First, there was the War on Christmas. Then came the War on Thanksgiving.
Now, the stage is set for a spooky new holiday battle: Halloween.
Notably, the clash is marked by an unlikely alliance between religious activists and progressive parents who are both determined to end Halloween celebrations – although for different reasons.
Welcome to the War on Halloween.
Time to Cancel Halloween?
The state of Pennsylvania is home to some of history’s most hallowed battle sites. And Montgomery County appears to be continuing that tradition.
The Lower Merion School District in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania recently announced that its annual school Halloween parade – a tradition that goes back at least 50 years – is over.
Parents received letters in the mail on October 7th informing them that the parades at all six of the district’s elementary schools are canceled due to concerns that the parade is simply not inclusive enough.
"First, there are concerns for the safety and security of students parading outside among a crowd of unscreened adults on our field," explained the director of school and community relations.
"Another [reason for canceling the parade] is the lack of inclusivity of students whose families do not celebrate Halloween for religious or cultural reasons."
Parents Fume
Parents, many of whom experienced the very same parade when they were kids, did not take kindly to the news.
"I feel like it's just crossing the line, and where does it end?” pondered Linda Joseph, a parent in the school district. “So, next people are going to be offended by pumpkins? So we're going to take away pumpkins or jack-o-lanterns or pumpkin carving?"
"Will they be canceling recess? School sports - soccer, baseball, lacrosse, etc. What about kids who don't make those teams?" asked Linda Fox, another local parent. "Are they no longer inclusive?”
A Growing Movement
The incident mirrors similar incidents of schools canceling or suspending Halloween celebrations out of concern that they leave some students feeling excluded and risk spreading cultural appropriation, among other things.
Last year, a Seattle elementary school canceled its own Halloween parade after parents and administrators decided it wasn’t inclusive enough.
"Historically, the Pumpkin Parade marginalizes students of color who do not celebrate the holiday,” explained a Seattle Public Schools spokeswoman at the time. "In alliance with SPS’s unwavering commitment to students of color, specifically African American males, the staff is committed to supplanting the Pumpkin Parade with more inclusive and educational opportunities during the school day."
Citing a lack of actual complaints about Halloween, critics have argued that canceling the celebrations for fear of causing offense is a good example of administrators looking for solutions to a problem that doesn’t really exist.
But interestingly, this new breed of Halloween critic has a very unlikely ally in the fight to cancel Halloween: conservative Christians.
Trick or Treat
Certain faith leaders have long condemned Halloween as a celebration of the occult and a distraction from Jesus' teachings.
But this year has brought renewed fears from some parents who argue that Halloween is an unholy Pagan celebration that might claim your child’s very soul
“Please ask yourself if not only your mind but your children’s minds are strong enough to ward off the hypnotization and bewitching trance that will be coming through the screen to aid in the desensitization of the coming evil in this world,” warned concerned mother Jamie Gooch in a Facebook post that went viral earlier this month. “Don’t fall victim to the schemes of hell.”
The movie entrancing children into a Satanic lifestyle? The new Disney Plus release ‘Hocus Pocus 2’.
At first glance, one might mistake this theory for the plot of a B-level horror movie. A sinister force corrupting children through the warming glow of the television?
But the threat is real, insists Gooch – and many of her fellow believers are echoing the warning.
What Comes Next for Halloween?
The holiday remains beloved by children (and adults) everywhere, but these rumblings of reform leave the future of spooky season in doubt.
Wiccan and pagan groups have long criticized the way that Halloween has been commercialized and divorced from its true history.
And now we have religious conservatives and progressive activists aligning against the holiday? Two groups that rarely agree on anything, and yet here they are, agreeing that Halloween oughta make like a witch’s spell and disappear.
Regardless of the reasoning, the calls to change – or cancel – Halloween appear to be growing louder.
Should that worry Halloween enthusiasts? Where do you stand on the matter?
124 comments
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William Edward Giers
To be factual, the Muslims were killing Christian pilgrims to the Middle East by the thousands for years BEFORE the response that has been called the Crusades. All terrible wrong but needs to be reported accurately. Much like the need to report the horrors the Japanese perpetrated on Korea, China, and later on Allied troops in WW ll. Read the rape of Nanking, "comfort girls", and the horrible torture committed on Allied troops. Japan was only weeks away from their own A-Bomb and knowing how difficult it was to make did not believe the US had more than one. When trying to speak to history, tell the truth. Even if it is not supportive of your point.
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William Edward Giers
As the premise is to eliminate events that are not 100% inclusive, why not ban circumcision? Or as some refer to it as male genital mutilation.
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Ronald Jay Schultz
Nope, ain't gonna happen woke lovers! You will unleash an "insurrection" in the true sense of the word, like you've never seen before! Lighten up and stop killing everyone's buzz, man! 🎃👻🤡👺💀🤖👽🎃
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Ryan Simpson
I do not support the banning of any tradition that you as an individual can control whether you want to participate in with your own free will we as a people have the right to decide for our selfs if you are one leading the pack to ban traditional activities just don’t go to them no one will miss you who chose to attend everyone should focus on there own values and not force them on others remember god gave us free will is it at your discretion forcing others to follow is as satanic as it gets
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Darlene Cunningham
Exactly why I will never go to church or believe in the Bible
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Danny Ray Henderson
The Cancel Culture Group itself needs to be cancelled instead before it really gets even more out of control.
