Halloween Approacheth

[Jaebius]

I'll be participating in the Teal Pumpkin Project again.

If I was to participate in Halloween, I'd have a Purple Pumpkin.

 

[ChemGal]

If I was to participate in Halloween, I'd have a Purple Pumpkin.

Maybe this year is the year to give it a go?

 

[Mystic]

Nearby churches denounced Halloween. My church went all in--ugly plastic witches emerging from a kettle, cackling manically and the church office and nearby rooms transformed into horror skits. In the church office a tall doctor (6!6"") wore a Frankenstein mask and costume and used his hatchet to butcher another man bleeding (ketchup) in a wheel barrell in front of terrified young kids! More terror in adjacent rooms! The little boys ran, screaming from these rooms, with their parents also cackling maniacally.

My favorite memory of this: a cute 6 year-old girl approached me to ask if she could do the horror tour again, saying that she loved to see the line of older boys (aged 7-11) get freaked out! When these boys did freak out, this little girl stood there with here arms folded and the cutest smirk on her face. A large group of kids continually toured these rooms. Many returned for next Halloween's terror!

I was outdone by a UMC pastor friend who used a huge warehouse to terrify his large high school group. He brought the kids to a side room filled with manikins dressed like 19th century witches. Then he told them horror stories. He then brought the frightened kids out to the huge storage area where one kid asked about a large trunk in the corner. The kids were led to inspect it, but when they opened it, a friend dressed like Dracula pulled a large sword from his chest, leapt up, and chased the kids back to the room with the manikins. My friend locked the door and told another horror story. What the kids didn't know was that, while they were out, the manikins were replaced by actors dressed in the manikins' clothing. So when my friend asked them if the manikins scared them, one kid who had verified that they were just scary manikins before the group left the room, tried to reassure the rest by walking up and touching a manikin. When he realized that the manikins were real people, he screamed and, at that pointl a closet opened, and another Dracula character raised his arms and chased the terrified kids out of the room. Some of the parents complained , but most of the kids thought all this melodrama was the best time they had ever experienced in a church group.

 

[Delightful Life]

I find it fascinating how some people feel threatened or scared of simple things. No doubt there are a few Pagans welcoming the spirits of their dead loved ones at Halloween. Unless one is Pagan there is little chance of witnessing their rituals. They are far outnumbered by the children dressed as imitation witches etc. and collecting goodies from door to door. Since joining FB I have stopped being amazed by the level of ignorance of some people. Until then I rarely met and attempted a conversation with anyone who was fearfully ignorant.

And even the fearfully ignorant can be learned from I find

 

[chansen]

My thought is that some beliefs need a boogeyman. They need to be under threat to justify themselves. And maybe that's why we see some Christians claiming that Christianity is the most persecuted faith in the US and Canada. Whether the threat of Halloween, atheists, liberals, "Happy Holidays", or whatever, there is always a threat being sold to the faithful that must be opposed.

 

[Jaebius]

Nearby churches denounced Halloween. My church went all in--ugly plastic witches emerging from a kettle, cackling manically and the church office and nearby rooms transformed into horror skits. In the church office a tall doctor (6!6"") wore a Frankenstein mask and costume and used his hatchet to butcher another man bleeding (ketchup) in a wheel barrell in front of terrified young kids! More terror in adjacent rooms! The little boys ran, screaming from these rooms, with their parents also cackling maniacally.

My favorite memory of this: a cute 6 year-old girl approached me to ask if she could do the horror tour again, saying that she loved to see the line of older boys (aged 7-11) get freaked out! When these boys did freak out, this little girl stood there with here arms folded and the cutest smirk on her face. A large group of kids continually toured these rooms. Many returned for next Halloween's terror!

I was outdone by a UMC pastor friend who used a huge warehouse to terrify his large high school group. He brought the kids to a side room filled with manikins dressed like 19th century witches. Then he told them horror stories. He then brought the frightened kids out to the huge storage area where one kid asked about a large trunk in the corner. The kids were led to inspect it, but when they opened it, a friend dressed like Dracula pulled a large sword from his chest, leapt up, and chased the kids back to the room with the manikins. My friend locked the door and told another horror story. What the kids didn't know was that, while they were out, the manikins were replaced by actors dressed in the manikins' clothing. So when my friend asked them if the manikins scared them, one kid who had verified that they were just scary manikins before the group left the room, tried to reassure the rest by walking up and touching a manikin. When he realized that the manikins were real people, he screamed and, at that pointl a closet opened, and another Dracula character raised his arms and chased the terrified kids out of the room. Some of the parents complained , but most of the kids thought all this melodrama was the best time they had ever experienced in a church group.

The kids couldn't tell the difference between mannequins and real people even when they were close enough to touch them?

 

[Mendalla]

The kids couldn't tell the difference between mannequins and real people even when they were close enough to touch them?

I've seen it happen even with adults. Semi-darkness, psychological atmosphere, careful placement of the actor, etc. can work wonders for the imagination.

 

[unsafe]

unsafe says ----for all you science people out there ----posted link to full article

https://www.livescience.com/444-halloween-scary-kids-study-finds.html

Halloween Too Scary for Some Kids, Study Finds

It is the adults who should be afraid this Halloween. Not of ghouls and goblins, but of permanently scarring their children.

In a recent study of six- and seven-year-olds in the Philadelphia area, Penn State psychologist Cindy Dell Clark found that most parents underestimate just how terrifying the holiday can be for young kids.

Halloween has been scaring the heck out of kids of all ages for centuries.


