| 
|
Page: Profile: Wren's Nest News Local
| Total Views: 4,945,623
|
Article: 11316
[Religious]
Date Posted:
10/23/2004
11:38:17 am EDT
Wvox Stats
Views: 14,786
RSS: 0
Comments: 17
|
Out Of The Darkness
Author: Mary Adamski Source: Honolulu Star-Bulletin (HI)
Title: OUT OF THE DARKNESS
  No witches. No devils. No scary or evil creature costumes.
Those are the rules for most "alternative" Halloween celebrations planned by island churches.
There will be candy, games and prizes. There will be all manner of food and snacks. There will be live music, bouncers, creative balloon craft and an illusionist -- no, not a magician, that's un-Christian!
Hawaii follows the national trend of replacing the traditional door-to-door trolling for treats, among God knows what manner of tricky or nasty strangers, as clubs, parks and schools offer supervised gatherings where the safety of the kids and the goodies can be ensured.
For some Christian churches, safety is also a theological issue. There's a modern view that the ancient pagan roots of the autumnal festival are fearful and dangerous. "Because the customs of Halloween started from ancient pagan religion, growing numbers of Christians are turning away from Halloween," according to a brief history on the Web page of Island Christian Guide, which lists two dozen church parties planned for Oct. 31. See islandchristianguide.com.
| Options: [Read Full Story] [Comments Locked]
[Email to a Friend]
|
|
Community Thoughts: There are 17 comments posted | Reverse Sort |
| ENOUGH! | Oct 24th. at 5:59:48 am EDT |
by Dances in Dreams (Stamping Ground, Ky) - wc_xemail
Hearing this makes my Cherokee temper flare. I'll be damned if I let these control freaks ruin Samhain for me or my son. I shelled out $50 at Halloween Express for exactly the costume he wanted and loaned one of his friends a bit extra so that she could get the costume she liked best. This meant that I didn't have enough money left to get a costume for myself, but hey, he's my kid, right? Samhain is a very special time, and although he chooses not to be Pagan (for now, atleast) , darnit he'll atleast enjoy our holidays!
I'll be putting up orange icicly lights and pumpkin-decorating tomorrow. I may buy some squash and oak leaves too. When the big day arrives we'll have an authentic Greek lamb dinner to honor my matron Goddess Hekate, games, songs, door prizes, lots of candy and ofcourse, ritual.
Christians have the right to make their own choices, but when they try to apply their own choices to the community as a whole then we have a SERIOUS problem.
No one and I mean NO ONE tells this Native what she can and can't celebrate. They did this to us once. I'll die before I let it happen again!
That's all I've got to say. Let the festivities begin! Happy Samhain, Everyone!
Dances
|
| The Never Ending Story | Oct 24th. at 1:27:58 am EDT |
by Rai (Queensland) - wc_xemail
Yep it happens again,
"Christianise"/Sterilise what ever you wanna call it it's still altering one religious festival to suit the "delicate" notions of a competing faith.
Just another example of "Paganising" Christianity. Middle Ages here we come.
|
| At It Again.... | Oct 24th. at 12:38:42 am EDT |
by Mira (Florida) - wc_xemail
Missionaries tried to wipe out the entire Hawaiian culture when they arrived in Hawaii. The hula was even banned for many years. The language, which is as beautiful as many Native -American tongues was nearly lost. There was a huge back-lash and now the culture, history and mytholgy is taught in the schools. grades 7, 9 and 11 get Hawaiian history in place of "American" or other types of history. When I lived there, religion was not taken very seriously, or at least, the very religious were not. Christianity is not a big part of day to day life in Hawaii does not have great influence in the social goings on.
Most people will shun these gatherings as overly serious and an attempt to spoil the party.
People come from around the would to celebrate Halloween in Lahaina, Maui. The entire town closes to traffic and it's one big party. (think Fantasy Fest in Key West)
We are talking about a place that celebrates Cino de Mayo for the entire month of May with golf and fishing tournaments, chili cook-offs, tequilla tasting and much more. but there are very few hispanics in the state.
Nobody spoils the party in Hawaii! ;)
|
| Good. | Oct 24th. at 12:24:10 am EDT |
by Ahroun (New England) - wc_xemail - Web
Let christians stop celebrating Samhain. The less these Goddessless christians have to do with it the better.
And hearing more about their sick perversions called "hell houses" and giving away sacrilegious tracts instead of candy makes me glad I do my house egging on christmas eve.
|
| What I Think (My Humble Opinion) | Oct 23rd. at 10:58:18 pm EDT |
by nefertiti (Illinois) - wc_xemail
Yep, this is the final straw. Samhain is here! No doubt about it. They say "it's the devil's birthday and evil and blah blah blah" but they just obsess over it! Why don't they just let it go. If its evil why do they allow it to be their only thought?
|
| Those Lying Liars! | Oct 23rd. at 10:34:40 pm EDT |
by Wild Witch (Michigan, USA) - wc_xemail
As long as they keep their rules and restrictions for the churches and Christian schools ONLY, I don't care what they do!
