Halloween - Innocent fun?

[Momma J]

Why do Christian churches have Halloween parties? It's very core is Satanic. Yet we see it celebrated around the country.

You can find info on numerous sites. Here is a snippit from the History Channel:

Ancient Origins of Halloween
Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago, mostly in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1.

This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31 they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.

It has evolved over the years and demons are mostly forgotten, exchanged for a gluttony of sugar.

We teach our children how to go door to door and beg. And if not satisfied, they can vandalize.

Yeah, I don't see the hype about it. Just one more commercially driven reason to spend money. I fear that I am becoming one of those older cranky people who complain about people having a good time.... I just don't get this holiday (or the modern twist on most holiday celebrations)

[Lizzy60]

I have always detested Halloween. I had a friend whose husband was our Stake President for awhile, and she Halloween was her favorite holiday. She loved the decorations most of all and her home was filled with ghosts and witches.

Yeah, I don’t get it either.

A LOT of the Christian churches in my area are having Harvest Festivals. My ward is having an all-out Halloween party with a Harry Potter wizards theme....in the ward building. Maybe they want to be “different” from the other churches in the area.

[mudflap]

We didn't have a "Halloween party" in our ward (even though that's what it is) - it was "A chili cook-off" and a Trunk or Treat with costumes and games. It is one of our best attended social events of the year. I wish our church did more of this.

I did think it was weird when the RS president came up and started talking to some new move ins while wearing a witch outfit. I don't think we should dress up as witches. OTOH, Satan has co-opted Christmas and made it basically meaningless, so why can't we return the favor?

[BigT]

Moving from California to Utah, 10 years now, we continue to be amazed at how much Utahns love Halloween. Likely because of the sugar because Utahns love sugar more than Halloween. I remember Robert Young saying Utahns love sugar so much because the candida in their bodies eat it and produce alcohol, so they walk around half-drunk. Not sure they get THAT much alcohol, though. He was likely exaggerating.

[Momma J]

We didn't have a "Halloween party" in our ward (even though that's what it is) - it was "A chili cook-off" and a Trunk or Treat with costumes and games. It is one of our best attended social events of the year. I wish our church did more of this.

I did think it was weird when the RS president came up and started talking to some new move ins while wearing a witch outfit. I don't think we should dress up as witches. OTOH, Satan has co-opted Christmas and made it basically meaningless, so why can't we return the favor?

I love your viewpoint. Social gathering is great. I miss our summer ward bbqs with games for the family... lime jello and all!

[4Joshua8]

Sometimes I wonder if LDS can feel the difference between the spirit of the Holy Ghost and the spirit of Halloween. Halloween definitely has a spirit about it, and I believe it is a deceiving spirit that sucks LDS into a trap. That it is celebrated by so many of our wards, even in our ward buildings, is a disgrace.

[mudflap]

Moving from California to Utah, 10 years now, we continue to be amazed at how much Utahns love Halloween. Likely because of the sugar because Utahns love sugar more than Halloween. I remember Robert Young saying Utahns love sugar so much because the candida in their bodies eat it and produce alcohol, so they walk around half-drunk. Not sure they get THAT much alcohol, though. He was likely exaggerating.

probably not an exaggeration. we cut out as much sugar as we could about 10 years ago - no soft drinks, and we avoid cakes and cookies and candy. We give our daughter "points" when she brings home candy from school or church, which she can convert into spending money. Our church and society is saturated with sugar. What really sucks is my wife is an excellent cook - her cookies were delicious! so many yummy things. but we gave it all up for good health.

When part of my family came out to visit the cabin a few months ago - O.M.G. - we had a cookout, and asked what they wanted to drink / eat. They all said whatever we had was fine. We made sure to tell them we only drink water - but would be happy to provide whatever drinks/snacks they wanted. "no, no, it's fine - we'll have what you're having!" they all said.

So we get the fire going, and start putting food out, and they all suddenly decide they need to go to the small grocery store up the street - and come back with jelly beans, soft drinks, chips, sugar crispy cookies - oh, and some salsa and avocado dips. We weren't angry, just disappointed, but to each their own. But they seemed mentally slow to us.

