Why no Halloween?

[truefiction1]

The Sanctified likely perceive in those of us who are dead in sin and deprived of the Life-giving grace of God all the characteristics of the walking dead.

 

[buzuxi02]

The modern version of the holiday has its roots in american TV culture. In 1950's when television became popular, marketers began making masks of television characters, and that's how it all started.

 

[Albion]

The modern version of the holiday has its roots in american TV culture. In 1950's when television became popular, marketers began making masks of television characters, and that's how it all started.

Maybe the masks of TV characters did, but not the idea of dressing up in costumes, particularly those emphasizing ghostly themes, and so on.

 

[seekingsolace]

There's no evidence that Halloween was ever Pagan; it's always been a Christian thing.

I can't think of anything Christian in Halloween my friend.

 

[Albion]

The name undeniably is.

 

[seekingsolace]

The name undeniably is.

This is why I love you Albion, such a comedian

 

[Albion]

Que?

 

[Adam Warlock]

But he ended up becoming a jobber; no redemption!

"Enhancement talent."

 

[ArmyMatt]

"Father Seraphim Rose would think watching Walking Dead"

Gurney mentioned the Walking Dead, it is a reasonable question to ask if he's a fan of the show.

That statement was read.

And he had stated numerous times on threads prior to this one that he is a huge fan of the show. So it is only reasonable for someone to ask who has not paid attention. Which should not come from someone who is always harping that people need to read threads.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I'm still waiting for the (old) new season on Netflix. I don't even know what Terminus turned out to be.

My husband won't watch it with me though. He got about 30 seconds into the first episode and turned it off. I admit it is dark - too dark for me at times. I can't watch the gory parts and some of it is too sad. But there's a master storyteller somewhere behind the series ...

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

You're going to flip your lid when you find out about TERMINUS!!! Oh man....not good! Just imagine just about the worst thing a human being could do to another....that's it. The tension, the fear, the suspension of disbelief in that scene where they're taken in, oh man...got my juices flowing! It was something else.

Walking Dead is gory, yes it's dark, and yeah, it's got some blood to it in copious amounts, but in the end it's not really a zombie show---it's a human show. The same show could just as easily take place without the zombies in a more Mad Max/Road Warrior post-apocalyptic setting. It's about how evil changes us, the struggle to not become the very people we're sheltering our loves ones from. It has the same themes as many movies about the war on terror. To defeat evil, sometimes we get our hands so dirty that by the time things are over, we've changed so much that we're one and a half feet into the pit ourselves.

It's a theme i find riveting and I can broaden it. Sometimes with all the apathy, with all the neglect, the lousy parenting, the lazy kids, the weak system, the loosey-goosey liberal modernist school system, at my job I just want to throw up my hands and be apathetic, lazy, and "just give me my paycheck already and I don't care." I sometimes feel that urge. But in 18 years of teaching, every time I get that way, I push through and make a difference with my classes and help them grow. This year I had the highest test scores at my school. Only 11% of my class didn't pass state tests, and California has the most demanding Common Core testing in the U.S., period.

I'm mentioning my job because it's kind of like that war on terror, zombie apocalypse theme---do you just cave in and become like the terrorists, become like the other selfish humans in the apocalypse, or like the lazy parents and teachers and kids.....or do you push through and dig deep remembering what humanity is truly about?

If you keep watching the show, you're going to see Rick go deep into a dark place, and you'll see him as unrecognizable. If you look at Rick in season one versus Rick in the new season--holy moly. He has gone through so much hell that he's pure survival and really you wonder if the Governor was as evil as you thought? Carol started off the series as a battered wife, weak, broken, subservient and scared. Now she's dangerous and out of control. I like the way they explore that theme---even a battered housewife can let her abuse turn her evil. Even a gentle woman like that has the CAPACITY for wrong-doing.

I enjoyed the Herschel character---the voice of reason and love of God in the midst of a nasty world.

I liked how Glen started off a weak Asian delivery boy and now look at him!

Then there was redemption of sorts with Merle. He was a vile racist redneck scumbag. But he kind of redeemed himself. After all the cruel and awful stuff he did, he tried to repent.

You have that Episcopal priest Gabriel Stokes. He's a bizarre, conflicted, guilt-driven person. He had the chance to help his flock at church and when the zombies came, he saved himself and let them be eaten outside the church as he looked on. Now he lives with their ghosts. He gets more and more bizarre.

And of course there's Daryl. He's an enigma, has grown up a lot.

