Halloween Hangover

Was it such a good idea?

Yes, sorry. I was out late last night at a Halloween Party.

 Was it such a good idea?

We didn't drink - much. But we went trick-and-treating. And my costume was really cool.

Do you really think that taking the devil, evil and all that as a joke is a good idea?

It's not like that; it's a bit of fun. What's wrong with Halloween?

It was once linked to the Celtic festival of "Samhain", which comes from the Old Irish for "summer's end". Samhain was seen as a time when the 'door' to the Otherworld opened enough for the souls of the dead, and other beings such as fairies, to come into our world. The souls of the dead were said to revisit their homes on Samhain. Feasts were had, at which the souls of dead kin were beckoned to attend and a place set at the table for them. Lewis Spence described it as a "feast of the dead". Christianity adapted the idea and used the "eve" as a picture of getting rid of evil spirits before All Hallows Day on 1st November.

Thanks for the lecture. What's a Hallow when it's at home?

"Hallow" is a variant of "Holy"; so "Hallowed be Thy Name" in the Lord's Prayer is reminding us the God's name is Holy. On November 1st, some Christians chose to remember those people in the past who had done something special to encourange and strengthen the faith of other Christians.

So it's not bad, then?

It depends on how seriously you take the idea of "evil". Adam and Eve disobeyed God and caused all sorts of bother. Christians call that disobedience "Sin". Some people believe in a personal Devil; others think more of a general "force for evil".

Isn't that a bit silly?

In the Bible, the devil isn't red, doesn't usually have horns and doesn't have a funny forked tail. Usually the devil is pictured as a very plausible "being" who, with great subtlety, leads people astray; leads people into doing bad things.

Like the snake in the Garden of Eden?

Absolutely.

So you are saying that Halloween is bad because it's, like, playing at Devils?

"Playing" with anything that is intrinsically evil can't ever be a good idea. That's one very good reason why we have the story of Adam and Eve and the apple ...

The fruit!

... whoops, my mistake, the fruit! These are the snake's words in the Bible story,

Now the snake was the most cunning animal that the Lord God had made. The snake asked the woman, “Did God really tell you not to eat fruit from any tree in the garden?”

“We may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden,” the woman answered, “except the tree in the middle of it. God told us not to eat the fruit of that tree or even touch it.”

The snake replied, “That's not true; you will not die. God said that because he knows that when you eat it, you will be like God and know what is good and what is bad.”

I suppose I didn't know all that. I still think it's harmless fun.

Maybe you'll change your mind when we look more closely at the Bible Story. 

a contradiction in terms?

 Next Bible Blog : Sunday 4th November