Please, Don't Scare The Kids

[Pumpkin56]

We can't be all puppies and kittens everyday, ya know

Amen!

By the way, Murf--just wanted to let you know how happy I am that you're online every morning so I have someone to discuss stuff with

[Murfreesboro]

Aww, thanks, Pumpkin! I enjoy talking with you, too!

[Pumpkin56]

Aww, thanks, Pumpkin! I enjoy talking with you, too!

We should talk about everyone else behind their backs since they can't get out of bed in the mornings to discuss serious business here

[Murfreesboro]

[VanHelsingStandIn]

Let me dust off my soap box and get up on it......

I'm a very firm believer in Freedom of Religion. I'm also a very firm believer in Freedom of Speech. However; those freedoms cease where MINE START!

I don't push my beliefs on others and expect the courtesy returned. Unfortunately there are folks out there, and many of them feeling embolden by their churchs stance on various issues. Halloween being one of them; they can attack it with total impunity. At least they THINK they can.

Back in the 1980s you had various church groups trying to abolish or outlaw halloween. Thankfully most of them did not succeed and I know of several churchs who almost went under when their membership decided to go someplace else. It was the usual bogus message, from some bigot who calls himself a man of the cloth, but in turn demands your total subservience. Another name for that is called slavery.

These jerks wanted to make sure that you or your kids didn't spend money on anything that wasn't okayed by them. Put simply, they were scared if you spent money on halloween, you could not afford to pay for the preachers new Cadillac. So he says your kids are going to burn in eternal fire if they go to halloween parties and you are right behind them.

Think of the original movie Footloose, with John Lithgow not having ANY socially redeeming qualities. Get the picture?

It's all about power and money. They want to have power over you and tell you when and where to spend your money. Not to mention how and what to think.

Kinda' shows not much of a difference between so called men of god and politicians, huh?

[metallica_87]

I agree with alot of what VanHelsingStandIn said, and feel the same way. However, like I stated before, if it's being held on church property and sponsored by the church, it's well within their legal rights to ask or actively demand that people not scare children. The same goes for anyone. Aslong as it's your property, unless someone gets injured, you can ask, demand or do whatever you want to/of anyone. You always have the choice of going or not going, celebrate or not. No one can force anything on you that do don't want, and if they do, and you find it unreasonable, you can always peaceably leave.

[NeverMore]

I agree with both you guys. Especially what Metallica said about following the rules when you are in someone else's house. As far as having a choice about going or not? Some people are not smart enough to figure that out. Either that, or they're just plain greedy.

• http://newssun.suntimes.com/news/150824 ... -fall.html

[Murfreesboro]

Where is Pumpkin56? I miss her.

I agree that churches have the right to celebrate or not celebrate Halloween, have Trunk or Treating or Fall Harvest Festivals, or "Hell Houses" (where people are exposed quite explicitly to the consequences of sin), whatever they like, on their own property. While I disagree with those denominations who seem frightened by Halloween and wish to end it, I don't really think that most of them are discouraging participation because they want their congregations to spend more money at the church. I think they really do see it as a serious philosophical or theological threat.

[Boogeyman]

Want to discuss politics? I could send you a PM. LOL

[Pumpkin56]

Where is Pumpkin56? I miss her.

Aww, hey there! I'm here (at the moment). I've been pretty busy at work lately--I started the week off a day and a half behind thanks to a lazy co-worker who can't do his own stuff. Where's a pack of wild dogs when you need them?

As far as scaring the kids goes...well....I'm not going to go out of my way to scare them, but at the same time I'm also not going to go out of my way to tame my Halloween for the sake of the scaredy cats (my niece being one of them ). Last year I had an animatronic scarecrow in my pumpkin patch. He did a little bit of talking and basically said he was going to slay everyone. A lot of people liked him, some of the little ones hated him. This year the theme is pirates and while I'm not looking to spend a fortune, I think I need a crocodile in the yard. I'm sure I'll get a major "go to hell" look from my 3 year old niece for that but I think she's figured out by now that I'm not going to baby her. Face your fears and Halloween becomes infinitely more fun

[VanHelsingStandIn]

I think there might have been a little bit of confusion regarding what I meant. When you are on someone elses property, you are bound by law to do what they say, so long as that is NOT illegal.

