Comments on: Halloween–What to do? http://www.bencotten.net/2007/10/03/halloween-what-to-do/ living life with eyes wide open Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:34:09 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Heather Cotten http://www.bencotten.net/2007/10/03/halloween-what-to-do/comment-page-1/#comment-596 Heather Cotten Mon, 08 Oct 2007 03:59:28 +0000 http://www.bencotten.net/2007/10/03/halloween-what-to-do/#comment-596 lew, Great idea! Growing up, we always kinda hid away on Halloween night. As I grew up I was bothered by that but didn't realize why. It was because we were hiding away from the world when we had an open door. Since then we have spoken about it many times and my parents say that they regret doing that now. Rodney, good perspectives! lew,
Great idea! Growing up, we always kinda hid away on Halloween night. As I grew up I was bothered by that but didn’t realize why. It was because we were hiding away from the world when we had an open door. Since then we have spoken about it many times and my parents say that they regret doing that now. Rodney, good perspectives!

]]> By: oneAustin http://www.bencotten.net/2007/10/03/halloween-what-to-do/comment-page-1/#comment-595 oneAustin Sun, 07 Oct 2007 18:50:14 +0000 http://www.bencotten.net/2007/10/03/halloween-what-to-do/#comment-595 I can't offer much advice on the Halloween issue. I'm not sure how to handle it myself, but no kids yet, so I'll let it go for now. I am impressed and glad to hear that you are sending your children to public schools because you, "need to teach her Godliness in spite of her surroundings. We want to teach her from an early age to be in the world and not of it." Hiding from the world serves no one. God Bless. I can’t offer much advice on the Halloween issue. I’m not sure how to handle it myself, but no kids yet, so I’ll let it go for now.
I am impressed and glad to hear that you are sending your children to public schools because you, “need to teach her Godliness in spite of her surroundings. We want to teach her from an early age to be in the world and not of it.”
Hiding from the world serves no one. God Bless.

]]> By: lew http://www.bencotten.net/2007/10/03/halloween-what-to-do/comment-page-1/#comment-588 lew Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:55:59 +0000 http://www.bencotten.net/2007/10/03/halloween-what-to-do/#comment-588 Halloween is significant because it is the one night of the year that almost 100 of my neighbors will come right up to my door with their children in tow, uninvited. We want to be remembered by the children and appreciated by the parents, so we give a bag of toys like hot wheels (somewhat expensive), superballs, yo-yos, etc. to the younger children, and we give king size candy to the older kids (we'll get a couple big boxes at Sam's Club). We seriously drop a dime on this venture as it is a huge opportunity for relationship building. We make it a point to sit in our front yard out near the sidewalk. We've learned from the past that the parents will send their children up to the door and stay out by the sidewalk, therefore giving us no opportunity to meet the parents. By sitting out near the sidewalk, we have the opportunity to engage the adults in conversation, or at least introduce ourselves by name. We are neighbors after all. We've gotten to know quite a few of our neighbors this way. Halloween is significant because it is the one night of the year that almost 100 of my neighbors will come right up to my door with their children in tow, uninvited.

We want to be remembered by the children and appreciated by the parents, so we give a bag of toys like hot wheels (somewhat expensive), superballs, yo-yos, etc. to the younger children, and we give king size candy to the older kids (we’ll get a couple big boxes at Sam’s Club). We seriously drop a dime on this venture as it is a huge opportunity for relationship building.

We make it a point to sit in our front yard out near the sidewalk. We’ve learned from the past that the parents will send their children up to the door and stay out by the sidewalk, therefore giving us no opportunity to meet the parents.

By sitting out near the sidewalk, we have the opportunity to engage the adults in conversation, or at least introduce ourselves by name. We are neighbors after all. We’ve gotten to know quite a few of our neighbors this way.

