Related Information to Should The Mormon Church Sponsor Halloween

Should The Mormon Church Sponsor Halloween - Page 4

Since I am not in the US or Canada, just curious: In these Halloween celebrations done in the Church are there any "rules" or guidance to follow with regards to what type of costumes are allowed, etc or does anyone go wearing any costume they want? (witches, bloody-heads, etc)

Halloween Sponsor Church Mormon Should

Halloween hits a nerve with some, but I am not one of them. My daughters dress up as mermaids or princesses and have a ball going house to house in my neighborhood. It's a festive occasion that is family/child oriented and I am all for that. I am sure someone could find something evil with just about everything if you research hard enough. My suggestion- take it at face value. It's about children dressing up in costume and going house to house asking for treats. Period.

In the Southwestern states the church, in an effort to promote a more safe environment, has sponsored 'Trunk or Treat'. This consists of members parking their cars in long lines in the church parking lot and opening their cars trunks with goodies inside. The children go car to car dressed in their costumes and shouting trick or treat like normal. They are given candy in their bags and they continue down the line. My ward serves pizza and soda and it's a family event. You don't see the gory blood type costumes with the church crowd as you do in the public setting.

At my school (I am a public school teacher) they also celebrate Halloween by classrooms having individual parties and at the end of the day all the kids lining up and parading around in their costumes for everyone to see. 850 kids. Many teachers dress up also. I will this year I imagine. The school asks that the kids do not wear costumes that are violent in nature and to forgo the blood and such.

I also have a large Hispanic population in my classroom and we celebrate Dia De Los Muertos/ Day of the dead (Nov 2 I believe). The celebration is in honor of dead ancestors. The kids decorate skulls made of sugar with frosting and candies and play games with a skeleton theme. The celebration's origins are a mixture of indigenous Latin American and catholic influences. It's part of their culture so I'm all for it.

Many of these holidays and celebrations are good clean fun for children. When we make them into a taboo for reasons few realize the children miss out. I'm sure if Jesus were here he's have his car's trunk open in the church parking lot and be smiling as he handed out candy to all the smiling children.

Edited: Hyperwrx on 9th Oct, 2007 - 4:16am

Should The Mormon Church Sponsor Halloween Studies Doctrine Mormon

As far as I know, at least in our ward, we are told NO MASKS and to stay away from anything bloody, gory or "evil" in appearance. My kids have never had a problem yet questioning this (Thankfully!) but they also do not watch movies and such that would promote that.
I think if you do look at Halloween as Hyperwrx does, and we do, as a family event to dress up and have fun....then the kids see it as fun and less of of a "scary" event. My older kids are looking forward to pass out candy since they are too old now. We still have three trick or treaters though and it is a lot of fun to take them around.

Page 4 Halloween Sponsor Church Mormon Should

Just to make a point here:

The children wouldn't miss it if the holiday didn't exist. Halloween is not celebrated in most other countries of the world. Do the kids miss it? Not a bit. And when has prohibiting a boat load of candy ever harmed a child? Halloween retail sales now out pace even Christmas in the USA.

Schools in California (at least in SoCal) have eliminated Halloween celebrations from their campuses. They now have things like Story Book Dress-up Day, where kids can come to school dressed as their favorite book character. It's a more subdued, sane way for kids to dress up, in my opinion. (Although, with the popularity of Harry Potter, there are still witches around... you just can't tell as readily.)

I can't even believe you said that. Please, I beg of you, don't be so flippant with Jesus Christ and what he would or would not do for Halloween.

Halloween Sponsor Church Mormon Should

Well, they can't miss what they have never celebrated so that's a tough one to gauge. Do kids enjoy Halloween? I think if you took a poll you'd realize the holiday of Halloween is about kids having a good time. Kids know that. They love the holiday of Halloween. They love dressing up. They love the candy.

The biggest trick played on Halloween is Christian kids and adults being bottled up inside churches or homes all night. Hiding from the devil in the homes and surrendering the neighborhood to little Ghouls, goblins, and witches is a victory for old Beelzebub. He's got us right where he wants it: inside the four walls, hunkered down behind the couch scared a 4 year old will ring the doorbell.

Think about it. How many chances do you get to mix with your neighbors during the year? At my house we are blessed with a 4th of July block party. Otherwise, Halloween may be it for many of us. And what is your Halloween strategy? You turn out the lights, don't answer the children at the door, thereby demonstrating your Christian love and hospitality. But if you do encounter a child in a pink bunny costume it goes something like this:

"We don't celebrate Halloween! There's no candy here for you, kid! Now get out of here."