Our "sugar rush" comes in the form of fruit and milk smoothies - frozen bananas and milk in a blender with popcorn as a side. We like to buy bags of frozen peaches/ strawberries / mangos from the store and frozen blueberries from our garden.

[Momma J]

We have cut WAY back on sugar. When we indulge, we can tell the difference mentally as well as physically. Sugar makes us very sluggish. Like your family, we mainly get sugar in the form of fruits. I do have raw honey from time to time when I have a scratchy throat.

[JandD6572]

I have always been amazed at how most all churches will not celebrate Halloween, but the LDS church seems to welcome it. I am not a fan of Halloween, mostly because I have a hard enough time trying to live a Christ like life, without the need of help with adding witches and ghost, and all the other ax murders, manchette wielding and knife murdering Halloween shows every year. Seems so contradicting to what the teaches of Christ is. but this is just my opinion. I've recently left the church for various reasons. seems to contradict itself in to many areas of the gospel.

[NowWhat]

Back east, the evangelicals were encouraging the grade school to have a harvest festival with costumes from story books. (This was before Harry Potter and Twilight.) I moved to Utah and was informed that Halloween is a "high holy day" in Utah. I like my ward, so I have participated, giving light-up bracelets instead of candy. But this year, with all the evil everywhere, I just don't feel inspired to participate. My husband, who questions this whole dinner and trunk-or-treat thing, was relieved.

[NowWhat]

BTW, regarding the sugar tangent, we are keto and don't eat sugar, but we like erythritol (a natural sugar alcohol) with a touch of powdered stevia (1 c. erythritol to 1 teaspoon stevia). Served as is, it has a nice sugary crunch--or you can powder it in a blender. Costco has something similar--erythritol with monk fruit. Once, we went to a church dinner, thinking, "Well, there will be something green to eat." There was. Green jello. Of course.

[Baurak Ale]

How's this for admitting the darkness of it all: the slogan for my ward's "Chili cook off/Halloween" party this year is "Eat, Drink, and be Scary"!! I wonder if the person who designed that knew they were being just as ironic as they were being clever? I got a good laugh out of that one when it was announced at church. smh

[Jamescm]

I don't care for most Halloween related stuff. I enjoy dressing up, but having to care for my own nasty, sticky, grabby little children takes most of the fun out of that. I go through the motions for my wife and children, then at some point I put in a word about what is focused on during All Saints' Day.

[h_p]

It has evolved over the years and demons are mostly forgotten, exchanged for a gluttony of sugar.

I think this might be true for kids, but looking at the kind of entertainment media this time of year, you'd have a very hard time convincing me it's NOT some kind of religious holiday for devil-worshipers. It's all about death, evil, and horror.

Kind of sad that this is what kicks off the holiday season.

[SJR3t2]

Part of not learning the ways of the nations is to not do them, not to teach them, and not to promote them.
Jeremiah 10:2 This is what the LORD says: “Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by the signs in the heavens, though the nations themselves are terrified by them.
https://seekingyhwh.org/resources/pagan-holidays/

After Lamoni was converted to the truth, he did not participate in the feast/holiday of his father. Lamoni told his father why, and was surprised that his father did not agree with him but was actually angry with him. Lamoni father not only told him to separate himself who taught him these truths, but to kill him, and went off on a rant how what Ammon taught was a lie. This is very typical of what happens when someone converts to the truth and lets go of the pagan holidays.

Alma (LDS 20:9-14) (RLDS 12:191-98)
9 And behold, the father of Lamoni said unto him: WHY DID YE NOT COME TO THE FEAST on that great day when I made a feast unto my sons, and unto my people? 10 And he also said: Whither art thou going with this Nephite, who is one of the children of a liar? 11 And it came to pass that Lamoni rehearsed unto him whither he was going, for he feared to offend him. 12 And he also TOLD HIM ALL THE CAUSE OF HIS TARRYING IN HIS OWN KINGDOM, that he DID NOT GO unto his father TO THE FEAST which he had prepared. 13 And now when Lamoni had rehearsed unto him all these things, behold, to his ASTONISHMENT, his FATHER was ANGRY with him, and said: Lamoni, thou art going to deliver these Nephites, who are sons of a LIAR. Behold, he robbed our fathers; and now his children are also come amongst us that they may, by their cunning and their LYINGS, DECEIVE us, that they again may ROB us of our property. 14 Now the father of Lamoni commanded him that he should SLAY Ammon with the sword. And he also commanded him that he should not go to the land of Middoni, but that he should return with him to the land of Ishmael.