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Takaya Kovani Sweeney
It seems that we are swiftly approaching another inquisition era.
The sane quiet majority had better start fighting back.
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Daniel Joseph Morse
Christian Nationalism is pretty scary to me. I don't like any pattern that requires "belief" in anything I can't physically sense or measure. If I have MY personal goodwill, I'm complete.
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Rev_Shaun
"First, there are concerns for the safety and security of students parading outside among a crowd of unscreened adults on our field," explained the director of school and community relations"
What a TOTAL plonker, as we say here in the UK! The professional perverts of the child abuse industry have really gotten to him. Kids are surrounded by 'unscreened adults' everywhere they go. Every time they go to the shops with their parents, to the swimming baths, to watch a sports event. Utter twit! should not be working with children!
Actually, there is a far better reason to 'cancel' Halloween - it is just plain DUMB!
It is a totally plastic, completely made up, utterly bogus 'festival' that exists for no other reason than to make money for big business. Here in the UK, when I was young, Halloween was unheard of. It simply did not exist. What DID exist was Guy Fawkes Night, when we celebrated the attempt by one set of Christians to blow up another set of Christians while they were in our Houses of Parliament.
We used to 'celebrate' this failed attempt at terrorism by stuffing an old pair of trousers and a shirt with newspaper and sticking a balloon on its head with a paper machier face mask on. This, we would then dump outside a pub or a busy bus stopped and shout 'penny for the guy' in the hope that people would give us money. They mostly did, but we would have to dodge the cops quite a lot as this form of begging was illegal and they would confiscate our guy and our money (which they would spend on drink). At the end of the night, we'd share the spoils and go and buy sweets - or as you lot call them 'candies'. Then, on the night of the 5th November, we kids would assemble in someone's garden, or find some big open space where 100's of people including countless number of 'unscreened adults' would get together and build the mother of all fires, over which we would cook potatoes in foil while watching fireworks go off and playing with sparklers, which could seriously burn you! I dont ever recall any kid ever getting burned by one.
So, back to this STUPID and utterly DUMB Halloween thing. Now my ministry is based on reason, logic and evidence. So, what 'evidence' do we have to the existence of 'ghosts', 'ghouls' and people rising from the dead and all other things this plastic event 'celebrates'.
Errrr - that will be a big fat ZERO then! So, why are we filling kids head with this dire nonsense? What is the message that parents are giving to kids when the waste all their money on this environment damaging Chinese made TRASH?
In 35 years as teacher and a youth worker, I totally ignored it. When it came round on a night we were meeting, I always made sure we had some really postive and fun activities to do that made the kids totally forget it.
Honestly, I do wish we would stop lying to kids about this - it is just plain dumb and utter drivel. I mean, what next, telling them their Christmas presents are being delivered to them in a reindeer powered sky taxi driven by a white bearded man in a Coca Cola coloured outfit! Oh, wait!
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Pastor George Day
Rev_Shaun,
Where in the UK are you based, and what is the name of your church/ministry?
I a based in London and my church is run on Zoom https://theologyofthebody.webador.co.uk/.
I just realized that we ULC ministers cannot legally perform weddings in the UK. We can, however, perform them in the US and ask them to be recognized in the UK. So I had to adapt my professional services page https://theologyofthebody.webador.co.uk/professional-services-1
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Julie Lehmkuhl
Just another bunch of counterculture elitists trying to force their views on everyone else. I’m sick of letting cry babies run and ruin just plain fun fantasies.
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Tracy Morley
Totally agree. I am a pagan that follows a wiccan and a druid path. Ancient religions founded in love, tradition, nature and energy. Our main "rule"? Do no harm. How that can be seen as evil is beyond me. What I also do not do is try to force my beliefs on to others.
Halloween is an age old tradition to honour our ancesters, during a time of balance at the autumn equinox. A time to reflect and give thanks for the year past and to start afresh for the coming year.
If anyone can see bad in that, I pity you and I wish you strength and the sight of clarity. But hey, you do you, and I'll do me.
Blessed Be to all.
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William Edward Giers
Historically, if you cannot really gather a solid crowd to follow you, you must create a "common enemy". Real or not, this has been the most effective tactic. The international website "NextDoor" has banned all reference to "religion" and there are members that quickly and strongly report. I posted my grace before the meal at Thanksgiving and was banned for 9 days. I mentioned the commercialization of Christmas last year and was banned for 30 days. And was called many nasty names. Personally, I believe to allow people to do what they want as long as I am not forced to do it. Sadly, it seems things are heading to a climax of some sort.
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Amber Fry
Trouble is that there was never really a war on the holidays in the first place. It's a misplaced focus. It was more about controlling everyone else. It was about one group deciding what it should be for everyone and claiming foul when everyone else decided that isn't what they wanted for themselves. All most people want is to be able to decide for themselves and to to be left to do their own thing. Now if that original group took that as a snub, that's on that group. Nobody ever told them they cannot practice their way, just extend the same cutesy to others of different faiths.
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Heidi Gould
I am a big supporter of the "Separation of Church and State" public school ought be a secular institution also like going to work...yeah offices may have the annual Office Christmas Party but after hours! There are many other venues to learn about various religions and celebrations of their holidays but keep it out of school.. How many of us have complained about the basic adulting skills they are not teaching in schools any more!! Many have stopped teaching cursive writing!!
