"Halloween:...": a reply.

This is in response to the article entitled: “Halloween: Definitely not a Christian Holiday”.

Halloween has become a custom of taking our children to different houses “Trick or Treating”. I as a parent see nothing wrong with it. When I was a child, we did this every year, and I continue to do so with my own children. I am with my children at all times. It is a great opportunity to meet your neighbors; perhaps an opportunity to make friends, no? I don’t feel it a time to shy away from potential friends. Alas it would seem that the author of the article feels differently, that we should fear our neighbors as dangerous strangers, as I quote “We teach our children not to talk to strangers, go to stranger’s homes or even take food from strangers, so why do people say it is OK to do this on October 31?” The exception to this holiday is that the parents are there to supervise the children, as well as examine the treats when they return home. It’s called good parenting when we supervise how our children and strangers interact together. Besides, does it not say in the bible: Matthew 22:39 NIV “Love your neighbor as yourself”

Mr. Czech also provides some common misconceptions about Halloween. There was no God of the Dead known as “Samhain”. Samhain is Gaelic or Irish for “Summer’s End”. It is a common mistake to refer to Samhain as this God of the Dead, but it’s not true. Also, there never were any “Spirits of the dead” coming back to “walk amongst the living to terrorize and harass” anyone. Samhain is a time to honor ancestors who have passed, as well as being the final Harvest festival of the year. In modern days, Samhain or Halloween is now the “Witches New Year”…a time to let go of past troubles, and move on to new endeavours and goals. The religion of Wicca uses this time of year to mourn the death of their Deity known only as “The Horn’d God” (not to be confused with the Christian “Devil”, as they don’t believe in it), only to return at Yule (or the Christian Christmas) by being reborn of the Goddess.

Halloween was never meant to be a “Christian” holiday, however the Christian church took it upon themselves (in the attempt to convert the “Unholy” Pagans to their religion), to form their own, new holidays on the day of Pagan holidays, as well as to build new Churches devoted to Christ on Pagan holy sites and temples, hoping that Pagans would be naïve and go to the new “churches” out of habit, and thus convert to Christianity.

Its so easy to use myth and rumor as fact without proper research. And there has been much rumor and misinformation surrounding this holiday for centuries. I hoped to clear up the misunderstandings, and would suggest that Mr. Czech perhaps pick up a history book outside of the Bible.



Unfortunatly I only had 500 words to write (and not even sure if I'm going to submit this). There is a lot more I would like to say...but I feel this says enough.