My criticism of church events was not aimed at those which take place on church property. Quite the opposite, I have no problem with what churchs do on their own land.

My criticism is aimed at those church groups who want to come onto your property or unto your leased land that serves as a place to party or have a haunted house and then TELL YOU that YOU CANNOT have this, because in the OPINION of the church, it violates some church ideal.

Make no mistake, there are so called Christian groups who think they have rights not guaranteed by the Constitution of this Republic. They feel it is their right to shut you down and make you see their way of living as the only way to be living a good and rightous life.

I have a personal problem with people who have never seen the real world or bothered to live in it. I see these gutless wimps all the time. They are quick to send me off to fight and die in some foreign land, but you will never see them anywhere near there is violence.

They are real brave when its me out there, but ask them to take a risk....No way!!

As I said. Your freedom ends where mine begins. I would never tell you what to do on your property, so long as the laws of the city, county and state are followed.

I only expect the same courtesy from you.

[Murfreesboro]

Oh, I agree with you, VanHelsing. I don't think anyone has ever harassed me about Halloween, although one year I did find a flyer in my mailbox close on to the big day, talking about how it was the Devil's Holiday. I cheerfully ignored it. Another year, a woman dressed as a clown gave my son candy and literature warning children against the evils of Halloween. I laughed that one off, too, when we found it in his bag later. I figured, if you go to someone 's house to beg, you can't complain too much if they give you literature reflecting their religious/political views (there was also someone on our route who would hand out campaign literature for her favored candidates on Halloween night; her political party was the opposite of ours, but I felt the same tolerance toward her that I did toward the clown-lady).

Pumpkin, good to hear from you! I don't think you need to worry about scaling back the "horror" of your decor. Kids who find it too spooky don't have to come into your yard, and most will love it.

Boogeyman, if you are itching to talk politics via pm, I'm game. The Big Day isn't too far off now.

[Pumpkin_Man]

I get those flyers all the time, and it's a misnomer. Halloween has nothing to do with the devil, and never did.

Mike

[Murfreesboro]

That's funny that you get them "all the time," Mike. Here in Middle TN, we like to say we are the buckle on the Bible Belt. There are a great many evangelical, fundamentalist churches around, yet I have received exactly two of those fliers in 18 years.

Many of our area churches do Trunk or Treat, including our own, and at least one mega-church holds a fall festival on Halloween night which is very well attended. I think they have all the seasonal activities and candy except the stuff that might have a supernatural or "witchy" bent. However, I love the spooky, witchy stuff, so I celebrate differently.

Halloween is a big party night around here, but not everyone goes in for the supernatural side of it, and some people choose not to participate at all. I don't think people harass each other about it, though.

[Pumpkin_Man]

I guess I overstated that, Murf. When I said "all the time," I meant every October. There are two Evangelical churches in the general area and they put out those flyers, and I ocassionaly also hear from the Jajova's Whitnesses in October. The various other Christian Demonations, including my church, has Halloween parties, "Trunk or Treat" and various other activities. A very good friend of mine is also an Evangelical Protestant, and is ardently against my observance of Halloween. He won't go near my house at all during the month of October, but he is geuninely afraid for me.

However, this year it's not religion, it't POLIICS. I just knw that I am going to be indundated with vot for me....vote for me......vote for me.....from every meat ball politician running for dog catcher, campaigners for Romney and Obama, and every other politician running in November, and I am going to be seeing more campaign posters then ToT ers this year. I CAN'T STAND sharing Halloween with an election year. I know, voting is important, and not only our right, but a patriotic duty, but I sure wish the politicians would leave Halloween alone.

Mike