Friday, October 20, 2006

Hallo-wean?

I praise God for a wife who is constantly seeking to do the right thing (cf. Pr. 31:10). She's well-read and is always being introduced to new thoughts and opinions that, of course, she wants to share with me! I've often bristled whenever she's been reading something new and then says, "Maybe we should...".

Lately, she's been buggin' me to read an article that was written by Steve and Terri Maxwell in a monthly email newsletter entitled Dad's and Mom's Corners. In it he describes his family's journey in deciding to reject Halloween in all its forms.

I hate to admit it, but I really didn't want to read it. I argued with her about it, passionately, even before I read it. She finally said that she wasn't gonna talk to me about it again until I read the article [sigh]. So I did. She was right, as usual [sigh].

Holidays, for me, are one of those things that I don't really think about: origins, meaning (other than Christmas and Easter), impact, etc. What a shame. I tend to compartmentalize life and only apply my faith when it's obvious. I've really been lazy intellectually: keeping with the status quo, allowing others to do the thinking for me or by not challenging my own thinking ("That's the way we've always done it" or, "My parents did it, so it must be o.k.").

There are a bunch of write-ups on both the pros and cons. I don't really care what others say about it (hence the irony of this blog!), unless their opinions are congruous with the Bible. However, I was curious what the origins of Halloween were. I guess I wasn't shocked, really. I just never gave it any thought. Maybe that's what the enemy wanted. We are in a battle after all (cf. 2 Tim. 2:4).

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kevin, Here's a good link from Challies. I appreciate a lot of the comments.
Boyd

http://www.challies.com/archives/002156.php#comments

Anonymous said...

I know this blog is old, but what about Christmas? Also a pagan holiday. Does your family celebrate it? I don't feel convicted not to celebrate Halloween. I think this guy who wrote this article is taking verses out of context as well. Do not be equally yoked with unbelievers means to not get into a business or marriage partnership with them. Passing out candy to little kids dressed up like bunnies and disney characters is hardly being "unequally yoked". I think sometimes Christians scare people away with this kind of stuff. I don't get it.

Unknown said...

Interesting your choice of words: "I think sometimes Christians scare people away with this kind of stuff." Just the opposite happened, really. When Keely was about 3-4 years old she was terrified by a teenager wearing a werewolf mask. I think it was then that I began to question the whole system. What was the point? Is Halloween a rite of passage that we owe our kids? Do they really need all that candy? What does Halloween represent? What does God think about Halloween?

Maybe we're in the wrong neighborhood... From where you're from it sounds like you're in Orlando! :)

I think what Jesus meant when he said that we are to be 'salt' and 'light' was that we are to be different. He said that we would be different if we knew him (cf. Jn. 14:15). In fact, that difference would cause us to be hated by the world just as it hated him (cf. Jn. 15:18).

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." - 1 Jn. 2:15