Much "Aboo" About Nothing [Archive]

FMeekins

10-22-2004, 08:04 PM

Much “Aboo” About Nothing

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Often the sincere piety and religious devotion of Southerners is worthy of admiration, but methinks too much stink is being made down south about Halloween falling on a Sunday.

On the one hand you have spook-day purists insisting what an affront it would be to move the celebration back to Saturday evening, which has often been the tradition when Halloween fell on a Sunday.

However, even those wanting the festival moved back to the 30th are enough to strain my sympathies for my fellow coreligionists.

Contrary to the tone of the Christians interviewed in an <A HREF="http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=13&u=/ap/20041015/ap_on_re_us/halloween_on_the_sabbath">Associated Press </A> article, the Seals of the Apocalypse are not going to be broken just because a few kids go Trick-Or-Treating on a Sunday evening.

One distraught woman over exaggerated in the story, "You just don't do it on Sunday. That's Christ's day. You go to church on Sunday, you don't go out and celebrate the devil. That'll confuse a child."

Lady, you are not in church all day long. Bet these same hayseeds making such a big deal about the "Sabbath", which is technically Saturday anyway, don't have much of a problem going to Wal-Mart or watching football on the day under consideration here.

If your kid is thrown off the straight and narrow that easily, you have more serious problems on your hands. As Gretchin Passantino of Answers In Action said on a recent Bible Answer Man broadcast tackling the Halloween controversy, Trick-Or-Treating won't make you a Satanist anymore than opening a Christmas present makes you a Christian. Like many other of life's activities, this one merely takes on the meaning we put into it.

The article detailing the Saturday vs. Sunday dispute went on to offer a very pro-market solution that allows everyone to win without having to call upon government for a solution. Those who want to, can go out on Saturday night. Those who prefer Sunday, can go out on Sunday. And to those enterprising young capitalists who don't have a preference, they can easily go out on both.

Copyright 2004 by Frederick Meekins </body></html>

HomeschoolrsRUs

10-22-2004, 11:47 PM

I will defend your right to your opinion, even unto death, but I do not have to agree with it. I am a Southerner by birth and by the Grace of God, and I take offense to this piece in its entirety, but I will take it part by part.

First ...
Much “Aboo” About Nothing
Often the sincere piety and religious devotion of Southerners is worthy of admiration, but methinks too much stink is being made down south about Halloween falling on a Sunday.If you truly admire Southerners' piety and religious devotion, you must also understand that we take it quite seriously, whether you believe halloween is a "harmless holiday" or not. There are those who choose to keep their blinders on, and those who have opened their eyes and see the truth. A stumbling block is affective only if one recognizes it as such and refuses to change despite it. I condemn you not if you don't agree with my opinion of this "holiday," I would appreciate it if you lend me (as a Southerner) the same respect.

On the one hand you have spook-day purists insisting what an affront it would be to move the celebration back to Saturday evening, which has often been the tradition when Halloween fell on a Sunday.
However, even those wanting the festival moved back to the 30th are enough to strain my sympathies for my fellow coreligionists.
Contrary to the tone of the Christians interviewed in an Associated Press (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=13&u=/ap/20041015/ap_on_re_us/halloween_on_the_sabbath)article, the Seals of the Apocalypse are not going to be broken just because a few kids go Trick-Or-Treating on a Sunday evening.
No one is saying that if one goes "trick-or-treating" you will go to "the bad place," but one of the tenents of Christianity is repentence of unacceptable behavior and a turning away from those things which are not pleasing unto the Lord. I would hardly think the recognition and celebration of a "holiday" which is illustrated by decorations of vampires, witches, goblins, and ghosts as anything pleasing unto Him. I'm not going to get up on a soap-box and start railing and preaching against "halloween," but don't expect me NOT to share an opinion about this so-called "holiday" if asked about it.