]]> By: Rodney M http://www.bencotten.net/2007/10/03/halloween-what-to-do/comment-page-1/#comment-576 Rodney M Fri, 05 Oct 2007 00:31:25 +0000 http://www.bencotten.net/2007/10/03/halloween-what-to-do/#comment-576 The way I see it is this (and you can feel free to disagree - I won't be offended). 1. There is nothing inherently evil about getting candy. 2. There is nothing inherently evil in dressing up. 3. Halloween is generally a celebration of evil. It's the one day of the year where being a light version of evil is OK. However, as Christians we don't have to let Satan rule the day. That job belongs to God. So if my kids want to dress up (in something that isn't romanticizing evil) and receive candy from a group of people then I have no real problem with that. 4. For those who say we are still participating in the celebration of evil by even recognizing the day or in choosing alternatives - well then, we should stop singing all those hymns that got there musical influence from bar songs. Just as these hymn songs were (and are) used in a redeeming fashion, so too can we participate in the Oct. 31st activities in a manner that is both glorifying to God and of sorts redeeming (or reclaiming) the day. The way I see it is this (and you can feel free to disagree – I won’t be offended).

1. There is nothing inherently evil about getting candy.

2. There is nothing inherently evil in dressing up.

3. Halloween is generally a celebration of evil. It’s the one day of the year where being a light version of evil is OK. However, as Christians we don’t have to let Satan rule the day. That job belongs to God. So if my kids want to dress up (in something that isn’t romanticizing evil) and receive candy from a group of people then I have no real problem with that.

4. For those who say we are still participating in the celebration of evil by even recognizing the day or in choosing alternatives – well then, we should stop singing all those hymns that got there musical influence from bar songs. Just as these hymn songs were (and are) used in a redeeming fashion, so too can we participate in the Oct. 31st activities in a manner that is both glorifying to God and of sorts redeeming (or reclaiming) the day.

]]> By: Heather Cotten http://www.bencotten.net/2007/10/03/halloween-what-to-do/comment-page-1/#comment-572 Heather Cotten Thu, 04 Oct 2007 18:25:12 +0000 http://www.bencotten.net/2007/10/03/halloween-what-to-do/#comment-572 Good point, Rodney. You are right. I think too many times we make God too wimpy of a God. We don't talk about the fact that He has defeated death and darkness. My point here is really directed at the time surrounding Halloween. I get angry at the celebration of evil...or even the way they innocently put it out there without thinking of the effects that it can have on young children. I am all for alternatives and you put it in a great way when you said "If we choose an alternative that glorifies God, then why not celebrate?" I get frustrated with people that draw the line so much that they can't even find joy in the alternatives. Thanks for this perspective! Hey, maybe someone should show one of those movies at a church on Halloween. That would be cool! Great idea about All Saints Day by the way...never have thought about that one. You should do it! I think it is November 2 for some reason??? Good point, Rodney. You are right. I think too many times we make God too wimpy of a God. We don’t talk about the fact that He has defeated death and darkness. My point here is really directed at the time surrounding Halloween. I get angry at the celebration of evil…or even the way they innocently put it out there without thinking of the effects that it can have on young children.

I am all for alternatives and you put it in a great way when you said “If we choose an alternative that glorifies God, then why not celebrate?” I get frustrated with people that draw the line so much that they can’t even find joy in the alternatives. Thanks for this perspective! Hey, maybe someone should show one of those movies at a church on Halloween. That would be cool! Great idea about All Saints Day by the way…never have thought about that one. You should do it! I think it is November 2 for some reason???