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William Edward Giers
The separation of church and state only means that the government cannot create/select a religion as the official religion and force it on everything and ban any other religion as the English Kings had. And that the leader of the government is also the leader of the religion. i.e. The practice of Catholicism was banned and being a Catholic would mean torture, seizing of all property, and death. The US Constitution includes GOD and references to the "creator" and religion is allowed as long as there is no official religion, and the government is not also the leader of the official religion. The US Military has Pagan and Satan Chaplains and grave markers with those symbols. Better inclusion than many governments.
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Pastor George Day
William Edward Giers,
That is solely because the US is a hybrid country, with citizens of many different descents.
It would work well for the Vatican or the UK not to have the pope or the king as heads of the established churches in each respective country. It is just the nature of their peculiar story.
As an evangelical Christian, of the Messianic Jewish denomination, I have no issue with King Charles as representing Christianity in my country.
I a also a Sealander and I have Italian origins. In Sealand, we have a non-denominational chapel, since our Prince endorses all beliefs. Italy is historically predominantly Catholic, but that is no longer the case since Rome was taken by Garibaldi and the Vatican was recognized as the continuation of the Pontifical state.
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Heidi Gould
At first I thought, why cancel as opposed to working to make Halloween celebrations more inclusive/accessible but then I considered those being "left out" due to religious beliefs. Then I realized the holidays celebrated in school are mostly christian based or have horrible history...Yeah, Halloween is the one most obvious not christian but to be more inclusive and celebrate freedom of religion, to celebrate all religious or otherwise holidays, when would the kids learn anything?? They'd have the whole year off or be studying nothing but holidays! The whole curriculum could be National Day of... So yeah, I vote all holiday celebrations AT School be canceled. Families could call in the excuse for days absent due to familial religious celebrations. Days off can be strictly seasonal, when kids need a break, and the increasing number of snow days or days off due to inclement weather!
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Pastor George Day
Heidi Gould,
This is the same as cancelling a cultural identity. I don't see the benefit n that.
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Rev. Deborah L. Halstead
I get schools being concerned about inclusivity, however, rather than banning celebrations they feel are not inclusive enough, they should seek to add celebrations that focus more specifically on the groups they feel are being left out and consider it educational diversity!
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Pastor George Day
Rev. Deborah L. Halstead,
I'm afraid that would clash with core fundamental values.
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Kathryn Darcy Smith
Christian fear mongering regarding hell and pagan deities is brainwashing of millennia of oppressing outlying cultures to build their male-dominated money collecting temples. Long live Samhain!
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David Buck
In every period of history there seems to be some 'ism' that sweeps the world. Communism after WWI, then fascism which caused WWII, then communism again post war. Now we have 'wokeism' which as far as I am concerned is every bit as dangerous as fascism. My take on 'inclusiveness' is simple - if there is a celebration of some sort be it Halloween, or Christmas or Ramadan - if it fits in with your belief system or you just feel (like joining in) you participate; if it doesn't you don't. It is never too early for kids to learn that the world does not revolve around them, life is not fair and that they don';t always get what they want. I loathe the people who push these new 'isms' on the rest of us. Time to tell them to take a long walk off a short pier. I am not averse to giving them a push, either.
Do not even get me started on anybody who thinks that simply cutting a couple of eyeholes in a sheet and pretending to be a ghost while you solicit candy, will imperil your mortal soul. I would venture to say that it takes much more than that.
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Rev. Howard Slayton
People need to lighten up on kids having innocent fun. Halloween has been a tradition ever since I can remember. Chill out!
And what is this brand new word you hear every where? Woke? Woke this and woke that. Where does society come up with these words? Do they send them out from the White House? When Trump was in office, the magic word was Recuse. I have to recuse my self from this case.
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Pastor George Day
Rev. Howard Slayton,
You read my mind!!
It reminds me of a dog barking: woke !! woke !!
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Ealdormon Piparskeggr Robinson
I just shake my head and wonder why people cannot just let kids be kids and have a childhood uncluttered by adult concerns and foibles.
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Rev Nolan
While I agree, we can and ought to do so without supporting or promoting terrorism.
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
celebrating halloween is supporting or promoting terrorism? how so?
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Rev Nolan
Have you no idea what All Hallows’ Eve is, or All Saints Eve? Read my post above that begins with “I’m a very open minded person.”
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Tracy Morley
Im sorry, but how dare you? Maybe you have no idea what All Hallows Eve is about. Please, have some thought about the words that you type to people you do not know. I will forgive your ignorance as I belive your Son of God did, but please do not propogate it as truth. Bessed Be.
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Rev Nolan
I dare say the truth. All Hallows Eve celebrates and supports terrorism. I cannot apologize for stating historical fact.
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Pastor George Day
Rev Nolan,
I am a Christian. Yet, I still cannot fathom how you can claim that.
While I do not support Halloween, I respect the freedom to celebrate it. It is called freedom of religion.
I would never approve of a freedom of religion that even condones terrorism.
How can you make such an association? Please enlighten me!
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Rev. B
That is hands-down the funniest unintentionally ironic statement I have ever seen. Thank you for the belly laugh.