BUT- if they start to infringe on the rights of those of a different faith and try to impose their silliness on the public at large, THEN we have a SERIOUS problem!
As I was driving home from work tonight, I saw some beautiful Halloween displays-with purple, orange and green icicle lights and even trees and shrubs lit up pretty and lots of other cool things...
And I thought how sad it is in that one city that Halloween is about to be banned for all the citizens who live there...
Out go the pretty lights, and down come the autumn leaf garlands and say goodbye to all the pumpkins...
But the main way these Fundie-tyrannists will be beaten is NOT by our good old Constitutional rights so much as the almighty DOLLAR!
All those who profit greatly from sales of Halloween/autumn decor will see to it this "banning" business stops!
Sad but true!
Now, let's go shopping! He he he...
|
| A Link Or Two | Oct 23rd. at 10:01:54 pm EDT |
by Jenn (Toronto) - wc_xemail
Yah, I heared of those "hell houses". All it is is christian propoganda.
basically they are shows put on to teach people about the scary reality of the devil. As I think a previous poster was trying to explain, these hell houses are put together by fundies who are trying to convince people that AIDS and homosexuality go together; that abortion will lead you streight to hell and that on halloween satanists are running around making human sacrifices.
They are very upsetting. This is how children are recruted into fundementalism. (and then the same kids throw things at you because you like to wear black alot)
[Web LINK]
[Web LINK]
[Web LINK]
The whole anit-halloween thing is all an excuse to drag everyone into their world view.
Part of me says leave it alone, and it will eat itself. Another part of me knows better. I don't know which side I'm leaning more to. It's all just really sick.
Blessed upcoming Shamain.
|
| Lies And The Lying Liars Who Tell Them, Revisited. | Oct 23rd. at 8:48:02 pm EDT |
by Kyra (America.) - wc_xemail
People lying in coffins dead because of homosexuality???
Try again.
Homosexuality did not cause AIDS. It appeared first in Africa, among *heterosexuals* and was brought to America by a single infected person, a flight attendant, who happened to be gay. And since that was (obviously) *before* the AIDS panic which inspired people to practice safe sex, he had no real reason to be paranoid about spreading something (after all, he didn't know it existed.)
This could just as easily have been a heterosexual person, in which case AIDS would never have been tied to homosexuality.
It is incredibly evil of people to blame homosexuality for AIDS, simply because they were the first victims in our society (which does not often care much about third world problems) . It's like blaming women for breast cancer, or saying that God invented the chicken pox to punish children. Moreover, it is dealing another attack at a group of people who have already been devastated by the reason they have for attacking. It's like saying, "oh, look, somebody just hit that person over there. He must be to blame for all people getting hit, so let's kick him!"
But listen to me: I'm requesting a little empathy and tolerance from Fundamentalist Christians. How stupid of me.
|
| More Fundie Bullsh*t . . . It Never Ends, Does It? | Oct 23rd. at 8:21:28 pm EDT |
by Kyra (America . . . (mostly) proud birthplace of true freedom of religion.) - wc_xemail
"The church has decided that, instead of glorifying what is evil and ugly . . ."
Oh, so we're ugly too now, as well as being evil? How rude. I actually consider myself very pretty, not to mention kind of, y'know, NOT evil.
Hmmm. The rule "no witches" seemed to be a recurring trend. Do they mean witch costumes, or do they mean that we're not welcome? Probably both, although it's hard to imagine any Fundies passing up a chance to prosetylize.
And of course, inspiring all of this is the "paganism is evil" crap that's inspired hatred like this since Christianity began and gives an otherwise quite decent religion a very bad name. Give it a rest already people, that belief is purer bullsh*t than the stuff that comes out of a bull. (Cow-type bull, I mean, not Papal Bull, although a few of those have been pretty full of it too.)
And while I'm at it, somebody was complaining about negative and scary images? How about a man being tortured to death on a cross?
|
| Positive Spin? | Oct 23rd. at 6:44:01 pm EDT |
by Rowan Foxfyre (Indianapolis, In) - wc_xemail
Franks said. Kings Cathedral was started on Maui and there they present "Hell House ... a Christian version of a haunted house, ""Next year, we will do it here. It is an entirely religious connotation, with drama vignettes that show there is a hell and we want to avoid it at all costs."
Have you ever been to one of those things? People Lying in coffins dying or dead of AIDS because of Homosexuality and Intravenous Drug use ect...
"Rather than fearing the pagan roots, we see that we Christianized the non-Christian, we took it over, " ... so you openly admit to stealing cultural Holidays and "spinning' them to your own purposes.
"This church has decided that, instead of glorifying what is evil and ugly, we would take a stand for the light. I have a strong personal conviction about it."
