Trick or Treat Night...

Oh also, I usually dress up and take the kids (mine and who's ever else happens to be around) that way the other parents can hand out candy.

But with Atlanta traffic and me at this new place, not sure I will make it home in time this year!

 

I got this from a website and it is a bit long. But it explains what halloween is all about and the history of how we got to where we are. I will say one thing first. Do I believe that just because people get all dressed up as goblins and ghosts and monsters and stuff that they practice satanism or wicca...absolutely not. Are there some that do especially on this night, yes. But many of us for years just saw it as a way to get candy and nothing more. We never knew what halloween was all about. As for why I chose not to celebrate it, even though I don't worship satan or practice wicca, I chose not to glorify this holiday by not participating in it's practices and traditions. So with that said I give you this article:



Where did it begin?

It began over 2000 yrs ago with people known as the Celtics. They lived in what is today England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. This was also the beginning of the Celtic new year, a time to give thanks to the sun god for the harvest.

What is it all about?

Halloween, All saints day, All hallows eve or All souls day is a festival. It was held to honor the Samhain the so called "lord of death". It was a Druidical belief that on the eve of this festival Samhain, lord of death, called together the wicked spirits that within the past 12 months had been condemned to inhabit the bodies of animals.

It was a pagan belief that on one night of the year the souls of the dead return to their original homes, there to be entertained with food. If food and shelter were not provided, these evil spirits would cast spells and cause havoc toward those failing to fulfill their requests.

Sacrifices were offered on this night to the dead spirits because it was thought they visited their earthly dwellings and former friends.

There was a prevailing belief among all nations that at death the souls of the good men were taken possession of by good spirits and carried to paradise; but the souls of the wicked men were left to wonder in the space between the earth and the moon, or consigned to the unseen world. These wandering spirits were in the habit of haunting the living...But there were means by which ghosts might be exorcised.

To exorcise these ghosts, that is to free yourself from their evil sway, you would have to set out food and provide shelter for them during the night. If they were satisfied with your offerings, they would leave you in peace. If not, they were believed to cast an evil spell on you.

In modern day Satanism and Witchcraft covens, this is the day when Satan himself comes to "fellowship" with his followers. Many changes have occurred over the centuries, but one thing ha stayed the same, the practice of giving an "offering" has stayed the same. Oh we do it under the name of fun but what is the real meaning? Is it still the same as in the old days? I say the answer is YES.

The Christian Connection

The celebration in the Roman Catholic Church, which was later to merge with Samhain, was known as All Saints' Day. All Saints' Day originated in the 7th century when the Pantheon at Rome was wrested from the barbarians, made into a cathedral, and renamed the Church of the Blessed Virgin and All Martyrs. Thus, from honoring "all gods" (which is the meaning of the Greek word "pantheon") the Pantheon became the center for glorifying all saints.

This day that honored all the "hallowed" saints was first observed on the evening of May 13, and was known as the All hallows festival. The day was officially authorized in 835 by Pope Gregory IV after it was moved to November 1 to coincide with Samhain. It began on the evening of October 31, which was called All Hallows Eve.

Thus, without forcing the pagans to drop their pagan practices and accept Christianity, the Roman Catholic church merely made room to accommodate the barbarians.

Just as it confiscated the pagan Pantheon for its own uses, this church incorporated the customs of Samhain to further its mission to convert the known world to Catholicism.

The two celebrations made strange bedfellows: one in respect of evil spirits, the other honoring "saints."

Nevertheless, the joining of the two celebrations produced a hybrid of beliefs about what was supposed to happen in the spirit world. Souls in purgatory appeared as witches and toads to persons who had wronged them. Halloween fires took on a new meaning and now were used to comfort souls in purgatory as people prayed while holding burning straw in the air.

Even the idea of trick-or-treating by evil spirits took on an acceptable church flavor: costumed children went around on All Souls Day offering to fast for the departed souls in return for money or an offering.

As the Celts converted to the new religion, they did not forget their stories of the dead traveling to the afterworld on Halloween. Rather, exhibitions of this night became more evil and the observance adopted even more malicious overtones.

Where do Witches, Black cats and Jack-O-Lanterns fit in?

In America it's a pumpkin, but in Europe it was often a turnip, large beet, potato, rutabaga or even a skull with a candle in it. The fearsome face of the jack-o-lantern was representative of the god of the dead, Shamin, who would drive off less powerful evil spirits abroad that night. As glimmering lights flickered over an English marsh or an Irish bog, people imagined dead souls had returned to earth. They would place the jack-o-lantern on posts and in windows to ward off the spirits of the dead on Halloween.

The word jack-o-Lantern is an abbreviation of "Jack of the Lantern." Jack is another name for joker or Satan. In the Irish tale, a man named Jack was fond of playing tricks on the devil. Annoyed, the devil tossed Jack a burning coal from hell. With the coal in his "lantern" Jack was condemned to walk the earth forever searching for rest.

The jack-o-lantern is a Halloween idol that keeps alive an ancient symbol of demonic superstition.

