The Dark Side of Halloween

WorldNetDaily ^ | October 20,2001 | Caryl Matrisciana

[MeekOneGOP]

I can see it now. Articles in local papers titled: "Baby in Osama bin Laden costume beaten up".

[zook]

World Net Daily has become a parody of itself.

[wildwood]

conversely, i suppose that all people who celebrate Easter and Christmas are celebrating the resurrection and birth of Christ, not just using religious opportunities to wear their new duds.

so instead of handing out sweets and smiles to the little kiddies wearing mouse and ghost costumes, instead we should darken our windows and hide in the back of the house because one of those 6 year olds might have read a harry potter book or believe that a black cat is bad luck.

as a great fan of c.s. lewis's "chronicles of narnia" and the space trilogy, one might ponder this question: who, then, is the source of ALL magic?

[MeekOneGOP]

What will your children or grandchildren be doing this Halloween?<--------Click here to express your opinion!

Strange/skewed results:

What will your children or grandchildren be doing this Halloween?

Going to a church event 31.13% (118)
Staying at home 27.44% (104)
Trick-or-treating as usual 24.27% (92)
Other 9.76% (37)
Performing pranks in the neighborhood 3.43% (13)
Going to a costume party 2.64% (10)
Going to a celebration at the mall 1.32% (5)
--------------------
TOTAL VOTES: 379

[nevergore]

The author of this article embodies the term "some people have waaaaaaay too much time on their hands"

I guess I'll just let my son be evil on Halloween and dress up as a Fireman.......

NeverGore

[Joe 6-pack]

Anybody else remember the "King of the Hill," Halloween episode?

Trick or Treat!

[Physicist]

More evidence that one man's idea of religion is another man's good belly laugh.

How pathetically foolish.

[SamAdams76]

Harry Potter and Halloween are evil I tell you, evil! Even worse, we have a full moon on Halloween. Okay, so it's November 1 but close enough. For all practical purposes, the moon will be full on Halloween night. And Halloween is on what day? The 31st? Reverse those numbers and what do you get! The number 13. Surely there are demonic forces at work here. And thirteen days later, the Harry Potter movie will be officially opening. Okay, so it's 16 days later. But doesn't that make you wonder? Consider this, 13 (days) + the 3 (horsemen) = 16. And 16 is the number of days after Halloween that Harry Potter movie will be release. Coincidence? You decide.

[Junior]

There go the religious freaks* again.

*Anyone who worries that someone, somewhere is having a good time. Not your run of the mill religious folks who are far more likely to have a sense of humor or at least a "live and let live" attitude.

[IronJack]

Every year, we see these threads about Walpurgis Night, ancient Druid sacrifices, witches' sabbaths, etc.. I think Halloween has its roots in an ancient cult of children who liked to eat sweet stuff. Granted, in days of yore, it may have been rats dipped in chocolate, but thanks to modern technology, the treats are usually more wholesome, if less nutritious.

[DittoJed2]

I amazed at how mocking you all are regarding this article. It speaks of people actually being killed on Halloween, and you call the concern foolish. You may see nothing wrong with Halloween, but if you have studied the history of the day, you will understand that the concern displayed in this article has some basis and should at least respect people's right to dissent from what the rest of the crowd does on that night.

Incidentally, my experience is that Halloween is becoming less and less a day for little 6 year olds to come trick or treating and more of a day for 16 year old punks to dress up in morbid costumes and be rude for candy. To continue that kind of a tradition is what is foolish, not something like this article.

[TheFilter]

Oh please. Halloween has BECOME a fun holiday in which people get to dress up in silly costumes and kids get to indulge in more candy than they usually would be allowed to.

Origins, smorigins.

[knarf]

" ... understand that the concern displayed in this article has some basis and should at least respect people's right to dissent from what the rest of the crowd does on that night."

Well said.

And for those of us that 'Amen' ... Amen.

Even the 'Ameners' that ridicule threads identifying Halloween as a Satanic celebration.

I've never done a search and documentary, by I wonder how many and who are they that add their prayers to FReepers calling on prayer warriors that also are part of pooh-poohing this stream of thought and historical accuracy.

[knarf]

Then again, maybe we never see these names contributing to prayer ..... Hmmmmm.

[ODDITHER]

Halloween has never been my favorite holiday. Fortunately, my children are now grown, and we only have to go through the motions of handing out candy. For the past few years we put candy out on the honor system and watch how the kids react without knowing that they are being observed. We live in a good neighborhood, we can tell because no one has broken the honor system (except taking 2 pieces instead of one.)

Our children did not trick-or-treat much prior to them growing up. Our Church has held Trunk or treats for many years.

All the parents decorate the trunks of their cars and bring them to the church. Some with mini-vans really decorate to the max. The kids come in costume and go from trunk to trunk, ending up in the church for hot chocolate and homemade doughnuts. They have apple bobbing, cookie decorating, face painting, and a haunted house in the Church building. The teenagers are in charge of those activities. Thus keeping them out of trouble and off the streets.

The main rule, since the activity now attracts many young people within the community, is that no masks are allowed as part of the costume. Can't hide bad deeds behind the mask.

[Cable225]

The second paragragh begins...

Benign as it may now seem to most Americans, Halloween has its roots in ancient, occult religious practices.

..and that's where I stopped reading. Why is it every year around this time FR starts getting clogged with these silly articles?

As so many have already said, it's Halloween, where people play dress up, kids trick-or-treat, and adults go to parties. This pagan ritual nonsense is tiresome.

[knarf]

I guess evil is only applied to overt actions and people, never to the more insidious aspect of it like, taking over the minds of children by the social engineering peoplic schools ... f'rinstance.

Naaah ... couldn't be.

[JoeMomma]

"You may see nothing wrong with Halloween, but if you have studied the history of the day, you will understand that the concern displayed in this article has some basis and should at least respect people's right to dissent from what the rest of the crowd does on that night."

They have the right to dissent about Halloween. It doesn't make them less stupid. The WND article was written by some religious fanatic who's afraid that someone, somewhere is going to have fun on a holiday with pagan roots.

There is nothing pagan about dressing up as your favourite cartoon character, asking for candy, and stuffing yourself silly with Nestle Crunch and Snickers bars.

Children aren't out there observing a pagan holiday. They're in the quest for candy. Pretty innocent, if you ask me. I wish I was young enough to still do that.

[sakic]

Halloween is the only fun holiday in America. As to the pagan references in here, Christianity placed all of its holidays on pagan holidays in order to become part of the party.