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Pastor George Day
Rev. B
If you are referring to Rev Nolan's comment, I agree with you 100%. I still disagree with Halloween though :-)
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shiningwolf9
The United States if made up of the many different peoples of the world, whom have brought with them many traditions, beliefs, and celebration; some of which have been acclimated by people other than those from whom these traditions have come. For a government to blanket any tradition, celebration, holy day, etc..., to halt the same on the basis of those who may not hold them as sacred, or celebratable has no authority with which to implement a whole eradication of a peoples, or societies ability to express worship, joy, or a communities way of gathering to bring others together. When such an annihilation to an established tradition. which gives a community the ability to break down barriers and creates a moment in time of camaraderie, laughter, and peace, is allowed. there can be a break down in the organizational capability inherently useful in producing long lasting effects of humanities possibilities of cohesiveness in building a world where all people can feel safe, and heard.
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Bishop William Dusenberry, DD
Halloween caused the Roman Catholic Church to change the name of the Holy Ghost from the Holy Ghost to the Holy Spirit — even though the other two parts of the Trinity objected to this name-change
Mel Gibson made a fortune due to this name change, by making the myth-based movie “The Passion of the Christ” (or, close to it).
Without ghosts, Holy or not, there would be no transubstantiation, and without transubstantiation, there would be no Holy Ghost (ergo, no Halloween).
The candy business makes more money due to Halloween — but not as much as the dentists do for the decades afterward.
The most popular Halloween costume, worldwide, is the Holy Ghost, who fathered Jesus for whom Christianity got its name.
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Pastor George Day
William Dusenberry,
The Holy Ghost or Spirit is just an English translation. In Italian and Latin there's only one word: Spirito Santo (Spiritus Sanctus). You may refer to the different translations of the Bibles, but that is another story...again to do with English, not churches.
The Ruach HaKodesh is identified with Lady Wisdom in Juda. So, it would be better to say that the Holy Spirit mothered Jesus. In fact, in the Trinity, he is in the constant action of generating the Son from the Father.
Jim Caviezel is a good friend of mine - he plays Jesus in The Passion. I shall ask what Mel Gibson had n mind.
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
americans will spend around $10 Billion for halloween (candy, costumes for people and pets, decorations etc) $10 Billion so yeah, it is definitely an underserved holiday reserved only for the holiest of holies
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Pastor George Day
Rev. Dr. Father JJ,
Is that your prosperity gospel :-)
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Thomas Edwin Peterson
Imo let those who don't enjoy a little scare invent their own holiday to cover Halloween like they did Christ-mas. let those who like Halloween alone. It's not a big deal. Live life and enjoy. It's not necessary to be all inclusive to all people. Life and it's opportunities is not all inclusive. If it were retirees on SS would have a reasonable amount of money to live on.
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Reverend Kurt
Halloween being an American event, is not so much celebrated elsewhere. Disregarding the meaning and marketing behind Halloween,, do you really want generations of kids poisoned by the chemical compounds in the "treats". Colouring,humicants, presertives, hydrolysed vegetable protein(trans fatty acids), flavouring compounds? All these compounds contribute to cancer, heart disease, stroke auto immune conditions like arthritis and irritable bowel syndrome just to name a few examples. Can there not be a healthier way to celebrate Halloween???
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Tracy Morley
Sorry, its not American, its Celtic, and has nothing to do with "junk sweets".
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Tracy Morley
Comment removed by user.
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Pastor George Day
Reverend Kurt,
And some of them are made of animal bones... not nice to kill animals to celebrate Halloween! In the New World, we will all be vegan!
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Colleen McAllister
No day celebrated is all-inclusive. Christmas does not include those of other faiths. (Though Santa Claus allows a secular celebration). Easter does not include other faiths. (Easter Bunny for the non-religious). New Year is different for many people. The list would actually go on for pages.
What makes a holiday good or bad is the way you mark its passage. There never has been a war in Christmas, or Easter, or any other day. There have always been those who want to rile things up or attract attention. Best thing is to ignore them.
By the way I watched Hocus Pocus 2. Nothing satanic there.
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Pastor George Day
Colleen McAllister,
I think you said that before ;-) LOL !!
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Colleen McAllister
No day celebrated is all-inclusive. Christmas does not include those of other faiths. (Though Santa Claus allows a secular celebration). Easter does not include other faiths. (Easter Bunny for the non-religious). New Year is different for many people. The list would actually go on for pages.
What makes a holiday good or bad is the way you mark its passage. There never has been a war in Christmas, or Easter, or any other day. There have always been those who want to rile things up or attract attention. Best thing is to ignore them.
By the way I watched Hocus Pocus 2. Nothing satanic there.
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Richard Darwin Richards
Jesus includes ALL sinners which means ALL of us humans. All Jesus holidays are ALL inclusive.
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Pastor George Day
Colleen McAllister,
Satan appears as an angel of light. I would be surprised if you were to see him explicitly in a movie! He isn't stupid.
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Colleen McAllister
No day celebrated is all-inclusive. Christmas does not include those of other faiths. (Though Santa Claus allows a secular celebration). Easter does not include other faiths. (Easter Bunny for the non-religious). New Year is different for many people. The list would actually go on for pages.
What makes a holiday good or bad is the way you mark its passage. There never has been a war in Christmas, or Easter, or any other day. There have always been those who want to rile things up or attract attention. Best thing is to ignore them.
By the way I watched Hocus Pocus 2. Nothing satanic there.