Witches and Black Cats

A pagan practice that was not eradicated upon the coming of Christianity was witchcraft. The word "witch" comes from the Anglo-Saxon Wicca, or "wise one." Witches were thought to be possessors of magic.

Witches, who worship the deities of nature, have living talismans or symbols through which they derive their dark powers. They invoke evil spirits to enter the bodies of their talismans. Some have dogs, owls, snakes or swine for their talismans, but the most common are cats.

The broomstick is a symbol of the male organ, on which the witch mounts and leaps high around the fields to "teach" the crops how high to grow. The notion of flying witches relates to the fact that witches believed they could fly great distances to their feasts by smearing their bodies with ointments containing drugs. The drugs gave them psychedelic "trips" making them think they flew.

Witchcraft is demonic worship in diametric opposition to the worship of the Heavenly Father Yahweh. Yahweh minces no words about it. He told Israel through Moses, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" (Ex. 22:18). He says in Deuteronomy 18:10, "There shall not be found among you any one that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that uses divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch."

Cats have been closely associated with mystery religion from the Egyptians to the Norse. But the Celts had a particular fear of cats, believing they were humans who had been changed into feline form by evil powers. The black cat particularly was connected to demonic powers.

Black cats are the chief idol of the goddess of Wicca, Diana. In legend, she turns into a black cat to commit incest with her brother, Lucifer. Eventually the Druids themselves came to be regarded as witches. Witch hunting during Halloween became almost a national pastime in the colonial years of our nation. But that was yesterday. Halloween is regarded as the high "Sabbath" for practicing witches today.

Orange, black, and red, the devil's colors, are the colors associated with Halloween. Black prefigures black magic and demonic influence. The black of night is when these forces of evil are busiest, using the cover of darkness for their sinister works.

Skulls and Skeletons

The skeleton is a form of the god of the dead, the witches' "horned god." The Dictionary of Satanism by Wade Baskin says this about skulls and skeletons under "skull worship": "Skulls play an important role as sacred relics and as objects of worship among primitives. Among Polynesians and Melanesians, skulls of ancestors are worshiped in order to establish connections with the spirits of the dead. Like the head of Osiris in Egypt, the skulls of ancestors may also serve as tutelar deities. The head or its parts, each of which may stand for the whole, can be used as magical food or as a means of increasing the fertility of the soil." Under "Skull," the Dictionary of Lore and Legend says, "Symbol of death, often with crossed bones beneath."

Fire Rites

Being that Halloween is a Celtic new year's festival, many of its surviving rituals trace to the Celtic feast. The fire rite was practiced in many areas around the world on the night before the new year. The old fire was allowed to go out and a new one was kindled—usually a sacred fire from which the fires of the village were relit. The fires were thought to rejuvenate the waning sun and aid in banishing evil spirits. The Druids built hilltop fires to celebrate important festivals. Ghosts and witches feared fire, it was thought, and so fire became the best weapon against evil spirits. Witchcraft was punished by burning at the stake, fire being used as a means purification. The light that fires gave off was a sign of sacredness.

Apple Bobbing

Popular at Halloween parties is apple bobbing. It was a means of divination among the Druids and survives in cultures influenced by the Celts. Because the apple is also a common love charm, the practice of ducking for apples seems to have been associated with the selection of a lover. Apple bobbing was originally a fertility rite deriving from the Christmas observance, which was replete with various fertility rites.

Is Halloween a TRICK or TREAT?

Most absolutely a TRICK. As you can see from all the above the real meaning of Halloween has been watered down.

 

This may not be the best resource for me to use but it will suffice for now I hope. I used to have another source of info that I lost the bookmark for a long time ago in a computer crash. If I can find it I will post it.

 

You asked test, so I thought I would share why I feel the way I do about it. Mind you, I have not always felt this way. Prior to my conversion I celebrated it like anyone else. Also, this is not meant for those who disagree, it is in response to testflight's honest question.

Basically, as a born-again biblical Christian I worship life in Jesus Christ (John 17:3; John 20:31; Romans 5:17; Romans 5:21). Halloween (Samhain - pronounced sah-ween) has historically been a celebration or worship of death. Since I celebrate my new life in Christ and because of the specifics of the origin of Samhain and all the traditions associated with it, I cannot in good conscience acknowledge any aspect of it.

Link to the Library of Congress info on Samhain: Halloween - Library of Congress

I don't condemn those who do - that is not my responsibility. I simply separate myself and my family from it.

I hope that helps clarify why I feel the way I do.

 

thank you mani...

altho it does bring up more questions...however those are more related to human nature and why fors and what ifs and who really knows stuff...tricky delicate questions not best suited for the forum right now...

as for me...this is what i like about halloween...without all the conflict of good and evil...however...you cannot have one without the other im told...

http://www.chalicecentre.net/samhain.htm

 

this thread is pretty funny.

What really is funny is to get to god we must die...

So what is death then? A doorman to heaven?

Me, I will take the kids out, get some candy and gobble it down. Why, because it means free candy (ok I have to pay out as well) but it affects neither me nor my soul.