Sunday IS the recognized Lord's Day of MANY fundamental Christian religions. I too find it an affront to put this "holiday" above that which has been set aside as honor to the Father. Maybe some Christians don't mind taking their kids "trick-or-treating" instead of taking them to church on Sunday evening -- well I do mind, I won't follow that path, and I don't think I should be held in contempt because I put my faith above a secular celebration.

One distraught woman over exaggerated in the story, "You just don't do it on Sunday. That's Christ's day. You go to church on Sunday, you don't go out and celebrate the devil. That'll confuse a child."

I too ascribe to this philosophy. Children need consistancy and stability -- in their discipline, in their teaching, in their molding of values. As adults we can better withstand temptations because we understand the risks and the information involved. Children are unable to be so discerning.

That is why once we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior we (my husband and I, and later both of my children who accepted Christ) have never again "celebrated" Santa at our house. "Santa" is basically a lie (that makes us feel good) -- he doesn't exist, and once the children find that out (after all of our efforts to convince them he is a real person, including "Santa Sightings" by the Weather Guy on our local TV station), what's to stop them from thinking the same thing about Jesus Christ as they have never seen Him either and we have so tried to convince them of His reality? (By the way, call me a conspiracy theorist if you want, but have you ever rearranged the letters in "Santa"?)

I do not believe in the "do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do" rule of behavior for adults. Children are like unto sponges, they soak up everything around them and eventually what has been taken in will come out, most often within their character.

Lady, you are not in church all day long. Bet these same hayseeds making such a big deal about the "Sabbath", which is technically Saturday anyway, don't have much of a problem going to Wal-Mart or watching football on the day under consideration here.Sir, by using a general disparaging sterotypical term for Southerners you do much to demean your point. I would say, just because hypocrisy exists, doesn't negate the truth in the point. While you may consider the Sabbath "technically" Saturday, in this country I would wager the majority of people of faith (and even those not) would agree that the Sabbath is recognized on Sunday. I don't agree with "worshiping or celebrating" any idols on the Sabbath, including football, car racing, or patronizing business establishments -- am I guilty of breaking that rule sometimes? Yes, but that just means I am what I am, a sinner in need of a Savior, repentence, and forgiveness.

If your kid is thrown off the straight and narrow that easily, you have more serious problems on your hands. As Gretchin Passantino of Answers In Action said on a recent Bible Answer Man broadcast tackling the Halloween controversy, Trick-Or-Treating won't make you a Satanist anymore than opening a Christmas present makes you a Christian. Like many other of life's activities, this one merely takes on the meaning we put into it.

Most often, when a kid is "thrown off the straight and narrow" it is not because of one isolated incident, but the accumulation and build-up of things, including misrepresentations, missed opportunities to explain, mistakes by those either in authority or influence coupled with a rebellious sinful heart.

I would agree that "trick-or-treating" won't make you a Satanist, but I would assert it is NOT uplifting to the human spirit nor honoring to the Father. Phillipians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

The article detailing the Saturday vs. Sunday dispute went on to offer a very pro-market solution that allows everyone to win without having to call upon government for a solution. Those who want to, can go out on Saturday night. Those who prefer Sunday, can go out on Sunday. And to those enterprising young capitalists who don't have a preference, they can easily go out on both.

Christians are called to be IN this world, NOT OF it. Personally, I don't care about offering a pro-market solution, or one that satisfies those who desire to play dress up and ply their children with candy. The "holiday" will go on, whether we Southern Christians -- or HAYSEEDS as you would call us -- disapprove or voice our discontent. We have the task of explaining to our children WHY we "don't do halloween," and WHY we are painted as "party-poopers" because we don't wish to celebrate that which the Lord finds an abomination (ref. Deuteronomy 18:10-12a "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all these things are an abomination to the Lord:" KJV)

As Americans we enjoy the right to "pursue happiness" however we see fit. I will not call you names or "put you down" if you, or others, desire to recognize the celebration of this "holiday." I would kindly ask that you do the same for us Southerners who choose not too (recognize the "holiday"), and who choose to voice our disagreement.