| Author | Message | ||
| U2bsda Registered user Username: U2bsda Post Number: 262 Registered: 11-2004 |
As an Adventist did you acknowledge or celebrate Halloween? Do you now? Why or why not? I am interested in the different viewpoints. | ||
| Susans Registered user Username: Susans Post Number: 29 Registered: 8-2006 |
As an Adventist, I acknowledged Halloween as being part of paganism and Satan worship. My son was not allowed to trick-or-treat after we joined the church, but we attended/hosted various fall festival parties through church, Pathfinders and the church school he went to after I pulled him out of SDA school (long before I had left the church). Now, I view Halloween as having pagan roots (Baltane) and if I had children, I'm not sure what I would do. Perhaps do the church fall festival thing or perhaps dress them cutely to go to a few houses...I don't really know. | ||
| Raven Registered user Username: Raven Post Number: 579 Registered: 7-2004  |
Great topic, U2! Growing up SDA, we were never allowed to have anything to do with Halloween. It was not acknowledged in any way, except that we usually had a small amount of candy in the house in case any one bothered to come to our home out in the country. Some of the SDA kids in our church went trick or treating, and I wondered why we couldn't. Once we had kids, while we were still SDA, I recognized the origins of Halloween, but also recognized the difficulty of living in a regular neighborhood where everyone went trick or treating. We always let our kids go door to door, but they could only be dressed up in something cute - nothing scary or evil. I haven't changed my stance since leaving the SDA church. Now this year, our kids are in junior high, and it's not considered cool to dress in something cute. I was hoping our kids would have grown out of this by now. And our oldest has been invited to her first public school friend's Halloween party. I don't particularly want her to go, but told her my reservations, that she can, but feel free to call if she wants picked up early. I've still said nothing evil or scary for costumes and the kids are ok with that, but are not sure how they will dress for it yet, either. I guess the reason I stand by nothing evil or scary, is that as a Christian, I still don't want any connection with the things Halloween stands for - evil, fear, horror, death. | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 2940 Registered: 3-2004  |
Growing up SDA my parents let us dress up and go trick or treating. I do not remember the church saying anything for or against it. With my son, it was just a fun thing to do and again I do not remember the church saying anything for or against it. They may have, but I do not remember it. The way Halloween has been unsafe for children, I would only take them to certain neighbors houses, people I trusted. Just my thoughts on this. Diana | ||
| Susans Registered user Username: Susans Post Number: 30 Registered: 8-2006 |
Yes, Raven, I agree with you on the connection with what Halloween stands for. The biggest objection I have with it is that it can foster an interest in the occult. Not just the innocent trick or treating, but the films, costumes, etc. that are used to promote Halloween. | ||
| Tisha Registered user Username: Tisha Post Number: 201 Registered: 3-2005 |
One of the best witness I had from a Christian (non-SDA) was from a teacher at my daughter's public school, shortly after I took her out of the SDA school. I wondered what sort of "bad" influences she would have there, but realized that they couldn't be any worse than what she had endured at the SDA School (long story). For Halloween, everyone dressed up, both students and teachers. I don't remember what my daughter dressed as, but it was something I thought was OK for a Christian. Her teacher dressed up as a witch. The next time I saw the teacher, she apologized about dressing as a witch, saying she was looking for something simple - add a witch's hat to a black dress and there you have it! But what she said next really surprised me, coming from a PUBLIC school teacher (I had been warned about them!). She said she was a Christian and that as a Christian she should not have dressed as a witch, because that didn't fit with what she believed. She said she was sorry she hadn't given more thought to what she was wearing and athe example she was setting. She said that she would not do that again! She did dress up each Halloween, but in a more appropriate, fun way. I was amazed that a public school teacher would be that open about her Christianity. As time went by, I found that the Christians I met through the public schools were, by far, more willing to witness their Christianity than their SDA counterparts. I only heard "Christian" teachers at the SDA school, speak of SDA and EGW, the Sabbath, NEVER Jesus. They never had a PERSONAL witness to give. What a contrast! All this was happening as I was searching for truth and finding the SDAs lacking. I found that it might be "safe" to look to other Christians to learn more - "and the rest is history!" That would make an interesting opening line - "Halloween celebration pointed me toward Christ!" I'd put in one of those smiley faces, but don't know how to do that! tisha | ||
| Leigh Registered user Username: Leigh Post Number: 129 Registered: 2-2003 |
The sda elementary school I attended had halloween parties for the first couple of years I went there and then they changed them to harvest parties. I remember my freshman year at southern I played a part in the haunted house organized by the school of nursing. They also had a halloween costume party and contest. I have many reservations like Susan about halloween. We hand out candy to the kids that come by, but we don't decorate. My husband sometimes will take our younger child to a few houses, but she enjoys handing out the candy. | ||
