Halloween Evil?

[Lilith]

To corrupt little kids.

So My mother in law ahs informed my kids how Halloween is bad and the devil will have control over them and some other crap i cant believe she told a 5, 8, and 10 yr old.

Basically she is not going to decorate, hand out candy or anything else. She now has got my kids all worried the great pumpkin will not come and that they are not going to go trick or treating. She told them people put nasty stuff in the candy and MOM can’t check the candy enough to keep them safe. My daughter told her she is good and nice every day and it just one day a year she wants to be evil (I laughed my ass off~ go get her little one). I guess basically to her Halloween is some type of Million year old plan to corrupt the innocent Angelic children to the DARK SIDE.

It drive me nuts, yes i know people can and have tampered with candy, which is why the sheriffs have ways to check and just about every parent hand sorts the candy. I know there are Pagan Holidays and Black magic people do things and so on, but seriously is there any reason for a grandmother to go off explaining all this to Little Kids, does she think it will stop them from wanting to get a Pillow case full of candy? To me that just dumb and silly tactics if that is her goal.

How can i make her stop this, we have told her before not to lie to the kids if they ask a question answer it to the best of her ability with in the age limit, she does not seem to know what is appropriate things to tell a child at a certain age. The other problem i have is that she will spew her thoughts and beliefs with out any one asking and then too forget the appropriate thing to say to a child of a certain age. Then when we try to confront her with it she just says "well you told me to be honest with them".

I can see this conversation happening between me n her about Halloween and i need amo, i need to know what is Halloween all about the good the bad n the ugly. I need to put her in her place as i feel she has taken an innocent tradition millions of kids participate in and mad it all bad. The kids don’t care who is sacrificing the neighbors Black cat, they don’t care who is drinking the blood of a virgin either, all they care about is that candy in the bag, they have an awesome costume and that the great pumpkin leaves them a treat when they get back from trick or treating.

I don’t even know what i am really asking here i am just so fed up and frustrated with her and the Half truths she spews. (She is also on this new kick, the manger many display for Christmas is all wrong and she refuses to have on in her home now), Maybe she is the anti Christ? I guess i just want your thoughts and basically to get this off my chest so i dont blow up at her. She is not the type of person to basically listen and because she reads this or that here or there it has to be true and she knows best Cause she is 50-60 years old Half raised one kid and does the bible study everyday.

Maybe i am just looking for some one else to tell me My kids are not secretly being Dragged to the depths of hell because I let them dress up like FAKE Monsters and let them get candy from Strangers. I know i am not, but i mean really do people think this way, dont they realize how dumb they sound?

Man i wish you guys could meet her, well maybe not just meet her cause she will be ever so nice to you, but i wish all of you could know her as i do and deal with her contradictory statements and Diarrhea of the mouth.

Answer if you will, with what ever your thoughts are, even if i am being overly stressed about this Please say so. I guess sometime i feel as if i over react to what she says and i should just blow it off which is what i do when it comes to Lestat or my self but when it comes to the kids and the things they Look forward too.......... Ughhh

Don’t get me wrong she does have many wonderful things about her, but it just seems those things are so hard to see as the kids get older and I have to counter act the things she has told them. And I want every one to know that I do so appreciate everything she does do for us I am grateful for her I just cant handle this Closed minded approach she takes with the kids, kids are not ready to deal with the in and outs of all the world and I just don’t want them to end up like her in that way, I just want them to be open to every one and everything and be able to think for them selves, this does not happen over night it is a life long learned behavior and I feel as if she is trying to sabotage all I have done which in turn make me feel like she does not respect me/us as parents.

This is a partial Rant and Seeking for advice and maybe info. I also had no idea what Forum to put this in as it is kind of about family/domestic life and i can see how it is Spirituality, Philosophy, Sociology, Religion etc… so forgive me if it is placed wrong

Fire away fold just say what ever comes to mind you never know what might help or open me up to view this differently.

Guys/Gals, Thank You!

lilith

[Homicidalheathen]

Maybe you could show her some info on how Samhain is about honoring the dead and how each culture has such a holiday?

I went through this with my brother a few years ago. However it did not turn out favorably. Most of my family will not talk to him now.

[Guest Game of Chance]

Sounds more like Pets, Relationships, Domestic Homelife to me.

Is she really telling the kids that the holiday itself is evil, or is it more that she's just worried about the neighbors putting razor blades in the candy?

If its the neighbors, I can see her point. There are a lot of weirdos out there. But that can be resolved by trick-or-treating in neighborhoods with nicer homes. People who have more to lose are less likely to do something stupid to jeopardize their livelihoods, like for example, putting razor blades in candy.

If its the holiday itself, well, that's an entirely different issue. Not to be rude, but what kind of country-ass, backwards-thinking person could believe that she's doing the kids any kind of good by holding them back from a holiday that is celebrated by millions of children across the country? Tell her the Church is dead, and go on with your life.

As far as ammunition, this site goes into the history of the holiday.

Good luck.

http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/hal...n/?page=origins

[The_Dark]

Not to be rude, but what kind of country-ass, backwards-thinking person could believe that she's doing the kids any kind of good by holding them back from a holiday that is celebrated by millions of children across the country?

