[nmh]

"I was channel-surfin' through the History Channel a couple days ago and caught a brief explanation that the actual origin has something to do with the ancient Druids in England. Late in the Fall, they apparently carried offerings of sweets and such to the outskirts of the village to keep the dead from rising up out of their graves and causing a big ruckus in the town. Something like that, anyway..."

You need to look into the roots of this ... what you stated is far from digging into the roots of this holiday. Like I said, it is a Catholic import that has been twisted. I'm surprised you rely on the "History Channel" or what you can "catch" on it as factual and accurate.

[Willie Green]

You need to look into the roots of this ... what you stated is far from digging into the roots of this holiday. Like I said, it is a Catholic import that has been twisted

The History and Customs of Halloween is a blending of several ancient beliefs and customs, some of which predate Roman Catholicism. If you want to discuss "roots" or "origins", you must refer to the earliest influences. Thus, your description of Halloween as a "twisted Catholic import" is incorrect.

[PresbyRev]

Just about everything in our religion (Christian) finds an antecedent further back in history - Christmas, Easter, Lent, baptism with water, sacred suppers/communing with a divine savior in the elements of bread and wine, even motifs of virgin born saviors who die and rise again from death all find their place in religion and mysticism long before Christianity.

Getting in a tizzy about Halloween is silly. It is a harmless children's holiday. Do a search on the Christianity Today website on Halloween, they have a couple good articles on a positive evangelical take on Halloween.

We personally had a Reformation Party at church for the children and enjoyed Halloween as well.