And the parents of the pink bunny waiting at the foot of your sidewalk say:

"Boy, honey. There's something really different about that mean family that sits in the dark every Halloween. I really want what they have in their life."

It is my opinion that Halloween is a fun holiday which brings a family together for another special night in the year. This holiday can be celebrated in good fun with your children. It is a simple holiday, not worship to Satan, not a sacrifice to the dead, and certainly not the most dangerous thing in a Mormon's life. I guess it is all a matter of perspective. For me, it is a spiritually meaningless holiday which is just plain fun to celebrate. My children enjoy dressing up, and I enjoy spending the time with them walking around the neighborhood meeting my neighbors and getting some free candy.

Some teachers at my school have 'fall celebrations' in lieu of Halloween. Why? Because there would be a parent uproar if their child was not allowed to celebrate Halloween like others. You said children wouldn't miss it but it's plain to see they'd miss what Halloween represents to them- costumes and candy. You dwell on the negative aspects while the children could care less. So Cal schools can call it whatever they want- in reality it's a Halloweenish holiday where kids dress us and have a good old time. Oh and the Harry Potters running around can't really cast spells so you have nothing to worry about. It's a costume and they're pretending.

With all respect, spare me the dramatics. Jesus Christ was all about children and making them happy.

I too find it interesting to investigate holiday's origins but when it becomes a witch hunt (no pun intended) where you are dissecting American holidays (candy isn't good... kids would never miss it.... its paganism) to support your belief of not celebrating it- you're out in left field.

What's next 4th of July?

Should The Mormon Church Sponsor Halloween

Hyperwrx:

Are you serious? I find your statement odd, there is no way you can know what Jesus would do in Halloween!

I think it works for you because you have made your own "version" of Halloween (not bloody costumes for your kids, etc) but those evil type of costumes are THE main part of what Halloween is all about. At least for the majority.

So there IS a negative aspect of it then, it's not all about a "clean" and "fun" holiday.

Sure but from there to say you are sure he would be giving out candy in Halloween on his car is ridiculous.

Should Mormon Church Sponsor Halloween - Page 4

Nope, you're right. I do not know for certain what Jesus would do on Halloween. I can only make an guess, which I did.

Correct me if I am wrong but don't you now live on an island in the middle of the ocean? In your youth did Argentina celebrate the American holiday of Halloween? Just trying to gauge how you seem to now know so much about a holiday you've probably only read about on the internet.

Rest assured that when you walk into Walmart to look at the children's Halloween costumes the majority are not "bloody costumes". They range from princesses to firemen. Yes there are some traditional favorites- witches, mummies, and skeletons (which I have no problem with). FYI- After 9/11 the most popular Halloween costume was firemen and policemen. Your misguided perception of this family-based holiday is nothing short of a demonic blood festival where kids ages 3 to 15 run around worshiping long forgotten pagan gods. You are 100% wrong. I live here. I see it first hand. Do you?

Oddly enough the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints deems the holiday wholesome enough to organize Halloween-based get togethers in their parking lots and inside their buildings across the United States. Do you honestly think this small international conclave of online LDS members within this forum has made some monumental breakthrough discovering the true paganistic origins of this traditional holiday? . Don't you think if this was such a terrible sin going house to house dressed up as a fairy or a vampire repeating 'trick or treat' that our church leaders would advise us against it? I must have been visiting the restroom when the general conference talk on CEASE HALLOWEENING was given. Can someone fill me in on what was said? 99.999% of LDS families enjoy Halloween and are still members in good standing.

What is ridiculous is that we are so hard-pressed to find something worthwhile to talk about in here that we're now debating about wearing a chicken costume once a year and gathering candy house to house.

Should Mormon Church Sponsor Halloween Mormon Doctrine Studies - Page 4

Easy, tiger! Don't be so defensive.

No one here has suggested eliminating Halloween, or that it is in any way a reason to be excommunicated from the church. No one has suggested that we toss kids off of our property if they ring the doorbell while we hide in darkened houses. In fact, no one has said that we don't participate in Halloween events. You are way over the top here in your reaction to what has been said, in my opinion, and personally attacking people with cutting sarcasm is not exactly a great way to debate a topic.

The point I was trying to make is that you are falling all over yourself to say that children should not be deprived of participating in Halloween events, when it's not something necessary to their lives. But you invoked the name of the Savior to make your point that the whole thing is harmless and sanctioned by Him, and that's just wrong, in my opinion. The Savior's ministry on this earth was not just to "make children happy" in any way, shape, or form, even if it's not good for them.

No one here has indicated in any way that YOU personally and all YOUR CHILDREN and YOUR NEIGHBORS should stop celebrating Halloween in any way that you like.

Go to it, brother, and Godspeed.