For those that don't celebrate Halloween...

[BLESSED1]

when people ask you if you have plans to celebrate it, and you tell them no, do they get mad at you? I've had several people at work ask me what my plans for halloween were, and I tell them nothing and leave it at that. Of course they want to press, they ask why and everytime I've responded with "I don't celebrate because I don't believe in it" And of course, they press SOME MORE They ask me why and I give my reason and people have gotten mad with me this week and I don't know why, I haven't been disrespectful THe reason is that ever since I joined my church, I stopped celebrating because my church teaches it's a pagan holiday w/ demonic roots (really brief summarization but they did say more than that). I don't know why that would make someone mad, I've never told these people they were this and that because they celebrate it, I just leave it alone...someone help me understand why these people acting p!ssed with me

 

[beverly]

I dont celebrate it either. I wouldnt worry about it though. I have several friends that went are going to halloween parties, and I just stayed home, its no biggie. I think my freinds know not to question me about it. I am sure they will get over it though.

 

[Sweet C]

U know that is interesting, b/c last year, I didn't even realize it was halloween, until I was in class, and this guy was joking saying that he was going to some party as a geography professor, and said that I was going as the globe. I at first didn't get it, until I looked at my jacket and realized that I had on one of my old Nautica coats that does look like a globe. I guess I don't remember holidays if I don't get a day off for them...LOL. But when people ask what I am doing, I typically tell them I am just staying at home, and its usually not a big deal. I don't usually tell them that I don't celebrate Halloween, cause then I have to end up going into the whole spill about it being a pagan holiday, etc., and it really takes too much time, and your right blessed1, people can get offended by it, and some might not want to talk to you.

 

[DDTexlaxed]

I basically tell them that Halloween is a pagan holiday. When they press me for more info, I basically tell them that when u dress like ghosts, goblins, etc. you basically are saying you want to be like those characters. I also point out that it is a financial hardship- my friend paid 30$ on candy for the kids. I am in a neighborhood where cops are constantly called. There are alot of predators out there, so my town has basically banned trick or treating for school kids at night. They must do it before 6pm. It really is a sad, sick world out there, not to mention people putting poison in the candy. I don't really care if people get pissed, I'm not celebrating. Like was stated, they'll get over it.

 

[Supergirl]

No one gets mad at me, but sometimes they'll ask why.

It's hard with the profession I'm in (2nd grade teacher) because my students always want to talk to me about Halloween and tell me what they're going to be etc. I just smile and shake my head. A few have asked me what my plans are for Halloween and I just tell them that I don't celebrate Halloween. I don't go into it with them, because they're kind of young and then if I mentioned my faith--Oh Lord, public school and Christianity, well you know. Fortunately I am working at a school where none of the classes will be having Halloween parties.

One time I was working at a school where there were Halloween parties and one parent came up to me and said she didn't want her child participating in any Halloween festivities. (Christian family) I told her not to worry because my class was not having any kind of Halloween party. A few people felt it was wrong of me to "impose" my views on the whole class. But I couldn't justify doing something I'm against if I had to power not to do that and as the teacher, I had the power! Also, I didn't appreciate the fact that a Halloween party was okay, but a Christmas party wasn't. It had to be a "Holiday" party.

 

[BLESSED1]

I just don't understand why some people got heated w/ me, I never disrespected them. Never called names, I clearly said when asked to further elaborate, "I believe it's pagan and demonic" Not "I believe you are pagan and demonic" Shoot, most people in my family celebrate it and I still love them nonetheless Like y'all said I'm sure they'll get over it, they must have a personal prob. to get mad at someone who didn't want to talk about the subject anyway

 

[Blossssom]

Just tell them you're a Christian, and you don't celebrate Halloween...

If they insist they are Christians too, tell them "you're of a different sect" and ignore 'em.

 

[firecracker]

Crazy people.

 

[JuJuBoo]

Just tell them you're a Christian, and you don't celebrate Halloween...

If they insist they are Christians too, tell them "you're of a different sect" and ignore 'em.

"of a different sect"

Usually people don't hound me about it--If they do, I politely say "I believe the roots of Halloween are demonic and I don't mess around wit' all that."

 

[mkh_77]

Halloween does NOT have "demonic" roots. In its beginnings, it was a day to celebrate the end of one season and the beginning of another--the end of summer (life) and the beginning of winter (death). It was a holiday to celebrate the power and control the earth had over the lives of the people at that time when successful crops were a matter of life and death.

If you are going to tell people that you don't participate/celebrate something, then you should at least know the history of what it is you are claiming is "evil".

I am sure many people on this board celebrate Christmas and Easter, and those holidays, like Halloween, also have "pagan" traditions at their root. It's always interesting how people pick and choose.

 

[BLESSED1]

Halloween does NOT have "demonic" roots. In its beginnings, it was a day to celebrate the end of one season and the beginning of another--the end of summer (life) and the beginning of winter (death). It was a holiday to celebrate the power and control the earth had over the lives of the people at that time when successful crops were a matter of life and death.

If you are going to tell people that you don't participate/celebrate something, then you should at least know the history of what it is you are claiming is "evil".