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Pastor George Day
Colleen McAllister,
Three times now :-)
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Rev Nolan
I’m a very open minded person. I don’t mind celebrating the mass of the Christ on a pagan holiday, but I enjoy family get-togethers brought about by the festive beliefs in the birth of Jesus, even though I don’t believe in The Atonement of Jesus Christ. I don’t mind celebrating the pagan holiday of Ishtar in the name of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the American and Canadian Thanksgivings because of how these bring family values back into homes and to locations of family celebrations. Just because a holiday is pagan or transpires on a pagan holiday or is in honor of a celebrity doesn’t make it bad. However, All Saints Eve or Halloween is quite different than any Christian or other holiday of the year.
The Saints of All Saints Eve and Day are Christian Crusader terrorists turned martyrs in the name of Jesus. Something like well over 10 million Muslims - civilian men, women, and children - along with non-conforming Christians and non-converting Jews and LGBT+ 🏳️🌈 individuals - were brutally murdered - massacred - and defended themselves against these Christian terrorists who are now dubbed Saints on Halloween. It horrifyingly lsticks in the minds of the descendants of survivors to this day. Halloween for good reason is a day of bitter mourning for those who know the facts about this sacred celebration, but it is also a day of extremely cruel ignorance on part of those who celebrate it. If you witnessed your own son or daughter, brother, sister, or parent get shredded alive because you refused to embrace the powerful UgaBuga Cult, would you join in the national celebration of your child’s brutal murder by UgaBuga Cult members through tricks or treats, in masks and costumes of ghosts, goblins, demons, and psychotic serial killers, and so on? Well, if you said yes, celebrate in good conscience, but if you said no, honor the true martyrs of the many faiths and lifestyles involved by chastising those who uphold the Christian serial killers of the Christian Crusades. You or someone you know and love may be next. It may even be you. Halloween is not a time to celebrate for anyone of sound mind.
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Candace Sue Singleton
Samhain has been around FAR LONGER then the genocidal antics of Christians slaughtering in the name of God.
There was no slaughter, terrorism, or anything else like them, during Samhain/Halloween. Don't stick Christian tactics on our Holidays.
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Rev Nolan
I support all Pagan holidays, even though I’m not a pagan.
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Pastor George Day
Candace Sue Singleton,
They just used to offer human sacrifices... Not bad at al is it?
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Pastor George Day
Rev Nolan,
Well said! Even better, would those who celebrate Halloween let their children celebrate 'ISIS -' or 'Hamas - een'??
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Robert Gagnon
Mexico is very Catholic but celebrate the day of the dead. It is an honoring of dead relatives. In appearance it is more Satanic than Halloween. And man do they have a blast with it. Just because some families don't recognize Halloween does not mean that their kids should not be aware of it. If they are not allowed to participate that, it is the option (fault) of the parents that they are being excluded. Everyone else should not suffer because of the ignorance of parents. Have your parade and those who are excluded just miss out. Oh well
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Matthew Mastrogiovanni
First, let's ban the bible. The largest work of: genocide, infanticide, incest and human sacrifice ... in the world.
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Candace Sue Singleton
Everything that David Owen Buck stated is absolutely true. The world is not fair. Not everyone wins, there are always losers. If you want something you WORK for it, nothing is handed to you. All this inclusive stuff is getting out of hand. Not all the children should get trophies for just BEING THERE. They must learn how the world really works. This is also why these younger generations are growing up and whining about EVERYTHING, because they have been taught that they should always get rewarded for just existing. What is the point of competition if there are no winners or losers?
This is SO ridiculous!! Inclusivity doesn't not apply to all things. If one family wants to celebrate Halloween and their neighbors do not, those neighbors DO NOT have the right to tell the other family they can't celebrate it. If you do not want to celebrate a holiday, then don't. BUT, do not place YOUR beliefs on others, we don't want it, we don't need it, GO AWAY!
As for Halloween? Do Christians even KNOW what Halloween/Samhain means? NO, they don't. The tradition is that on Halloween the veil between the dead and the living is at it's thinnest and the dead will walk among the living for the night. They wore costumes to keep the dead from bothering them and set extra plates at the table for their own loved departed. The Devil (which is ONLY a Christian construct) is not even part of the holiday.
Christianity is the ONLY religion that does it's level best to shove their beliefs down everyone's throat, choking us. Do you EVER see any other religion doing that? NO. Christians...STOP IT! We don't bother you, so don't bother us. That is one reason that I left that establishment religion. They are hypocrites and believe in the most outrageous things and it's only getting worse. The country was based on FREEDOM OF RELIGION, freedom to choose how you want to worship.
The woke parents and the Christians have WAY too much time on their hands if they are worrying and making a big stink over a beloved holiday traditions. You want kids to be kids and enjoy their youth, but y'all keep trying to take away the things they enjoy.
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JaZe
Honi soit qui mal y pense?
Chacun a son gout?
🧙♀️🧙♂️🧙♀️🧙♂️🧙♀️🧙♂️
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William Edward Giers
So, what about Islam? Anyone who is not Muslim can be cheated, lied to, made a slave, and killed etc.
I know of no other religion that sanctions cutting off the heads of non-believers. AND before someone posts that Islam is a peaceful religion and the killers are an aberration, there has been no major outcry from Imans or religious leaders against terrorist acts, murder, beheadings, flying planes into buildings, etc. Silence is condoning.
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Pastor George Day
William Edward Giers,
I fully agree. The latest example was October 7!
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Pastor George Day
Candace Sue Singleton,
You left the established church, and yet here you are, in another church... just a bit less 'established.'