https://seekingyhwh.org/resources/pagan-holidays/

[CuriousThinker]

I love our trunk or treat parties. I love cute costumes. I love carving pumpkins. We have Halloween decorations at my home, but nothing scary or gory. Just fun pumpkins, bats, spiders, etc. Oh, and I love the candy. Lol

[oneClimbs]

Costumes, Chili, and some treats. It's actually really interesting to see how creative people can get with their costumes. Our bishop had a rather impressive Earthworm Jim costume this year. I think you can make a fun day of it without all the evil stuff.

[Being There]

Why do Christian churches have Halloween parties? It's very core is Satanic. Yet we see it celebrated around the country.

You can find info on numerous sites. Here is a snippit from the History Channel:

Ancient Origins of Halloween
Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago, mostly in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1.

This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31 they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.

It has evolved over the years and demons are mostly forgotten, exchanged for a gluttony of sugar.

We teach our children how to go door to door and beg. And if not satisfied, they can vandalize.

what - a bunch - of BS !

figures though - coming from a Mormon forum.

SMH

[Being There]

Why do Christian churches have Halloween parties? It's very core is Satanic. Yet we see it celebrated around the country.

You can find info on numerous sites. Here is a snippit from the History Channel:

Ancient Origins of Halloween
Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago, mostly in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1.

This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31 they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.

It has evolved over the years and demons are mostly forgotten, exchanged for a gluttony of sugar.

We teach our children how to go door to door and beg. And if not satisfied, they can vandalize.

what - a bunch - of BS !

figures though - coming from a Mormon forum.

SMH

I've heard the same crap coming from Christians about Christmas;
thinking they're so wise and righteous (self- righteous) and know everything.

so ya, we better not let our kids have some fun on a day called Halloween -
where you can dress -up wearing costumes and eat some candy;
because you know, after all - it's satanic and evil to do that. lol. you might even go to HELL ! LOL !

when are MEMBERS going to wake up - from their MINDLESS MORON MENTALITY.

[Momma J]

Why do Christian churches have Halloween parties? It's very core is Satanic. Yet we see it celebrated around the country.

You can find info on numerous sites. Here is a snippit from the History Channel:

Ancient Origins of Halloween
Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago, mostly in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1.

This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31 they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.

It has evolved over the years and demons are mostly forgotten, exchanged for a gluttony of sugar.

We teach our children how to go door to door and beg. And if not satisfied, they can vandalize.

what - a bunch - of BS !

figures though - coming from a Mormon forum.

SMH

Perhaps, instead of condemnation, you could offer a rebuttal based on a slight bit more involved dialogue? Go ahead...I will not be dismayed to have you break down my post and point out the numerous fallacies.

Are you afraid of a spirited discussion or are you lazy?

Inquiring minds would like to know?

[Momma J]

Why do Christian churches have Halloween parties? It's very core is Satanic. Yet we see it celebrated around the country.

You can find info on numerous sites. Here is a snippit from the History Channel:

Ancient Origins of Halloween
Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago, mostly in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1.

This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31 they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.

It has evolved over the years and demons are mostly forgotten, exchanged for a gluttony of sugar.

We teach our children how to go door to door and beg. And if not satisfied, they can vandalize.

what - a bunch - of BS !

figures though - coming from a Mormon forum.

SMH

I've heard the same crap coming from Christians about Christmas;
thinking they're so wise and righteous (self- righteous) and know everything.

so ya, we better not let our kids have some fun on a day called Halloween -
where you can dress -up wearing costumes and eat some candy;
because you know, after all - it's satanic and evil to do that. lol. you might even go to HELL ! LOL !

when are MEMBERS going to wake up - from their MINDLESS MORON MENTALITY.

I responded above before seeing your next post... Forgive my mindless moron mentality. (God Bless)

[oneClimbs]

This is one of those things where there are two polarizing schools of thought where one side is vehemently against it, and the other side doesn't see a big deal.