I am sure many people on this board celebrate Christmas and Easter, and those holidays, like Halloween, also have "pagan" traditions at their root. It's always interesting how people pick and choose.

http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/halloween.html

And I don't consider myself Christian anymore (at least I was told to my face that I wasn't a "true" Christian) but I do love me some Jesus and strive to follow the Bible, which I read daily Oh and I know Christmas and Easter have pagan roots, most holidays do though

 

[mkh_77]

How about posting information from a NEUTRAL site about the origins of Halloween? Of course a "Christian" oriented site is going to expound on the "evils" of Halloween.

http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/halloween/?page=origins

 

[BLESSED1]

Cool, thanks for the article! I love hearing everyone's point of view

 

[fivefoursweetie]

People have different reasons for why they do what they do...a lot of times when another person does not have knowledge of something and you do, it may be hard for them to understand, thus possibly showing anger or disgust at your point. I wouldn't worry about it. No one says that people need to understand or respect your position (although it would be nice). Just know that you serve a higher judge and that should be your focus .
Regarding the origin of Halloween, I do agree that there is a lot of misinformation on the holiday in the Christian rhelm. But one point that should possibly be thought about is...at this point in time...what is the point of the Holiday? I personally try to have meaning in things that I do, and not only do things out of tradition. Only each person individually can decide why they choose to or not to celebrate Halloween (or any other holiday for that matter).
Be lead of the spirit.
God Bless

 

[life_is_great]

How about posting information from a NEUTRAL site about the origins of Halloween? Of course a "Christian" oriented site is going to expound on the "evils" of Halloween.

http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/halloween/?page=origins

Sounds pretty evil to me.

 

[mkh_77]

I think you just want it to be evil.

What is evil about operating within your realm of understanding? If the group of people who created the holiday didn't know God as we do, then what was so "evil" about it?

I would rather walk my Christian walk in knowledge and truth than fear and misinformation and ignorance.

 

[MeccaMedinah]

People have different reasons for why they do what they do...a lot of times when another person does not have knowledge of something and you do, it may be hard for them to understand, thus possibly showing anger or disgust at your point. I wouldn't worry about it. No one says that people need to understand or respect your position (although it would be nice). Just know that you serve a higher judge and that should be your focus .
Regarding the origin of Halloween, I do agree that there is a lot of misinformation on the holiday in the Christian rhelm. But one point that should possibly be thought about is...at this point in time...what is the point of the Holiday? I personally try to have meaning in things that I do, and not only do things out of tradition. Only each person individually can decide why they choose to or not to celebrate Halloween (or any other holiday for that matter).
Be lead of the spirit.
God Bless

I too agree. I do not observe any "holiday". Everyone that asked me about Halloween, understood that I just do not participate.

 

[Stylepink]

People are always quick to judge when others don't agree with them. I tell folks I don't celebrate it due to its pagan orgins. If they have a problem with that, thats thier issue, not mine.

 

[StartinOvah]

i tried to celebrate the day when i was a kid, before i knew it even had origins. i wanted candy like any other kid. i attended one party and i never trick-or-treated. unfortunately, halloween in my neighborhood meant dodging eggs all day. i stopped going to school on halloween. there was also a lot of scares with people putting needles in apples and doing other weird things to your loot so we never got into it. as an adult, i don't know enough about the holiday to decide thats its roots are evil. but i think now, like most holidays, it has evolved so much, i don't connect it with anything evil. i'll have to read that historychannel.com link...

 

[Blacktresses]

Bump Me Up !!!!!!!!!!!

Think about this....If I may get deep for a moment....

Those of us that had people to asked us (God lovin' folk) about Halloween got upset. That was the original post on this thread.....( let's step back a bit )...

The one thing no one thought of was this......why are they mad ? Most of us just stated that we didn't celebrate it... But it still didn't click with you all... did it ?

The enemy, is out there. Just you giving an answer of I don't celebrate it upset the enemy's day... We live in a phyical and spiritual world. That answer along with the love of God offends the enemy. What kind of response can you expect after that ?

Though Holloween, may not have it roots in paganism...it has become a pagan holiday. That's due to what society has brought to it over the years.....

I say this with love...and it more that an observation.....

 

[BLESSED1]

....I feel you

 

[blazingthru]

Personally I would want to know why you don't do what everyone else is doing, I want to know because I want to correct something that might be wrong in my life. I don't celebrate the holiday either I use to but a female at work said she didn't celebrate it and I was very curious as to why, and she told me and printed out the article. I was mad at first, because I wanted to go to the mall and take my daughter-- this mall gives out so much candy-- I was excited about not having to have to take her Trick or Treating which I hate. But to know I can't take her at all was a shock but we got through it and now she knows its just another day. No one on my block gives out candy. I didn't get one knock at the door this year. Now I was told that Thankgiving and Christmas and Easter is a wrong as well. I haven't made up my mind about Christmas thats a hard hard one to let go of. Not about the gifts, just the entire spirit of the holiday. I been struggling with it for three months now.

 

[Blacktresses]

Think of birth of Jesus. That was a wonderful time in Jerusalem. The three wise men came to witness this miracle of God. Many church have plays during this time of year. When I was younger I would always get involved in these plays. It kept me focused on the reason Christians celebrate Christmas. God wrap His spirit in human flesh and Jesus was born to save the sins of the world.

Currently, it is not known the exact day of the birth of Christ but the majority of people chose to celebrate it in December.

 

[mkh_77]

The majority of people celebrate Christmas in December because people well before our time celebrated the passing of the winter solstice. The people who celebrated the passing of the winter solstice were very dependent on the earth for their survival. It was a celebration recognizing that the hardest days of winter were behind them, and they were celebrating what the future held. The Church, in its efforts to "Christianize" the "pagans", combined the celebration of the birth of Jesus with the celebration of the winter solstice, hence Christmas being celebrated in December.

Many of the "religious" holidays celebrated today have their origins in pagan traditions. During a time of expansion, the Church (I am using the word in it's universal sense), combined Christian holidays with pagan traditions. In this way, "pagans" were more willing to celebrate the Christian aspects of the holidays the Church presented because they didn't feel as if their traditions were being stripped from them. Additionally, the Church was able to gain new supporters because the religion it presented wasn't too far from what the "pagans" were already practicing. There are very few symbols and traditions in Christian holidays that are original.

What is most important about celebrating a holiday is what it means to you.