I am a firm believer in free speech and freedom of expression, which is why I a a proud member of this church. But I also believe in the right of Christians to carry out the Great Commission.
As for celebrating Halloween, look what it did to Meredith Kercher!
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Daniel Joseph Morse
Fine, ban the bible, I think it's the work of stupid, corrupt old men anyway - like a Bronze Age "Facebook". The only purpose I can find for religion is "control" of the peasants/populace. Are people so gutless they'd rather "believe" than say "I don't know." "Believing" and letting others interpret your "belief" just allows them control over you. No way.
Wanna ban Halloween, go for it. I sure don't care. It started as a Catholic thing "All Hallow's Eve" sort of a catch-all for blessings of saints, as if you can get a blessing from a dead person. Or a dead person can be a "saint". All junk --unless you "believe". Now a keg of "old-beer" to celebrate the end of harvest time with friends, that would be good. But saints and devils and "scary" crap is all just that.
Maybe Hallow's Eve was a pagan harvest thing before the Catholics grabbed it. Just like Christmas was a pagan holiday for the solstice before Byzantine Emperor Constantine I designated the first christmas. It was set a couple days off solstice for marketing reasons to get the old-pagans caught up in it. Connie lived from AD272 - AD337 and was the first Christian Roman Emperor. Christmas has nothing to do with fictional presentations of the birth of the fictional christ.
Christos and islamics are at least equally dumb. Where would an islamic find 72 virgins?
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Pastor George Day
Daniel Joseph Morse,
Are you a 'Bol-Shevik'? You sound like one!
No pun intended... go figure! LOL
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Candace Sue Singleton
Brilliant!!! And it was written by man.
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Pastor George Day
Matthew Mastrogiovanni,
Sam old song!
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Halloween is THE number #3 holiday in the US. What kid does NOT like Halloween? Everyone know is as a fun holiday which has NOTHING to do with religion.... Until now. Young people are looking at Christian religious activists as being dope/stupid/idiots and people who just don't want to allow kids to have any fun.
THE real reason Christian religious activists will never put an end to Halloween is that it makes way too much money for retailers. Capitalisms always wins out over religion.
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
Yup, and this is when we come for the souls of your children....sheesh the nonsense people believe in. why is halloween scary but some dude nailed to a tree, killed, buried in a cave and rises up from the dead a couple of days later is not scary? I mean for Dog's sake we're talking about a zombie god that people worship (and eat and drink of).
And let's be honest, halloween is no more about Satan than xmas is about chrismas or easter is about rabbits laying eggs the zombie dude leaving the cave and predicting 6 more weeks of winter. It's all made up nonsense to amuse or scare children
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Lyle Roy Gleason
This is, hands down, the funniest reply I've ever seen about Christianity, and is (sadly,) so very true. 'Christians' the world over have to remember that theirs is a completely manufactured religion, and at the Council of Liscea, Christ's elevation to 'Messiah' level had to be voted on, (and the result was far from unanimous!') Any TRUE messiah should not need to be voted in, or Hitler, Stalin, Putin, and Trump could have all run for that office! GROW UP, WORLD!!!
The Rev. L. Roy Gleason
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Pastor George Day
Lyle Roy Gleason,
Where on earth did you even get that from? I've never heard a more ridiculous claim in my entire scholarly years!
Nicaea (not L-, by the way) was about discussing Yeshua's divinity. It was implicitly claimed in the early professions of faith but not explicitly stated. This was even more needed with the rise of Arianism which is ancient Jehovah's Witnesses (= no Trinity).
That Yeshua is the promised Messiah is established in Judaism. The Pharisees understood that, but they also understood the implications. They belonged to the school that awaited a political warrior. Yeshua was after the model of Is 53: the suffering servant.
That meant that all their established system was to take - so they tried to get rid of him.
Interestingly, the early followers of Yeshua were Messianic Jews and were quite popular among the common Jews. They worshiped at the Solomon colonnade, and in private homes. They started the Greek Jewish tradition of the Afikomen, which relates to the Eucharist in the context of Passover.
The only form of Judaism that has survived is the Rabbinical school (the Pharisees). They still practice the Afikomen, and yet they cannot tell you the origin of it, nor why it has a Greek, non-Jewish name!
Go figure!
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Pastor George Day
Rev. Dr. Father JJ,
First, he rose on the third day - and, to be precise, on the feast of the first harvest, three days after Passover.
Second, I don't blaspheme your deity. Why are you blaspheming our deity? Is that a sign of ULC universalism ad respect?
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Stupid is as….well, apparently as Xtians and the Unwoke Woke do.
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Pastor George Day
Dr. Zerpersande, NSC,
Scroll up. All inaccuracy is so far widespread only from non-Christians.
If you want to fight Christianity, I'm up for it. Just quote the REAL facts!
Respectfully :-)
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Barbara Harris
As a Pagan and a witch, Halloween/Samhain have always been my favorite holiday. And what isn't inclusive about it? If you don't want to wear a costume - don't. Leave your outside light off if you don't want trick or treaters.
And as to casting spells through the TV - well if I could I would have left my computer on and tied into it remotely so when I got back from vacation my house would have been spotless and the mess the cats made would have been cleaned up.
Oh well. Since all of this nonsense started a few years back I have experienced a backlash from people who were supposed to be close friends. They now are disgusted by people who identify as Pagan. So this goes hand in hand with their nonsense.