Like I said, it's a "Halloweenish" show in visuals and appearances and in reputation, but it's a human show about people going through a meat grinder odyssey to find hope. And along the way they run a gauntlet trying to survive but not become animals. I think it's relevant to me. Sometimes I get to the point that I have a "screw these people" attitude and think "only my family counts" like we see Rick doing. And that's NOT the Orthodox way. There are some Orthodoxish things on that show to be sure.

Right now I'm also watching "Fear the Walking Dead," and that's not too shabby either.

Did you know I have several Walking Dead autographs personalized to me? I have several autographs from Andrew Lincoln (Rick), a couple from Lauren Cohan (Maggie), a couple from David Morrissey (The Governor), a couple from Jeffrey DeMunn (Dale the guy in the Winnebago), etc.

I have a huge autograph collection. It's a busy hobby of mine along with shooting. I'm a man of many crazy hobbies!

So yes, I'm a Walking Dead fan. I'll probably get lambasted for that! ROFL!!!

Yes, I'm the chief of sinners at TAW for my TV habits.

I'm still waiting for the (old) new season on Netflix. I don't even know what Terminus turned out to be.

My husband won't watch it with me though. He got about 30 seconds into the first episode and turned it off. I admit it is dark - too dark for me at times. I can't watch the gory parts and some of it is too sad. But there's a master storyteller somewhere behind the series ...

 

[~Anastasia~]

LOL, I'm still saying I'm going to turn off my cable - I never watch the new shows (well, I guess the Walking Dead is the exception - but even so I'm a year and a half behind, so that's not really new) ... everything I do watch is available on YouTube for free.

I used to want the TV on for company (too many years spent in near-total isolation - too bad I didn't value silence enough then when I had the chance!) ... but I find now that I enjoy having things quiet.

But yes, that story has gotten me. I do like the human aspects. But to be honest - the idea of how evil humans can become, and what evil we can do to one another - it really turns my stomach. Not the gory parts (I hide my eyes) but just the actual "story" parts of how evil can affect us. I don't know. I'm not someone who wants to see a train wreck. I remember when I was first contemplating the great evil people can do, and I wondered how, and it was a revelation that demons inspire those sorts of things and since then - it makes me sick to think about it.

But yes, some of the more redeeming aspects are good.

And in a way, like you, I can relate to my job. I don't get the same kids all that often, but I get some that really need help. Recently I was alone in a room with several HUGE inner-city young men who had varying issues from autism to behavioral and so on ... each one needed someone one-on-one (and at several points they decided they might want to fight) BUT ... being able to talk to them about why they are doing some of the things they are doing and getting through to them - like watching a light go off in their heads - there's nothing like it.

I'm thinking of switching to guidance and out of the classroom if/when I go regular employee. Sometimes I see it making a difference, though. And that's worth a LOT. I don't know how well it stays, but then again, sometimes I see them later, and that can be really rewarding. A young lady today remembered me from last year, and I worked with only one class at that school.

The most difficult students have the potential to be the most rewarding to help. I suppose, in a sense, it's like great evil providing a perfect backdrop for good to shine forth. Maybe that's why I like the show.

I'll have to see how I deal with it though. The way you describe it - the worst evil people can do to one another - my spirit doesn't handle things like that very well, to be honest. But I'll probably get to find out sometime within the next 6 months.

The characters have been major highlights though.

 

[E.C.]

I used to love Halloween until I got a job and had to work every single Halloween until I joined the Navy. Then things always came up and I never got to really enjoy it since. I think last year I was at work and spend the evening afterward watching classic horror movies.

Now if I lived in, like, a house in a neighborhood where Halloween was an actual thing than yes, I would have a few decorations here and there while I watch classic horror films as small children come to the door. The more they're in character the more candy they get. If it's a group of high schoolers than they get nothing. High schoolers that are walking around with their younger siblings though get bonus candy.


I personally don't think that there is anything wrong with kids dressing up as something not demonic and walking around asking for candy, properly supervised/guarded of course. Halloween is a part of American culture and for the Americans here, why not celebrate it as such? Even when I was in the Catholic school we celebrated Halloween with black and orange construction paper things all over the place and sometimes you were even allowed to come to school in costume (with guidelines as such). Modern Halloween is a holiday of fun involving candy, scary movies and costumes. It only becomes demonic if you allow it to.

 

[GregConstantine]

"Which should not come from someone who is always harping that people need to read threads."

I hardly think a TV show that was mentioned many posts ago falls under the same category as a personal or important points or statements that are not being responded to because things are not being read.

It's one thing to forget something, its another thing to not read something and have your response not be appropriate to the statement or question being asked.

If it looks like I'm harping its because certain people are simply not reading. Go and re-read the tread about Kim Davis and how Rumeister completely misses the point Dzheremi and I and others make over and over again. It happens in the evolution treads too.