]]> By: Ben Cotten http://www.bencotten.net/2007/10/03/halloween-what-to-do/comment-page-1/#comment-571 Ben Cotten Thu, 04 Oct 2007 18:11:31 +0000 http://www.bencotten.net/2007/10/03/halloween-what-to-do/#comment-571 Awesome comment, Rodney. I was wondering if anyone would make that distinction. For me, the issue is what we are celebrating not so much that witches and goblins are involved. With those books you mentioned (and IMO, Harry Potter) there is clear good and evil. Good is celebrated and evil is shunned. Evil is punished and good is blessed. Halloween is a celebration of evil where the lines between good and evil are blurred and confused. Our culture is constantly blurring these lines for our children and it is up to us to draw clear lines for them. We are trying to use Halloween to help them understand 1) that they will never fully belong in the world and that's a good thing, 2) the Devil is not to be feared or celebrated, and 3) just because their teacher and half the world says a thing is good doesn't make it so. So I don't think the issue is really about how you deal with Halloween (church events, costumes, candy, etc) it's whether or not your kids are getting the bigger points about Jesus and what it means to belong to Him. Awesome comment, Rodney. I was wondering if anyone would make that distinction.

For me, the issue is what we are celebrating not so much that witches and goblins are involved. With those books you mentioned (and IMO, Harry Potter) there is clear good and evil. Good is celebrated and evil is shunned. Evil is punished and good is blessed.

Halloween is a celebration of evil where the lines between good and evil are blurred and confused. Our culture is constantly blurring these lines for our children and it is up to us to draw clear lines for them. We are trying to use Halloween to help them understand 1) that they will never fully belong in the world and that’s a good thing, 2) the Devil is not to be feared or celebrated, and 3) just because their teacher and half the world says a thing is good doesn’t make it so.

So I don’t think the issue is really about how you deal with Halloween (church events, costumes, candy, etc) it’s whether or not your kids are getting the bigger points about Jesus and what it means to belong to Him.

]]> By: Rodney M http://www.bencotten.net/2007/10/03/halloween-what-to-do/comment-page-1/#comment-569 Rodney M Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:44:48 +0000 http://www.bencotten.net/2007/10/03/halloween-what-to-do/#comment-569 Heather wrote: <i>"I don’t like my children watching things about ghosts, goblins and witches."</i> I'm going to stir the pot a little here and I'm pretty sure you guys know that I love you. What about C.S. Lewis's "Chronicles of Narnia" series? A man whom most Christians would refer to as a giant of the faith chose these subjects to convey Christianity through his beloved <i>children's</i> stories. Tolkien uses the same beings as subjects in the Lord of Ring series as well. Sometimes, I believe we get our panties a little too bunched up over the subject of ghosts, witches, goblins, etc... My kids are homeschooled and I doubt they're going to dress up. Kim and I have mixed feelings about the subject of Halloween. We have taken them to Christian alternatives at churches and whatnot. I have no problems with that. If we choose an alternative that glorifies God, then why not celebrate? All the kids want is candy anyway - they could be dressed up like a refrigerator for all they care. As long as they could get some candy from somebody. One thing I never did, but wanted to do was to celebrate All Saints Day by picking a character from the Bible (one who displayed Godly characteristics) and learning all about that person for that day. Each year would be someone different. I guess it's not too late to start. Heather wrote: “I don’t like my children watching things about ghosts, goblins and witches.”

I’m going to stir the pot a little here and I’m pretty sure you guys know that I love you. What about C.S. Lewis’s “Chronicles of Narnia” series? A man whom most Christians would refer to as a giant of the faith chose these subjects to convey Christianity through his beloved children’s stories. Tolkien uses the same beings as subjects in the Lord of Ring series as well. Sometimes, I believe we get our panties a little too bunched up over the subject of ghosts, witches, goblins, etc…

My kids are homeschooled and I doubt they’re going to dress up. Kim and I have mixed feelings about the subject of Halloween. We have taken them to Christian alternatives at churches and whatnot. I have no problems with that. If we choose an alternative that glorifies God, then why not celebrate? All the kids want is candy anyway – they could be dressed up like a refrigerator for all they care. As long as they could get some candy from somebody.

One thing I never did, but wanted to do was to celebrate All Saints Day by picking a character from the Bible (one who displayed Godly characteristics) and learning all about that person for that day. Each year would be someone different. I guess it’s not too late to start.

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