So, the consensus of the latest posts seem to favor the celebration of Halloween.
I've had this conversation recently with the youth in our church and their parents....and unfortunately (as I see it) I was on the losing side.
While one may claim that Halloween has innocent roots, and has nothing to do with devil worship, etc.....how does one explain dressing young children as ghosts, demons, vampires, witches, etc. How is that not evil?
Granted there are also princesses, superheroes and Spongebobs, but, what of the witches?
Why deck out your front yard as a cemetery and hang skeletons from your trees? Why have goblins jumping out at you from behind bushes.
If death is so much fun, then when faced with an illness.....why bother going to a hospital to get cured? Remember death is fun and funny!
When I asked my students to dress in decent costumes, nothing evil....because there are thousands of good things to dress as, I was ridiculed, belittled and almost left in tears....because I am a prude and don't know how to have fun.
Dressing as a vampire with dripping teeth, is not my definition of fun.....and as an Orthodox Christian, it is my duty to "suggest" that the children that I teach, mentor, feel responsible for and love, not dress as evil creatures.
Why is that wrong?