 

[GregConstantine]

To be fair, other commentators also didn't read my original post and missed the point too, so I don't want to make it look like I'm picking on Rumeister. I don't know who those other commentators are.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I hardly think a TV show that was mentioned many posts ago falls under the same category as a personal or important points or statements that are not being responded to because things are not being read.

unless that point was mentioned many times in various threads. it only shows that you don't read.

It's one thing to forget something, its another thing to not read something and have your response not be appropriate to the statement or question being asked.

except that as often as you harp about people not reading stuff, you bring up irrelevant points that have nothing to do with the thread at hand (ie your post in the recent thread about evolution interviews), or you ignore or don't read posts that people have already posted (ie when you accused jckstraw of not saying anything negative about Russia when earlier he said that their lack of faith brought about communism).

If it looks like I'm harping its because certain people are simply not reading. Go and re-read the tread about Kim Davis and how Rumeister completely misses the point Dzheremi and I and others make over and over again. It happens in the evolution treads too.

no one would have an issue if you were not just as bad at not reading stuff as you harp everyone else at being. I know that folks do all the time (and I am guilty as well), but I don't nag people about not reading stuff.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Greg, you DO know that jckstraw is going to start busting up with "classic Greg" any minute with your "people don't read my posts" speculation!

To be fair, other commentators also didn't read my original post and missed the point too, so I don't want to make it look like I'm picking on Rumeister. I don't know who those other commentators are.

 

[fat wee robin]

Actually, Catholics don't get fancy shmancy Halloweens either. The day is a big deal among Americans in general and getting bigger all the time, it seems; but in church it's not much noticed at all, even though there is a religious quality to the day that is acknowledged.

There's no evidence that Halloween was ever Pagan; it's always been a Christian thing.

That makes sense as it is All Saints eve ,and the devil was supposed to come looking for the souls of those on their way to heaven to steal them ,and so they dressed in disguise
so the evil ne would not recognise them .Evidently a Christian invention .
Toffy apples ,ducking for apples and treacle scones on string . All good fun for those of a
non superstitious nature to do occasionally ,but it is true that it is not common in Catholic Europe ,just the pagan north

 

[Willie T]

LOL, I'm still saying I'm going to turn off my cable - I never watch the new shows (well, I guess the Walking Dead is the exception - but even so I'm a year and a half behind, so that's not really new) ... everything I do watch is available on YouTube for free.

I used to want the TV on for company (too many years spent in near-total isolation - too bad I didn't value silence enough then when I had the chance!) ... but I find now that I enjoy having things quiet.

But yes, that story has gotten me. I do like the human aspects. But to be honest - the idea of how evil humans can become, and what evil we can do to one another - it really turns my stomach. Not the gory parts (I hide my eyes) but just the actual "story" parts of how evil can affect us. I don't know. I'm not someone who wants to see a train wreck. I remember when I was first contemplating the great evil people can do, and I wondered how, and it was a revelation that demons inspire those sorts of things and since then - it makes me sick to think about it.

But yes, some of the more redeeming aspects are good.

And in a way, like you, I can relate to my job. I don't get the same kids all that often, but I get some that really need help. Recently I was alone in a room with several HUGE inner-city young men who had varying issues from autism to behavioral and so on ... each one needed someone one-on-one (and at several points they decided they might want to fight) BUT ... being able to talk to them about why they are doing some of the things they are doing and getting through to them - like watching a light go off in their heads - there's nothing like it.

I'm thinking of switching to guidance and out of the classroom if/when I go regular employee. Sometimes I see it making a difference, though. And that's worth a LOT. I don't know how well it stays, but then again, sometimes I see them later, and that can be really rewarding. A young lady today remembered me from last year, and I worked with only one class at that school.

The most difficult students have the potential to be the most rewarding to help. I suppose, in a sense, it's like great evil providing a perfect backdrop for good to shine forth. Maybe that's why I like the show.

I'll have to see how I deal with it though. The way you describe it - the worst evil people can do to one another - my spirit doesn't handle things like that very well, to be honest. But I'll probably get to find out sometime within the next 6 months.

The characters have been major highlights though.

And I'll say I read Playboy for the articles.... LOL Reading here is fun sometimes, K.

 

[Albion]

That makes sense as it is All Saints eve ,and the devil was supposed to come looking for the souls of those on their way to heaven to steal them ,and so they dressed in disguise
so the evil ne would not recognise them .Evidently a Christian invention .
Toffy apples ,ducking for apples and treacle scones on string . All good fun for those of a
non superstitious nature to do occasionally ,but it is true that it is not common in Catholic Europe ,just the pagan north

Yeh, and Catholic Latin America has much worse than the "pagan north" does.