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Magistar Mormaer MacLean
"Another [reason for canceling the parade] is the lack of inclusivity of students whose families do not celebrate Halloween for religious or cultural reasons."
Just ridiculous, there are more pressing concerns to be putting one’s energy into.
And as a Pagan I will continue to observe Samhain, not only as part of my right to belief and practice but as a cultural marking of the year, something that has been done for many hundreds of years here in the Isles.
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Cindy L Edgar
I agree 💯% with you
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Richard Darwin Richards
Well, hallooween is Satan's holiday,,,
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Nathaniel Robert Hunt
Its a Pagan holiday and predates "Satan"
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David Cox
Thats what you think
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Lionheart
Satan is simply a religious construct with no evidence of its reality, much like your deity.
🦁❤️
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Pastor George Day
Lionheart,
I was wondering where you were!!
Merry Christmas, my friend :-)
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Lionheart
Have a wonderful festive season, Sir George.
I’m always here. Check out the latest blogs and not these old ones.
🦁❤️
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Cindy L Edgar
No Halloween is not celebrating Satan it's actually All hallows Eve which is a pagan belief which is celebrated by pagans across the world a lot of holidays that the Christian stole were pagan celebration I know because I am a pagan high priestess ordained minister
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Pastor George Day
Cindy L Edgar,
The Gospel is received by every culture. We never asked Gentiles to embrace Judaism. Hence, they kept their holidays but adapted to the Christian message.
25 December was the feast of the Son god. What better day to celebrate the birth of the Sun God?
We all know Yeshua wasn't born on Christmas day. He was born on Sukkot.
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Lionheart
I wonder if Yeshua was real? 🤔
🦁❤️
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Joe Stutler
Satan is mythological, so........
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Pastor George Day
Joe Stutler,
You have never needed an exorcism. Luck you!
Oh wait, it could be that the devil's got you already so he hides so as not to be cast out!
I'm praying for you!
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Lionheart
Oh, Sir George. I see you are still hanging on to those fairy tales and convincing yourself they are all real. That’s what faith, without justifiable evidence, does for everyone. It also has them talking to imaginary beings convincing them they are being heard by said imaginary being. Plus….it has them believing others need to be exorcised (psychoanalyzed) and not them.
Spoiler alert. There is no demonstrable evidence of a Devil, or the efficacy of the human construct, exorcism. They only exist in “Faith heads” that believe only in what they “read” and “feel” to be true by their imaginary holy feelings. Ring a bell?
🦁❤️
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Pastor George Day
Lionheart,
You are simply asserting with no prior investigation. That too is called faith!
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Lionheart
Please explain what you think I’m asserting when I merely ask for demonstrable evidence.
🦁❤️
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Pastor George Day
Lionheart,
The evidence is all around you - an intelligent mind behind the wonders of creation, which includes you.
If you can't see that, there's no evidence that will ever be to enough standard for your liking, I'm afraid.
The wise did say: keep it simple!
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Lionheart
Not true. The proof of science is in testing theories, and retesting, to show demonstrable evidential results of truth.
No one has yet proved that any of the supposed gods that mankind has created are real yet. I see plenty of evidence supporting evolution, which presumably you don’t, but possibly you do.
It would be nice if at least one of the gods actually showed up to prove he/she/it is real. One would have thought that a real omnipotent deity could actually do that, but I guess not. 🤷
It’s pretty sad that they rely on mankind to try and prove they are real. 🤭
🦁❤️
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Retta K Mallady
Sorry, I mistakenly gave you the 'thumb's up'. Halloween has nothing to do with your Satan. Satan is a Christian invention, not pagan. If I don't believe in your God, I'm not going to believe in your Satan... because they go together...right?! Also, in reading these comments, there is a certain David Cox who seems to be set on being particularly insulting and intolerable. Someone needs an attitude adjustment. It may be that karma keeps knocking at his door and he doesn't even know why. What you put out to folks comes back to you threefold!
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Richard Darwin Richards
The Bible actually states that what you do in life comes back to you SEVEN fold so be careful with that one!
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Pastor George Day
Richard Darwin Richards,
Check Mt 12:45. That isn't exactly wat it says...
Again, do your homework before you make these statements :-)
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Pastor George Day
Retta K Mallady,
Putting things on a scale, it seems to be the other way around: far more disrespect for Christianity I read here than vice versa.
And no, Christianity never invented the notion of the devi. Do your homework
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Lionheart
Those that wrote and created the Pentateuch did. All human beings. They have a lot to answer for.
🦁❤️
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A James Baird
Actually, it's a truncated word from "All Hallows' Eve." Since November 1st is "All Saints' Day," Halloween is the Christian night of reflection preceding the observance of the day dedicated to all of the Christian saints. Just as Christmas Eve is the night of refection preceding the day dedicated to the main Christian symbol. So, no, not Satanic in any way.
Yes, I know that it was stollen from the Pagan ritual of Samhain, I'm just answering the Christian view of the night.
Peace all! Acceptance is good for the soul!
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Richard Darwin Richards
So how did Satan overtake the Christian Holiday? I guess the same way he overtook Christmas with consumerism.
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Pastor George Day
A James Baird,
You are right in pointing out the Christian nature of the etiological nae. Nevertheless, what is celebrated is still Samhain.
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Tracy Morley
Satan, was he in the first novel or the sequel?