You could say the same thing to the people who want to ban public displays of Jesus in the manger.

[Onyx]

I am Christian myself and I find this disgusting. She has violated both the letter of the law and the spirit of Christ as far as I am concerned. Jesus was not this kind of person and would have never said things like that to a child. Where is the love?

I wonder if she knows that Christmas is actually a pagan holiday?

Obviously she is a messed up human being. I have a feeling that if she does not change her ways she may get a very nasty surprise when she meets her maker.

All you can do is try to live your life well and be a good example for your children. It may take time but eventually they will see her for who she is and hopefully will be able to forgive her for her mistakes.

[phee]

You could say the same thing to the people who want to ban public displays of Jesus in the manger.

Good point, it is always good to look at things from a different point of view... it should be the parents individual decision....

[Guest Game of Chance]

Good point, it is always good to look at things from a different point of view... it should be the parents individual decision....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ever heard Mother by Pink Floyd?

[Guest Game of Chance]

You could say the same thing to the people who want to ban public displays of Jesus in the manger.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You're right...but I'm debating on the side of negating the restriction of religious beliefs...not vice versa...

[Lilith]

Sounds more like Pets, Relationships, Domestic Homelife to me.

Is she really telling the kids that the holiday itself is evil, or is it more that she's just worried about the neighbors putting razor blades in the candy?

If its the neighbors, I can see her point.  There are a lot of weirdos out there.  But that can be resolved by trick-or-treating in neighborhoods with nicer homes.  People who have more to lose are less likely to do something stupid to jeopardize their livelihoods, like for example, putting razor blades in candy.

If its the holiday itself, well, that's an entirely different issue.  Not to be rude, but what kind of country-ass, backwards-thinking person could believe that she's doing the kids any kind of good by holding them back from a holiday that is celebrated by millions of children across the country?  Tell her the Church is dead, and go on with your life.

As far as ammunition, this site goes into the history of the holiday.

Good luck.

http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/hal...n/?page=origins

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well from what i Gather she basically told then it was evil, I mena My daghter who Revovles around grandma Got Pissed and she told her she only wanted to be evil just one day, My older son who is wise beyond his years Basically reinforced my thoughts withthe things he said she said. I get allot of this fro mthe kids and some i never here from ehr mouth directly, but i have learned from dealing with this type of thing over the years that she was saying the HOLIDAY is EVIL and not just trying to tel lthe kids to wait to eat the candy untill mom n dad check it. She eve went on to explain to then that people will inser things in to the candy in ways we cant tell, Like a needle with some kind of poision, i had to explain to my kids that when Mr Hersehey make candy and wraps it up it is air tight, so when you squeeze the candy in the wrapper it should hold air, and if it does not we just throw it away just in case becasue if any one did poke the candy with a needle the air would escape through the hole in the wrapper. I know it is good for the kids to know abouthe BAD people but to be so bold and make a statment that MOM/DAD cant even keep you safe is a bit extreame. It like saying well you cant buy a used car becasue some one might have loosened some Bolts.

[Homicidalheathen]

OMG thanks this is excellent I have to write a paper and dont have my links on this puter.

Sounds more like Pets, Relationships, Domestic Homelife to me.

Is she really telling the kids that the holiday itself is evil, or is it more that she's just worried about the neighbors putting razor blades in the candy?

If its the neighbors, I can see her point.  There are a lot of weirdos out there.  But that can be resolved by trick-or-treating in neighborhoods with nicer homes.  People who have more to lose are less likely to do something stupid to jeopardize their livelihoods, like for example, putting razor blades in candy.

If its the holiday itself, well, that's an entirely different issue.  Not to be rude, but what kind of country-ass, backwards-thinking person could believe that she's doing the kids any kind of good by holding them back from a holiday that is celebrated by millions of children across the country?  Tell her the Church is dead, and go on with your life.

As far as ammunition, this site goes into the history of the holiday.

Good luck.

http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/hal...n/?page=origins

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Guest Game of Chance]

Not a problem.

[Lilith]

Yeah i allways thought God/jeasus Loved every one even the sinner and thus you cold be saved no matter what and a chance of eternal life. Jesus saved a freaking hooker for crying out loud and many otehr undesiables of society he showed no discrimination or hate for those who were "lost" he looked at there heart and if there was good in there heart he loved them. HE showed them kindnessand comapsion. That is what i was tought when i went to Protestant Sunday School Growing up and that is what has stayed with me, as i grew older i realized all realigion except for those whackos who ahte evey one all have the basic principle Just be freaking nice an non judgmental and show kindness and compasion and teach the material and letthe person decided for themselves. And a bunch of other Good stuff too.

I too personally think it is up to each parnet to make he choice, for me I enjoyed the hell out of halloween when i was kid as well as every other Holiday and thus my kids shold be able to enjoy the same in not more. They are exposed to many lifestyles and religions, For the simple reason for them to make there own choice, i dont know the right choice, i see good and bad in all types of religion and thus for the most part just come up with my own banter and try to live with respect for other and my self.

