Heck, I still enjoy a good pillow or cake walk and dressing up in funny costumes. I don't think I will allow our children to focus on the scary side of Halloween-time, although I don't think a few Casper the Friendly Ghost cartoons will hurt much.

 

[KagomeShuko]

Awesome pumpkin, Rose!! Tell your hubby and son that they did a fab job on that.

I am very anti-candy, so I like more of the harvest celebrations at this time of year with apple cider, pumpkin pies, roasted corn, etc. I kind of waiver over Halloween because of the point the filo brought up. I really doubt that we will allow our kiddos (no kidlets yet, but I'm speaking in theory here) to trick-or-treat because of the candy issue but I do hope there will be some good harvest carnivals where they can dress up and have lots of fun. Heck, I still enjoy a good pillow or cake walk and dressing up in funny costumes. I don't think I will allow our children to focus on the scary side of Halloween-time, although I don't think a few Casper the Friendly Ghost cartoons will hurt much.

Lots of the churches in Lake Charles have "halloween" functions. People usually don't decorate with scary things around here, anyway. They'll just participate in the trick-or-treating.

When I was young and would go trick-or-treating with my friend, there was a lady who would give out pennies instead of candy. That was always thrilling.

Stein Auf!
Bridget