Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Happy Halloween, whether you like it or not!


My first instinct was to blog about the physical confrontation that I had with a student last week, but I delayed long enough until it was Halloween, so I figure a holiday post is more in order (I'll talk about my brawl next week, I promise).

Anyway, today's post is spurred on by my morning commute, which is always accompanied by the calming tones of KLTY's morning show with Frank Reed, Darlene Stringer, and Perry Revis. It dawned on me very early in my commute that these three were trying very hard to not even use the word "Halloween"(although in fairness Frank would use the expression, "Halloween alternative" on occasion). The code word that was most often used was "Fall Festival", as in, "The weather is going to be wonderful for your little ones as they go out to Fall Festivals tonight." I've always thought of myself as a Christian in good standing (actually that is a lie. I've always seen myself as a Christian darn lucky to have a forgiving God), but I missed the memo where it became the standard assumption that all good Christians eschew Halloween entirely.

I know that this is a source of conflict among some of us, but I think that friendship is only real if we can disagree with one another and still love each other, so let's talk about this. I come from the camp that says, at worst, Halloween is a meaningless night that allows kids to dress up, have some fun, and get candy. At best, it is a national tradition that unites disparate people in a common cultural legacy that forges an American identity that values shared rituals over sectarian heritage. In short, Halloween makes a stronger united America.

One could argue that the use of costume is not so much about idolizing the assumed identity, but casting off the real identity. We mask who we are to show that what we are is nothing. If everyone is something weird, than there is no standard for conformity; no majority or minority. We must all be accepted (or rejected) based off of our own uniqueness instead of on our allegience to certain socio-racial subgroups.
Unfortunately, this is all a national and philosophical perspective rather than a religious one, which is my supposed area of expertiese. Of course, I'm Church of Christ, and we CoC'ers speak where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is silent, and the Bible is pretty silent on Halloween. I did find an interesting Episcopalian article here that makes sense to me from the Christian Point of View. Read it and give me your thoughts.

I love you guys, and I hope you have a Happy "Fall Festival" today.

6 Comments:

Blogger Kent said...

The people who think Halloween is inherently evil are the same people who think that just because Harry Potter has magic that it's inherently evil. I enjoy Halloween and am not afraid to use the term. For me, it doesn't make me a devil worshipper. To each their own I guess.

10:02 AM  
Blogger KeeperOfBooks34 said...

The most disturbing thing about Halloween is learning that Paul finds listening to Frank Reed to be calming. In Hamlet, Gertrude has a line something like "Thy words are like daggers unto mine ears." (I'm sure Paige would get it right.) If's Frank Reed or daggers, give me daggers.

I for one am relieved to learn that kent isn't a devil worshipper. But I never thought it was the magic that made Harry Potter inherently evil. It has a lot of other stuff going for it.

My opinion: To the point it has elvoved to, Halloween is probably harmless. I am annoyed by all the scary stuff, I don't like kids wearing costumes for movies that are too adult for them to have seen (I mean 8 year olds dressed as characters from R rated movies) and I'm super angry when teenagers show up wanting candy.

11:11 AM  
Blogger Snowed In said...

Keeper...next year, give the teens any leftover candy from this year. Especially if they're not wearing costumes.

12:01 PM  
Blogger KeeperOfBooks34 said...

Actually, I didn't purchase any candy; nor did I pass anyout. Except txmommy34 made goodie bags for the neighbor's teenage daughters but I was actually okay with that because: 1. They didn't ask for it and 2. I need them for babysitting every now and then.

Since Halloween is on Friday next year we'll probably go back to taking the kids to the mall for trick or treating. That went really well last year.

1:50 PM  
Blogger Bob Phillips said...

I always wanted to be Captain America(a hero) but some probably see me as Dr. Doom(the villain). There are times when it is convenient even desirable to be someone other than yourself. I like to dress up as Santa Claus at Christmas, but could open up another can of worms.

4:39 PM  
Blogger KeeperOfBooks34 said...

Bob, I don't think you refer to yourself in the third person enough to qualify for villian status.

2:01 PM  

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