| Melissa Registered user Username: Melissa Post Number: 1497 Registered: 7-2003 |
I've heard some refer to halloween as having pagan roots, but I've always heard it slightly differently. The following link is pretty consistent with what I (a never-was SDA  ) was taught about halloween. Now our church does do the fall festival thing, but we always viewed it as a day to get candy, nothing more, when I was a kid. We weren't quite as fascinated with the more evil sides associated with the 'holiday'. http://www.equip.org/free/DH011.htm In my legal proceedings, my SDA ex is fighting to divide halloween just like Christmas and Thanksgiving. | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 2941 Registered: 3-2004 |
Melissa, Keeping you and your family in my prayers. Diana | ||
| Susans Registered user Username: Susans Post Number: 34 Registered: 8-2006 |
Thanks for the link, Melissa. I was wrong in saying Baltane, when it was Samhain I was thinking of in relation to pagan celebrations. Many "historic" SDA's don't even celebrate Christmas. I have followed your story concerning your son and my heart hurts for you. I pray for your peace and your son's spiritual protection concerning all this turmoil. | ||
| U2bsda Registered user Username: U2bsda Post Number: 264 Registered: 11-2004 |
Wow, I am surprised! I thought most SDAs didn't celebrate Halloween - I guess because that is how I grew up. We did go trick-or-treating a couple years as a young child then just handed out candy every Halloween and hoped to have some candy left over I'm actually more "strict" on this issue now than I was as an SDA. I don't even hand out candy now. I just turn off the porch light and let the trick-or-treaters go to someone else's house. My kids are going to a harvest party this weekend though. There will be costumes, elephant rides, candy, and a carnival type atmosphere. It is an outreach by our church and the Gospel will be preached. Last year they apparently had 2000 people come and 200 came to Jesus. | ||
| Grace_alone Registered user Username: Grace_alone Post Number: 241 Registered: 6-2006  |
Melissa, thanks for the link - at our Lutheran church we always celebrate Reformation Day. Not a huge deal, but we usually wear red and have a pastor friend dress up like Martin Luther. He's a riot, uses a German accent and tells the story of the reformation. It's funny, that's pretty much the only day that he's even mentioned at our particular church. As far as Halloween goes, at our home we always decorate for fall, lots of jack-o-lanterns. Our Mom always had us dress up as Disney characters, or in my case, Princess Leia, haha. We would never think of dressing up like a devil or a scary character. Our pastor likes to carve "Jesus" into his pumpkins, and gives out "Jesus loves you" trinkets to the kids. Melissa, I've been thinking of you a lot lately. I'll be praying for you as well. I'll pray that the Holy Spirit will protect your little one, as well as turning your ex's heart around. ((HUGS)) Leigh Anne | ||
| Melissa Registered user Username: Melissa Post Number: 1498 Registered: 7-2003 |
Thank you, Diana, Susan, Leigh Anne. It's hard to imagine I thought I knew this person so well at one time to find out I didn't know anything at all. I just put one foot in front of the other and move on down the road. It's very hard to see evil in a day, such as halloween, when it is such a daily reality every day at work! We need all the prayer we can get ... B wouldn't come over Christmas morning when in it was on a Saturday, but then he got mad at me last year he couldn't come over early because it was on a Sunday. More of those double standards .... (Message edited by melissa on October 23, 2006) | ||
| Cforrester Registered user Username: Cforrester Post Number: 11 Registered: 7-2004 |
All I can say is that here in the South they really seem to get into their holidays. When I moved out here from California I was amazed that on Easter they hung eggs from the trees. I'm still not sure how the Easter rabbits laid all those eggs up there, but I'm sure that those eggs are where we get the chocolate bunnies, so I guess I'm all for it. As for the graveyards all over my subdivision of late, well, they do remind me of some churches that I've been to... Then there is the Baptist church that sent out postcards about their Trunk or Treat party (http://www.jcbc.org/upevent.html). Huh? Are they gonna have a big elephant there? Seriously: we still don't do holloween and prefer the harvest parties and the like for our son. | ||
| Nicole Registered user Username: Nicole Post Number: 30 Registered: 4-2006 |
halloween was always fun for us growing up. at school, we dressed up as our favorite saint and had to tell a story about why we admired him or her. i don't remember dressing up to trick-or-treat as something scary, other than maybe a witch, as a kid. the pagan roots were never brought up, instead, it was the all souls/all saints aspect that we associated with it and just the fun of the trick-or-treating, halloween parties with friends in the neighborhood, and hayrides. oh, and having nov. 1st off from school! | ||
| Pheeki Registered user Username: Pheeki Post Number: 825 Registered: 1-2003 |
Here is how I see it. Everyday belongs to God...EVERYDAY. Pagans can claim it as their own...but we all know it belongs to God!!! Just like Paul said, eat anything in the meat market without worrying if it has been sacrificed to idols...cause idols are really nothing!!! I don't think we should worry about it. Just my opinion. I let my kids trick-or-treat(in nice costumes)and keep my cats inside. | ||
