Halloween banned!

[Sportsman]

Bye Terry

Don't slam the door on the way out

[Sportsman]

When did Halloween become a festival of the State Religion?

 

[ 07. October 2005, 05:42 PM: Message edited by: Sportsman ]

[DavyR]

Alan Stubbs:

Let's not forget, the Church of England came into being because Henry V111 really waqsn't into dealing with God through his appointed Euroagent in Rome, when with a little blodd-letting he could deal direct and thus benefit his own people.

Thought he just wanted a divorce?

[Slack lines]

Ant, go carve a PUMPKIN

[Sportsman]

I thought we had banned sharp kitchen knives

[Slack lines]

Can't we just let Ant play with them???PLEASE

[*Ant*]

[Lid]

This is the leaflet I give to 250 residents in my area along with the explanation listed underneath. As you will see I have not picked up on the religious side at all. We do this for purley practical reasons.

 

Hallowe’en is fast approaching. Whilst we are not trying to be killjoys, there are a number of problems with the ever-increasing practice of ‘Trick or Treat’. Unaccompanied children are put at risk by calling on strangers in the dark and many people find this practice a real nuisance and unwanted intrusion. This is not helped by a minority of participants who use it as an opportunity for vandalism and cruelty to pets.

 

Following the success of last year, sections of our community are seeking to reduce the growing fear and menace that now accompanies the traditional practice of ‘Trick or Treat’.

 

We enclose a “Say No to Trick or Treat” notice. If you do not want to be disturbed by this activity, please display this notice where it can easily be seen, but not removed.

 

Parents - as we said, we are not saying your children should stop this practice. However, if your children are participating in this way, as well as ensuring their safety, please tell them to respect these notices. Thank you for your help in preserving everyone’s right to privacy and peace.

[The Flying Tench]

DavyR:

but African witchcraft is quite different from Wicca as practised in the UK. Parts of sacrificial victims are held to have strong medicinal value in African witchcraft, whereas, contrary to reports in the tabloid press, human or animal sacrifice plays no part in Wicca.

I'm not as knowledgeable as I should be about the different categories of paganism, wicca, shamanism etc. We had a talk at a recent diocesan (church) conference from someone who had had a lot of dialogue with pagans (and I think people into wicca - is 'witches' the correct term?), and he insisted there was a lot of common ground between them and christianity. Several of the parish vicars like me had had different experience, however, of youngsters or adults getting into ouija boards, satanism, black magic, and stuff broadly described as 'witchcraft' which seemed positively evil and was certainly psychologically damaging in many cases. I think it is possible that these areas are quite different from wicca, and it's unfortunate they get lumped together. Am I right that we've really got 3 areas:

 

a) Nature religions (paganism, wicca etc)

 

occult stuff, satanism and black magic

 

c) fun stories about witches on broomsticks

 

In practice, hallowe'en in schools is about c).

 

Christian parents are very concerned that their offspring will get influenced into , and think there is at least some risk a) could be the thin end of the wedge. At the least, it's inappropriate to have fun about something that is at least linked to .

 

Those involved with a) understandably feel that a ban on hallowe'en is directed against them since the roots of the festival are in a) rather than .

 

Is that a fair analysis?

[naomidaly]

i may be wrong but dont some christian festivals have their roots in pagan rituals....rob.i