It's like not ready Harry Potter or playing video games that are violent (uh there are some that aren't) or TV and Movies, neither are anything more than entertainment.

What's funny is we hang onto these notions (per Faith's list) of things that where started in times where there where not as many learned men/women as if they are true in today's society.

So keep your light off tonight so my kids can skip the house and not waste time gathering the goods!!!

 

As far as I'm concerned, as long as I fill my normal garbage bag full of candy(will have pics tonight if I can find camera), I don't really care when the trick or treating is(except sunday, can't go out on a sunday).

 

The History channel had a special on the birth of Halloween...if you get the chance to see it, I highly recommend it...it is really interesting.

 

Halloween, whatever its "roots" imply, is a night for kids to dress up, go out, and get candy. You people take it waaaaaaaay too seriously. But you know what? I don't care if you keep your kids from having fun for a night. I feel for the kids a bit, but they aren't mine. What I do care about is when Christian movements try to raise a stink about it and demote it into some evil devil worshiping night filled with mortal sin and eternal damnation of the supposed soul. Who are Christians to influence when Halloween is celebrated? If you don't want to participate with Halloween, fine, great, dandy. Lock your kids inside, turn out the lights (if you don't want demons visiting you), and read the bible.

But that isn't enough. More and more Christians are starting to feel that it is a violation of their religious right for Halloween to be celebrated on Sundays. As if their faith deserves more than just respect. As if the world around them is supposed to conform to their particular beliefs.

Concieted to say the least. There's a difference between respecting somebody's belief, and conforming to that belief. It's like some sick game you play by asking for more and more "respect" for your belief in the form of disallowing Halloween to be celebrated on a Sunday. All the while you will not budge on your respect for others', like those that just want to go out on the 31st and have fun.

Think about it.

 

My parents were, or I guess still are, pretty hardcore Christians. So when I was growing up, I never got to go trick or treating with my friends. While it doesn't really affect me in the long run, I still feel like I missed out on something important.

 

I had such a blast on Halloween, btw. I walked around with my friend Mindy, (who doesn't worship the devil on halloween either. Today she's running a marathon in New York to raise money for Alzheimer's) as we escorted a group of kids. We brought a huge stock of glow bracelets with us and it was our mission to make sure all children and their parents glowed in the dark. People chatted and laughed. In my neighborhood people cherish the opportunity to share a few words with the kids they watched grow up, compliment them on their choice of costume, give them a gift of candy.

We had a big discussion about Halloween at the art center. Those of us who work with kids every day, observe how they interact with each other. We are in agreement with each other on this topic.

-Muslim girls who come to class wearing the hijab over their hair do not proclaim all the other girls in class without to be prostitutes in the educational setting but they do give humble explanations when asked about it and they have an inviting tone, seem to welcome questions for the most part.

-Muslim children who fast while observing ramadan ...they actually go to school and have to sit there and watch everyone else eat while they are very hungry and must go without food unless their school allows them to be with each other in a seperate room (my daughter's school allows this and the other children are very supportive and try not to let their fasting friends be tempted by their lunches). This is a source of respect and admiration and brings more people with more questions to these muslim children who welcome the opportunity to share and to express how much they are hungry, but do this anyway. They laugh and joke together about hunger. But none of the muslim children accuse the others of being devil worshippers or of being evil for eating in the school setting.

We have a society of mixed religions and cultures. Don't set these children up to start wars here at home, on our soil with each other.

Next topic:

Santa will not be visiting some of the houses he used to visit.

 

Well stated Hamma. My parents are Catholic, but not once did they force me to go to church (not that they generally go themselves). That whole confirmation school, my parents let me decide if I wanted to attend or not (I didn't attend ). Not once did they sit me down, open up a bible, and say "this is how you can live a good life". I can't thank them enough for allowing me to choose my own path.

On the other end of the spectrum, there are parents that will begin the brainwashing process of indoctrinating biblical nonsense (pardon my frankness) into their children right from the get go. Without even noticing the child will have had belief X hardwired deep into their preception of reality. A child's parents have a huge influence on their delicate, impressionable minds. So when you have a hardcore Christian parent telling their kids the stories as fact throughout their childhood, odds are they will believe it, even if there is no rational reason to believe it. Maybe that's why so many believers firmly believe something, yet can't provide a reasonable explanation as to why.

It really should be a crime to force a religion onto a child. Technically the parent that indoctrinates their children with belief set X is denying that child a basic human right. The first amendment. Freedom of religion. For shame.

 

I think the term biblical nonsense is a bit insulting(to be frank). And before you judge me or try to act like you know what my beliefs are, I am not a religious person by any means. I guess radicalism exists even in the atheist world. I respect everyones different beliefs and traditions and the best way I show that is to keep my opinions to myself and not participate in discussions about politics and religion with my gaming clan. But I had to say something. Sorry Im done. Feel free to reply but I probably wont have anything else to say after this lol.

 

talking about religion is a waste of time.

 

speaking of consoles..i just got a ps2 (cheap!!!... before anyone condemns my choice) dance dance revolution baby!!!


that shit...is not easy for an old person...