| Grace_alone Registered user Username: Grace_alone Post Number: 242 Registered: 6-2006 |
Well said, Pheeki. To God be the glory in all things. Leigh Anne | ||
| Aliza Registered user Username: Aliza Post Number: 32 Registered: 8-2006 |
Well, my experience with Halloween while SDA is not much different than the rest of you. What I find so interesting is the way it's viewed differently with other Christians I'm now meeting. For instance, my current church meets in a Middle School. So for Halloween they are asking for people with SUVs, Pickups etc to decorate their vehicles which they're going to have at the school with candy, goodies and our band providing entertainment. It will be like a giant block party or should I say tailgate party. This is all being done just to get more acquainted with the neighborhood, develop relationships and share Jesus when the door is opened. This mindset of how to use our culture to build upon rather than run away from has been very successful. The church celebrated its first anniversary around labor day and has gone from a handful of people to now over 400 attending in three services. Another church where I have friends attending encourages established small groups to get together on Halloween with the idea of running a block party and getting acquainted with neighbors in order to establish relationships. Aliza | ||
| Susans Registered user Username: Susans Post Number: 38 Registered: 8-2006 |
I had a conversation tonight in which a friend told me a woman in her church had told her that her child's kindergarten teacher had sent a note home saying that since there was such diversity in their class with people from Mexico, Jamaica and others (can't remember all she mentioned) that had customs of taking food to their dead relatives that she was taking the children to a cemetery where they would have a picnic and give food to the dead people. This mother was upset and was going to keep her child home, as was permitted. Do they really do these sorts of things in public school? I told her I thought most anything goes today except for Christian beliefs. We both thought this was terrible to subject 5 year old children to. Of course, my friend is an Adventist and had a different perspective on why it was wrong, but we did agree it was wrong. Since my child is almost 31, from the mothers of younger children, is this common? We are in the southern bible belt, by the way. Susan | ||
| Raven Registered user Username: Raven Post Number: 593 Registered: 7-2004 |
Our daughter learned about this exact custom at Halloween time in public school two years ago (fifth grade), but they didn't do any sort of field trip. There was even a write up about it in the local paper in the section that featured what's currently happening in a classroom. In asking my daughter about it, I found out it was discussed in a very positive way, which I didn't like at all. But I've heard nothing since on that or anything similar. Regardless of where kids go to school, things will come up that need discussing. | ||
| Grace_alone Registered user Username: Grace_alone Post Number: 244 Registered: 6-2006 |
I'm sure that every school district is different, but that sounds pretty outrageous. I went to public school all my life (starting in 1972) and I've NEVER heard of anything like that! The strangest thing we ever had was the two little JW's in our class got to stay home on Halloween and missed out on the costume parade. Now that I'm a mom and our kids go to public school it's very much the same. We live south of San Diego and about 10 mins from the Mexican border. We'll have a costume parade in the morning, then cupcakes at the end of the day. (I'm a "Class-Mom") I believe this teacher was referring to the Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Mexico, but that's strictly a Mexican/latin custom. The only time I've ever seen an example of it (At least here in California) was in a museum in Los Angeles. Here's information - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dia_De_Los_Muertos Encyclopedia-LeighAnnica | ||
| Pheeki Registered user Username: Pheeki Post Number: 828 Registered: 1-2003 |
My kids go to public school in Texas...it's their first experience...and they say most of their teachers are Christians. I have been really pleased so far with what is happening. In fact, my boys public grade school is having a fall festival just like our old SDA school had. And they send flyers home all the time promoting programs that churches in the area are putting on. Last year, I sent my kids to a non-denominational church school where they learned all about the secret rapture. I don't have much of an opinion on the secret rapture...but to my way of thinking, that is a peculiar doctrine that probably doesn't need to be promoted. I thought they shouldn't have strayed off on tangents like that and should stick to Christian doctrines accepted across the board. It really came to a head when my son told my SDA mother that he was going to be raptured. The **** hit the proverbial fan. He got about an hour lecture. | ||
| Susans Registered user Username: Susans Post Number: 39 Registered: 8-2006 |
Thanks to both of you for the information and the link. That sure was a new one on me. I think the objection that my friend had was that she felt it was a promotion of religion and in violation of the first amendment. I probably would complain to the school if I was the child's mother. Pheeki, that's funny. I am not a believer in the secret rapture, but I guess your MIL was worried your child would think he could just get raptured away and wouldn't be ready when Jesus comes. It's sad, isn't it? They are so sincere. Susan |