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Rev. B
He was retconned into the first chapter. He played "the serpent".
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Pastor George Day
Tracy Morley,
It's called Genesis chapter 3 :-)
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Michele Mae Bigler-Then
Satan is something Christians made up. Pagans have no Satan. Satan = Santa same letters 😆 Christians please quit trying to co-opt Pagan holidays, or vilafy the holidays you can't.
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Pastor George Day
Michele Mae Bigler-Then,
Wrong yet again...
Satan = Santanah
It's an Aramaic word and it means 'accuser'... don't recall any Christian Aramaic language! I thought that was Greek, which expanded at the time of the Maccabees.
So again, nothing to do with Christianity.
I reiterate: do your homework!!
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Katelynne Shouse
NOPE!!! Halloween Forever and screw anyone who feels otherwise.......
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Chris
If they're banning Halloween because not everyone celebrates it, then they definitely need to ban Christmas. Although this sounds less like "woke parents" and more like someone is trying too hard to satisfy everyone.
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Pastor George Day
Chris,
Many evangelicals, as well as Jehovah's Witnesses, do not celebrate Christmas. That's why we normally say: Happy Holidays!
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Shango MasterExorcist, D.D.
Christians will never succeed in cancelling Pagan celebrations like Halloween, as Pagan celebrations are based upon nature, like the world turning around and the seasons which will continue to exist at least as long as there are humans.
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Rev. MichaelRS
For centuries not everybody has always been included of every aspect of a society's life. Not everybody HAS to be.
Seems to me if you are parents with children that do not celebrate halloween, for whatever reason, the fact that your kids may not be included should make no difference. In fact it should be a good thing from your point of view.
If you're not letting your Little darlings run around and have fun with the other kids on Halloween night dressing up and collecting candy, when your children know that they are being left out of that activity with their friends because of your family's belief system, why should it matter if they're left out of the activity through school?
Lastly I wonder if they ever canceled a Martin Luther King Jr Day Parade because it wasn't inclusive enough? Did anybody ever care they were not enough white people or Asians participating in the festivities?
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James Riggle-Johnson
Personally, I don't know what they're talking about people of color being excluded. When I was a kid (and that was long ago), all the kids participated and it didn't matter what color skin they had. I have no idea where this crap comes from.
Those kids not allowed to participate can just act terrible to their parents who won't let them. LOL! Serves the parents right.
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Amber Fry
Depends on where you actually grew up. The majority of the country was pretty segregated for a long while. Some areas never quite got over that and to this day there are large enough portions of this country that still are to some degree. Yes, a large part of it does come from the parents. But it also comes from not having real consequences when it does go on.
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Cindy L Edgar
Halloween is called all hollow Eve and it is a pagan holiday I know because I'm an actual real pagan witch I look forward to this time of year every year so it means the Christians are trying to pull their crop again and make it only one religion and one religion only not ever happening
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David Cox
Thats why the world id full of hate because of people like you. God loves you and you think you are smarter than our creator..thats sad. Stop believing the devils lies and turn to the only God.
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Cindy L Edgar
You're funny there was only one God that would be a thing but there's not there's goddesses and gods and Christianity was made by the Roman empire so do your history
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Amber Fry
History and religious comparison. Too many people get stuck in what they know and refuse to understand anything else. It's a shame really... sucks the love right out of whatever religion they do practice.
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Pastor George Day
Cindy L Edgar,
It is you who needs to study your history. Christianity is the Gentile product of Judaism which has a long-standing tradition to the early days of Abraham - and I'm not even quoting Enoch or Noah, who predate all our current generations. So now, we are the oldest religion, I'm afraid!
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Candace Sue Singleton
The Devil/Satan is a Christian concept. Pagans do not believe in that.
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Pastor George Day
Candace Sue Singleton,
That's because he got you! And no, he is quoted in the book of Ezekiel, which predates Christianity.
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Michele Mae Bigler-Then
Mr. Cox sir, Which god would that be? Even Christian religions argue on which Christian god and religion is the "right" one. Wars have been fought between Christians on this. MANY many killed for their belief in what was deemed the wrong Christian religions by other christians. And how do you deal with being a Christian (and I'm only guessing here due to your condemning tone) when Christ was Jewish? I see no hate in the poster's comment. All Hallow's Eve, Samhain, has been around longer than Christianity. And if you're in the US there is freedom of religion. It means you are free to practice YOUR religion, but it doesn't include you forcing other people to practice it with you. It also includes freedom FROM religion.
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Pastor George Day
Michele Mae Bigler-Then,
I'm a Messianic Jew, which means I'm a Protestant Christian. You confuse the concept of religion (the binding of oneself to the worship of a particular god) with Christian and Jewish different traditions.
Judeo-Christianity far predates Sanheim, I'm afraid. After the flood, there were no survivors. Only Yahweh worshippers: Noh's family. We all descend from them.
And Yeshua is a manifestation of Yahweh.
Do your research :-)
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Pastor George Day
David Cox,
She will not hear your words. Let's pray that her eyes be opened to the truth of Yeshua and that he may grant her to see him for who he is, and receive a change of heart!
Amen!
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So I look forward to Halloween every year and Halloween is a pagan holiday and it's is really on the 26 the of October and kid get to have fun and even adults get to be something different once a year and leave the paganism holidays alone
Cindy L Edgar,
Enjoy your fellowship with the devil... He'll keep you warm in hell :-)