Alrighty then. Honestly I guess that EVIL lies in the eye of the beholder, and with some actual education in the FACTS behind the Holiday, its origins, and true meanings, you might see what side of the fence you REALLY stand on!!!
|
| No Title | Oct 23rd. at 4:40:20 pm EDT |
by lisa walker (ramona , Ca.) - wc_xemail
why dont they stop messing with halloween and mess with christmas instead!?
|
| Xtains | Oct 23rd. at 4:25:34 pm EDT |
by Scatha (Bakersfield CA) - wc_xemail - Web
Everything has to be supervised in the amerikan culture of fear. Although, I do agree that theres really no reason for Christians to even recognize halloween as a holiday for them to celibrate (Im not saying they CANT participate, Im saying they should know what they are celibrating, and respect it) .
This time of the year is when the vale between the mundane world and the spirit world is the thinest. Holloween, Samhain, Day of the dead, Fete Guede. These are all pagan holidays. {Or at least have pagan DNA}.
Now, if the Christains would just give us back Christmas and Easter. Haha.
|
| Think What They Are Missing | Oct 23rd. at 3:43:07 pm EDT |
by Jen (Florida) - wc_xemail
If it is so hard to believe in the schizophrenic god that Chrisitans claim to beleive in that you have to invent scary days to some how make up for not having any real faith, then why claim to believe in anything positive at all..?
I'm sad for them that they really have to work to invent something to make up for their own lack of fatih and vision inthe beauty of life and faith of God/Goddess that they feel in their hearts anyway.
Besides, isn't there enough evil in people without trying to invent things too? Or is this just a good excuse to keep teenagers on a short leash at night- shouldn't they be anyway?
If one of these folks would like to take the time to look at what the rest of the Bible says, there are comments about honoring the dead. Since when are the dead scary: Lazarus..? Jesus in his ressurected state?
Since when does honoring people and having fun at no one's expense not fall unde the "a time for everything" creedo?
Did I miss something somewhere- or are they.....?
|
| Out Of...their Minds? | Oct 23rd. at 2:11:36 pm EDT |
by Michael R. (AZ) - wc_xemail
Pity the poor little Hawaiian girl who thinks it might be fun to honor Pele with a costume; she probably won't be invited to any of those parties. If her brother decides to dress up as one of those old missionaries, however, he'll probably get to go.
|
| Okay, This Too Much! | Oct 23rd. at 2:08:42 pm EDT |
by amybeth (Mass., USA) - wc_xemail
Like a previous poster I noticed the quip about the "positive spin" in the article's by-line, thus setting the reader up to read about how all these "good" people are combating the evils of Halloween. *cough cough*
The clincher for me (besides the provocative picture of the woman and her "devil" from a Unitarian church party- yes, we UUs are devil worshipers, didn't you know?) Was how the woman in the final paragraphs learned from the Fort Levinworth, KS _Police Department_ about the evils of animal sacrifices and other Satanicstuff the good citizens could expect on Halloween, and that's why she is so staunchly against it! Did anyone ever see any of this evil stuff in action? The only mischief I see around my neighborhood is by bored teenagers who use it as an excuse to vandalize and steal stuff. It's so nice to see select Police Departments are doing their duty and spreading some propaganda around.
Well, my kids and I are going to be celebrating Halloween to the hilt this year, and being very visible about it. If other people don't like it, too bad. These sort of stories just inspire me to be even more out there!
|
Disclaimer: The Witches' Voice inc does not verify the accuracy of the details stated in this listing, nor do we vouch for the value of the goods or services presented here... As with all contacts and financial dealings in cyberspace, we encourage you to use caution and wisdom in your dealings with strangers.
Political Statements: Any and all personal political opinions expressed in the public listing sections (including, but not restricted to, personals, events, groups, shops, Wren's Nest, etc.) are solely those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinion of The Witches' Voice, Inc. TWV is a non-profit, non-partisan educational organization.
|
State/Country flags created by 3dflags.com and are used with permission
Web Site Content (including: text - graphics - html - look & feel)
Copyright 1997-2009 The Witches' Voice Inc. All rights reserved
Note: Authors & Artists retain the copyright for their work(s) on this website.
Unauthorized reproduction without prior permission is a violation of copyright laws.
Website structure, evolution and php coding by Fritz Jung on a Macintosh G5.
Any and all personal political opinions expressed in the public listing sections (including, but not restricted to, personals, events, groups, shops, Wren’s Nest, etc.) are solely those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinion of The Witches’ Voice, Inc. TWV is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization.
Sponsorship: Visit the Witches' Voice Sponsor Page for info on how you
can help support this Community Resource. Donations ARE Tax Deductible.
The Witches' Voice carries a 501(c)(3) certificate and a Federal Tax ID.
Mail Us: The Witches' Voice Inc., P.O. Box 341018, Tampa, Florida 33694-1018 U.S.A.
| |
