1. notleia says:

    I’d be interested in finding out the statistics of the Funs* vs No-Funs. Probably with an extra group for the “Fun when I’m comfortable with that it’s called.”

    Maybe it’s entirely because I want evidence that the No-Funs are a teeny minority and the chances of one souring my Facebook feed is infinitesimal.

    *Disclaimer: the nondestructive kind of fun, also the kind where I don’t have to listen to annoying drunk people (gah, dorms).

    • I don’t know of any studies done on how people (Christians in particular) choose to deal with Halloween. I suspect the group that holds fast to the idea that Halloween promotes evil would include those who still believe Harry Potter is evil. Others object to it because it’s becoming more and more commercialized—lights, lawn decorations, cards, and of course candy galore.

      Then there’s the safety factor—kids and Trick-or-Treating is a little scary of itself.

      The point is, there are real reasons a person might choose to do something different on Halloween than the traditional, and it’s not something that ought to paint them in some condemnatory light. God uses all kinds of us!

      Becky

  2. “The only way we can insure that Satan has his day is by our disunity, our unloving attitude, our angry arguments over whether or not we celebrate Halloween.”  Love that!  Great quote.

    • Thanks, Bethany. I think more people have come to realize there are different approaches to dealing with Halloween. Maybe I’m just out of touch, but I don’t see the topic debated like I once did.

      I wonder how much Harry Potter had to do with a shift in thinking, if I’m accurate in my belief that there has been a shift.

      Becky

  3. Sparksofember says:

    Well, Hubby & I love Harry Potter but we do not participate in Halloween or the Christian alternatives. I don’t want to get into it (there was a long discussion here at SpecFaith last year, which devolved into a semantics argument about “conviction” where I explained our reasoning: http://www.speculativefaith.lorehaven.com/christian-parents-please-stop-practicing-white-magic/) but we don’t participate, “because we’re not going to give Satan the satisfaction of even a compromise.” It boils down to our personal convictions. But we don’t care if other Christians choose to participate or not. Actually, I don’t think I even know any other Christians who do not participate… And the only *disunity* I have ever experienced over our choice is by Christians who attack us for being “weak in the faith”, perhaps because they feel defensive about their choice to participate.  Which, again, I truly don’t care what they decide to do. That’s between them and God and their personal convictions. My daughter & I were talking just a few days ago about this and I told her that when she is in middle school next year, we will allow her to decide if she wants to participate or not. At this point in time, she is quite convinced she will not want to be participating. Which makes me happy but I would not be disappointed in her if she were to choose otherwise.

    • Your attitude is precisely what I think we as Christians should strive for! It’s rather presumptuous of us to say that what God has led us to do is also what He’s leading everyone else to do. Jesus didn’t criticize (that we know) the other disciples for not jumping out of the boat and walking to Him on the water like Peter tried to do. In fact, after His resurrection, He told Peter it was not his business what God did in John’s life.

      The metaphor of the body representing the Church should give us a clue that we aren’t all fitted for the same things.

      Now if there was actually a false doctrine (we can celebrate Halloween because there is no such being as Satan, for instance), then there would be a problem. But as it is, we’re not talking about some people believing something that isn’t true. We’re actually talking about how we engage the culture.

      I don’t see a one-size-fits-all approach to this issue. The only problem I see, as I said in the article, is disunity that will speak volumes to the watching world.

      Becky

  4. Pam Halter says:

    I’ve gone from one end of the spectrum to the other over the years with Halloween. Several years ago, a friend of ours who is an Assembly of God pastor says he and his wife love Halloween because “when else do pagans come to your home voluntarily?” They set up Christian music, get lots of treats and share the Gospel of Jesus with everyone who stops by. They’ve even had people kneel on their front porch and accept Jesus as their savior while wearing a Halloween costume.

    I also know a pastor who sits in his house with his wife and family with all the lights off, praying and fearful.

    A conversation with Lisa Samson (Christian novelist) gave me a great idea. I set up my front porch with food (chili and grilled hotdogs and other various goodies) and set out picnic tables and chairs and I fed hungry parents who came right from work to take their kids trick or treating. I invited all the neighbors, too. We always had a great time of fellowship, and I fed lots of hungry people. Which is something I love doing.

    Now, we live in the country with my MIL who has dementia. No trick or treaters here. Ever. But MIL loves Halloween, so we’re going to have a bonfire and food and friends and fellowship. Why not? We celebrate Christmas and Easter on pagan holidays. Why not use Halloween as a time of fellowship? And I wish other Christians would have the same attitude as Sparksofember … it’s a gray area, right? We need to do what God is convicting us to do. Or not do. And we should not judge others who do differently than ourselves.

    Great post, Becky!

    • Pam, what an awesome idea! Well, both of them! I love the chilli and grilled dogs for the hungry (and harried) parents and I love the fellowship time with friends. Both are creative and get the most out of the holiday (which actually isn’t – 😉 ), I think.

      I’ve heard of others like the pastor you spoke of, using the opportunity to witness for Christ–giving tracts or what not. I think those are also excellent. I like churches that host harvest festivals and ones that create their own spooky house. Especially here in SoCal, parents seem eager to have a safe place for their children to go, and churches still fit that bill more than other alternatives. Good. We should let our light shine however God leads us, on Halloween and on every other day!

      Becky

What do you think?