Two thousand years ago, Celts living in what is now the United Kingdom celebrated their new year at the end of October. During these days of transition from the end of summer harvest to the beginning of winter, spirits were thought to roam among the living.


unsafe says ---Another article here ----

Is it good to make kids afraid?
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/moral-landscapes/201010/is-it-good-make-kids-afraid

What we know is that children of different ages perceive media in different ways:

• Children under 5 have problems distinguishing reality and fantasy in media.

• Children under 7 are usually scared by spooky fantasy (e.g., The Incredible Hulk, sharks in Finding Nemo). It doesn't much matter what the adult says (‘it's not real') because it feels real to the child.

• Children 8-12 are most frightened by realistic violence (e.g., people breaking in the home, storms).

I'm not saying that children should not have scary experiences. But they should be within their control. In our ancient past, children would have listened to the adults telling stories and interpreting dreams. Listening to stories allows the individual to imagine as much as scariness they can handle.

unsafe says ----
Handling Halloween needs discerning from parents to know their child's limits when preparing for this event in my opinion -----all kids are different and some can handle scary and some can't -----know what your child can and can't handle when it comes to Trick or Treating

Many houses have these scary sounds playing outside when the kids are approaching a house ----How does it affect your young child is the question ----

 

[chansen]

The same people who promote the idea of eternal torment in hell for those who do not believe correctly, say Halloween is too scary.

This is beyond f***ed up, people.

 

[Jaebius]

The same people who promote the idea of eternal torment in hell for those who do not believe correctly, say Halloween is too scary.

This is beyond f***ed up, people.

The concern for some Christians is that Halloween may be too evil. For example, my pastor calls it "The Witches New Year" as he warns us to avoid it due to what he sees as its dark nature.

 

[chansen]

Teaching children that God killing everyone is acceptable and not scary, as is the potential eternal separation from the people they love who don't believe as they've been told to believe, but Halloween is "dark".

How am I supposed to respect that? Do you even believe it, or are you back again to floating ideas that will get a reaction?

 

[Jaebius]

Teaching children that God killing everyone is acceptable and not scary, as is the potential eternal separation from the people they love who don't believe as they've been told to believe, but Halloween is "dark".

We don't teach children, or anyone for that matter, that God is going to kill everyone.

How am I supposed to respect that? Do you even believe it, or are you back again to floating ideas that will get a reaction?

I'm genuinely struggling over whether my family should celebrate the day or not. While I do appreciate what my pastor is saying, in another way I feel Halloween is just a fun day for kids to dress up and get candy.

 

[Northwind]

There are streams of thought/practice that explains disasters and such as god's will. We are apparently called to meditate on the reasons and lessons.

Here's an interesting article commenting on this: If Your God is a Jerk—It Might Be You

 

[Mendalla]

While I do appreciate what my pastor is saying, in another way I feel Halloween is just a fun day for kids to dress up and get candy.

This. Just this. A pastor is just one more opinion. An educated one in some cases, perhaps, but still just one more opinion.

 

[chansen]

We don't teach children, or anyone for that matter, that God is going to kill everyone.

Did. Almost everyone. In the past. Promises not to do it again, I recall. Great guy.

I'm genuinely struggling over whether my family should celebrate the day or not. While I do appreciate what my pastor is saying, in another way I feel Halloween is just a fun day for kids to dress up and get candy.

I think your pastor is an idiot. Of all the problems in the world to rail against, this is such a non-thing. But, again, this sort of thing provides those under his influence something to be outraged about.

 

[Seeler]

I've seen it happen even with adults. Semi-darkness, psychological atmosphere, careful placement of the actor, etc. can work wonders for the imagination.

We visited a restored Railway Station in McAdam - full of antiques and atmosphere from the glory days of rail. Seelerman said 'Excuse me' as he walked in front of a 'young lady' in the 1st class waiting room. I almost spoke to a 'conductor' in full uniform. Yes, maniquins can be very lifelike.

 

[Mrs.Anteater]

I think, unsafes article has a point. As someone grown up without Halloween but with Mardi Gras, where you just dress up for fun, I did experience parents taking their six year olds into haunted houses where teenagers in costumes run after little scared kids.
I do think that there is a lot of parents out there, that have no clue how kids imagination works and just laugh it off. Don't want to say that this scars kids permanently, but it firstly could be traumatic or secondly just get kids used to scary cruel things, like tv brutality does too. I can't imagine this being of any benefit for kids.
My son , at the age between five and seven or eight, did not collect yugio cards like everyone else ,because some of those creatures were looking scary. He later lost that fear and now as adult has no trouble with the walking dead, but I remember taking him and his friend to a haunted house when he was ten or so, where we litterally were chased by scary looking teenagers so that I had to yell at them to back off. I didn't realize there would be real people in there.

 

[Delightful Life]

I can imagine that a yelling mommahog can be quite intimidating

 

[Luce NDs]

Intimate suggestions that do sowel without brusque forces ... gentility as the sowels are laced up ... and the parents say shue flie ... as the neighbour's wish that sol-son would stop affecting the dot'rs ... terrible spots being sounded out ... for depth!

If sweet talked ... no bottom tue-M ... could be the death of you when looking after the tribulation ... concerns following the act?

Some even plan for it ... conspiracies ...

 

[unsafe]

Here is the thing to consider for Christians and I am talking Holy Spirit filled Christians here ---


Is there some way that Christ--ians Glorify God in celebrating a day called Halloween ---- As Christ--ians we are to Glorify God in all we do ---

John 15:18-19 (ERV)
Jesus Warns His Followers
18 “If the world hates you, remember that they hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as it loves its own people. But I have chosen you to be different from those in the world. So you don’t belong to the world, and that is why the world hates you.

Is there any suggestions as to how to celebrate Halloween with our kids and Glorify God in doing that ??

-------this may help -----