Progressive Revival

Halloween 2009 vs All Saints Day (Eternally)

Monday October 26, 2009

Hey Christians!  Stop putting a camel hair rope around Halloween on October 31st, and instead take advantage of what happens on Nov. 1st - All Saints Day.

It seems like we used to hear more from Christians who decried Halloween as a time to glamorize demons and the devil.   If observed at all, some Christians decided to create their own versions of haunted houses called "Hell Houses"  with the purpose of scaring people into belief by showing regretted abortions, gay people with AIDS, and addicted prostitutes.   In 2009 a more accurate Hell House might be a family that has lost their home to foreclosure, a baby starving for lack of food, or a polluted water supply.  But maybe Hell Houses should just die its ghoulish death in 2009.

I say let kids have fun on Halloween.  I mean, how bad can God be offended with kids dressing up as cowboys, princesses, matadors, hobos and even as ghosts (Charlie Brown anyone?).   The only real sin here is gluttony as kids pack candy into their faces.  But that has its own immediate punishment offered by nature - the stomachache. 

Instead of worrying about Halloween, take advantage of it as the springboard for Nov. 1, which is known as All Saints Day and Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).   All those faux scary spirit world reminders of Halloween can be used as a springboard for a conversation about the real 'life beyond life.'   All Saints Day is a great time to talk about what happens when we die, to commune with our loved ones who have died, and celebrate their life and their presence with God in heaven. 

For Latin cultures this generally means going to a cemetery and having a party around the graves of family members.    This might sound spooky for those who have not grown up with the practice, but it isn't experienced that way.   It is a family celebration that reinforces the ties of commitment and love that continue even after the death of a loved one and an encouragement that there will be a similar party for us once we have died.

All Saints Day, like Ash Wednesday, can be a time of reflection on our own mortality.  The line between the living and the dead is very thin and we will all cross it some day. On Ash Wednesday as I impose ashes I say to congregants the powerful words:  "Remember that you are made from dust and to dust you shall return."  But then I add in a whisper just for the individual: "So care for your soul, which is eternal."  

All Saints Day is a celebration of those who cared for their soul by fulfilling Jesus' commandments of Love of God and Love of Neighbor.  It is a reminder of that one true task that Jesus has set before us.    Instead of cordoning yourself off this weekend, embrace this opportunity to reflect on the reality of death and celebrate the Saints who now live in God's eternal embrace. 

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Comments
Your Name
October 27, 2009 11:25 PM

Im sorry i completly understand where yall are coming from in saying that this day is just a day for kids to get candy and have fun dresssing up as princesses and cowboys but the truth is this is and will be a pagan holiday wether you want to admit it or not. I feel as if our so called christians have let the devil in by allowing halloween and saying oh its just a day for fun. No its not a day for fun. On this day thousands of satanic rituals will take place all over the world and instead of looking and seeing this with truthfulness it taken as a day to have fun. let me tell you those thousands of sacrifices are not having fun they are dying and we are makin a holiday from. Christians open your eyes and see the truth behind this.

elsalopez
October 29, 2009 5:30 PM

Halloween is satanic celebration.
No one should be envolved in it.
And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of
righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

Your Name
October 30, 2009 7:51 PM

"on this day thousands of satanic rituals will take place all over the world" i'm sorry but this happens all year long, we live in a secular world people! it is what we do with the circumstances that counts. God gave us freedom, why should my freedom be sacrificed because of your conscience? Those who are evil will promote evil all year, not just on Halloween. If you read the history of Halloween you will see that when it was "evil" it was actually in the month of MAY, the Roman Catholics changed it to October since it is the eve of saints day...I just do not see how my spiderman son knocking on doors one day out of the year is going to send us to hell...it is not!

Lucifer LOL
October 31, 2009 9:27 PM

SATAN IS WITHIN THIS TEXT!
MUAHAHAHAHAHAHHA

Happy Halloweeen.

douglas_macneill
November 1, 2009 4:18 PM

Since the Dio des Muertos was mentioned earlier in this post, how about the Days of the Dead between Hallowe'en and Remembrance Day on November the 11th? I mean that the leaves are mostly off the trees, but there is no snow on the ground yet: the time when nature itself seems to be undead in Canada.

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Diana Butler Bass and Paul Raushenbush both stand firmly within the Mainline Protestant tradition and, along with guest bloggers of all religious backgrounds are dedicated to the revival of religious progressivism and its influence in American politics.

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Diana Butler Bass
Diana Butler Bass is a commentator and scholar in American religion. She is the author of seven books including A People's History of Christianity: The Other Side of the Story (HarperOne, 2009).
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Moderator of the Progressive Revival blog and the Associate Dean of Religious Life at Princeton University.
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