To me, this is like the pentagrams on the temple debate. Some see the pentagrams and trace them back to the occult, others point out that they existed before there was any connection to the occult. Some say that all symbols inherently have no universal meaning, and it only matters what YOU think they mean, while others think that some people's meanings are so strong that they override any other meanings.

Personally, I don't think you can accidentally be evil.

Intent plays the biggest role. Let's say I wear a shirt with a symbol on it because I like it, and it reminds me of something good and holy. But someone comes along to me and says that that symbol was used by satanic baby-eaters 7000 years ago or even 100 years ago. Does that mean that they "own" that symbol? They may own the symbol and its associated meaning, but they don't own the symbol.

I design logos/symbols for a living; I've done it for almost 30 years.

There are only so many shapes, colors, and configurations, although the variety can seem somewhat limitless. The most important thing to understand is that we each ascribe our own meanings to things and over time, the same symbols have been appropriated over, and over, and over again.

There isn't a thing in our lives that some pagan hadn't already thought of at some point in history. Stories of resurrection, virgin birth, etc. existed long before Christ with pagans and you could argue that the pagans got the ideas somewhere, but it is impossible to really tell for sure what the chain of custody is on these things.

Halloween may have anciently been some weird occult thing, and Christmas likely was as well, but those have been appropriated over and over to where today you basically have presents day and cosplay day.

[Fred]

The church has always been afraid of being viewed as peculiar. Hence, the eagerness to be accepting of worldly values.

There is nothing wrong with asking for a treat that one does not deserve and if refused, perform a dastardly deed. It's all in fun. Dressing up like satan or evil spirits or witches is fun too. Like playing with an Ouija board. It's just a game. Hey, I can be scarier than you. Let's build a horror house. Skeletons, blood, gore, you know the fun stuff.

Maybe we can show Jesus just how much we respect our house of worship by adding a few demons and frightening the children. Man is that he might have joy, after all. God will really be impressed with us if we teach our children to expect sweets from demons.

[Thinker]

Halloween is my least favorite holiday, though I see some fun in dressing up - but I don’t like scary-looking costumes & “haunted house” places nor thriller movies. But I can see good, Eg., a neighbor loves it, I think mostly because she loves to get so many visitors. In some ways, Halloween socially connects people more than Christmas does.

It is interesting to look at the history:

How the Early Catholic Church Christianized Halloween

“…the first night of Samhain, October 31, became All Hallows Day Evening, the night before the saints were venerated.

… One of the rituals adopted from the Celts was pumpkin carving, which held religious significance. “The jack-o-lantern custom consists of placing fire—which imitates the good magic of the sun—inside a hollowed out vegetable, representing the harvest,” Suppe says. It was done “in hopes that the good magic will help to preserve the harvested food through the dark half of the year, until the next growing season could replenish the community's food stocks.”…

Similarly, “the practice of trick-or-treating originates in the Celtic custom of giving token bits of the harvest to spirits wandering outside of houses on the evening of Samhain, to placate them and prevent them from doing destructive things to the harvest or to homes,” Suppe says. Once Christianity became established in the Celtic regions, young, unmarried men would parade around on Halloween, going to houses and calling for gifts to the spirits…” https://www.history.com/news/halloween- ... lic-church

I just had a long discussion with someone who argued I was calling things “satanic” (ie sacrament ritual pretending to drink blood etc) as an ad hominem or false label. Which maybe I was. I suggested in some cases (ie rituals), there may be a direct connection to Satanic religions. Other times, it may be a matter of good verses evil…or worse, & more often - they are mixed together, so evil goes undetected. A lot is how we look at things. Eg., water of the sacrament may be symbolic for our spirit, being born of water as all were, the subconscious, spiritual realm etc., & we take it inside us (the kingdom of God is within us). If someone had never heard of Christianity, they might think the sacrament of pretending to drink blood as odd or satanic… but again, it depends on interpretation and belief.

[Niemand]

Last year we had a halloween playlist including Arthur Brown's '60s hit Fire which includes lyrics like "I am the god of hellfire" and "I'll see you burn". I actually had to go and switch it off. It was coming through on the speakers in our chapel along with the cultural hall.