I dont think any oen should be made to feel that if they choose to live diffrnetly or participate in something they are going to BE evil or go to hell especially children thay just dont have the mental capacity or life experience to determine what is BS and what is not, they freely trust adults to give them the "truth" and when some one does not they are not cappable of disguingishing the diffrnece.

Such a sore hot subject for me One i know will never go away untill..... well lets just say i dont see this ending any time soon and for the most aprt the end would far greater of a hurt then this.

I just get so mad and i am sure iwll say it a milion times more casue this is just not a simple thing.

Also in my neighbor hood Just about every house we wold go to has a kid that attend the same school, Allot of the neighbors who hand Candy to my kids have Given me candy many many halloweens ago or are the family of some one who has, Yeah i havve crime in my neighbor hood and all three of my kids have gotten there bike stolen but i highly doubt any one around here would be out to get the kids.

I ma not sure if she knows christmas and Easter are both Pagan or panganistic type holidays, (please excuse my vaugeness or generalizing, i am not schooled enough in any religion to know if i am being offensive or not so i apologize ahead of time)..... I really think that by the time she is finished with her Bible study or what ever that every single holiday will be evil even freaking sweetest day.

[Brenda Starrr]

Sounds more like Pets, Relationships, Domestic Homelife to me.

http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/hal...n/?page=origins

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

*Yup. This really needs to be moved.*

And Halloween is a fun time for kids. I have never looked at it as a Satanic holiday or whatever. It's just a fun time. I love it as much as my kids do! I love trick or treating with them. I still believe in God, too! Does it make me a bad Christian? Am I evil for enjoying the f*cking candy? NO.

No. And no one should be interfering in your parenting style by shoving their thoughts down YOUR children's throats. That's almost as bad as telling your children about sexually graphic things. Someone I know has done that to one of mine, and now I have to "handle" it. I would personally tell her that she needs to back off, and that you won't tolerate this sort of crap anymore.

[Head Wreck]

i'm not a christian, but i did find the whole banning the christian iconography in public a little on the stupid side tbh

yes christmas may have been a pagan festival once, the pagans being the romans, who turned thier religeons of old into the catholic religeon.

everythings taken from there.

christ was not born on dec the 25, nor did the labour take 12 days.

its a choisen time christians choose to celebrate thier religeon, and why not.

i worship wintereenmas in february because its wintereenmas.

halloween was always a big grab candy excuse in the states and why not

what next? not allowing us brits bonfires during guy fawkes incase it upsets the catholics?

society today is PC mad.

as to the grandmother partypooper. wasnt she young once? i cannot see how free candy leads to firey lakes and being chased about on the end of a toasting forkby TD covered in red paint with a black goatie

[Brenda Starrr]

Amen, HW!!!!

[torn asunder]

my silly opinion - you are the parent, you lay down the rules. if your mother is doing something you disapprove of, even her intentions are good, inform her she is to stop. if she doesn't, limit her time with the children. if that doesn't help, temporarily deny her time with them. your kids, your life, stand up for what you think. as long as you're true to your own beliefs, imo, the rest of the world can go to their own little personal hells that they fear so much...

shuttin up now... :fear

[Msterbeau]

Not to get too far off Harmony's topic.... But the whole Nativity scene thing is really back to the seperation of powers thing right? The displays in question were on government properties... etc.. blah blah.... Not quite the same thing as spewing personal beliefs to children who may or may not be ready to handle that info in the way Harmony said it was expressed.

I say tell mom to:

A. Express her beliefs in an age appropriate way AND allows for some debate as to other possible interpretations..

OR:

B. Have a nice life mom, until you learn to respect another persons wishes.

[unchaste]

Go read sooth's Halloween History thread.

Come to find out, trick-or-treating actually came from an English tradition called "souling", where the poor would go around and collect cakes and then pray for the dead relatives of the people that had given out the cakes.

Shove that in her Christian face.

[The_Dark]

marc... the debate goes farther than than that. There is a town in, I think it's Oregon, that is beign sued to have Christmas displays complelty banned by a atheist group. There are groups out there trying to get all forms of Christian symbols banned from public view. Those are the people i was refering to.

And HW... When did I get cast as Satan?

[Brenda Starrr]

And HW... When did I get cast as Satan?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Have you seen your head lately???

[torn asunder]

And HW... When did I get cast as Satan?

:laughing must be the flaming skull!!

[Msterbeau]

marc... the debate goes farther than than that. There is a town in, I think it's Oregon, that is beign sued to have Christmas displays complelty banned by a atheist group. There are groups out there trying to get all forms of Christian symbols banned from public view. Those are the people i was refering to.

And HW... When did I get cast as Satan?

Completely banned? I don't agree with that at all. Certainly not on private property which most certainly includes churches. Granted, it is a celebration of what is basically a Christian holiday, but Chritmas has sort of transcended that now. (Think commercialism... :whistling )

Why can't we ALL just be HUMANS???

[bean]

Oh this brings back memories....

My grandmother pulled the same sort of thing when I was a child. Every Halloween, she would tell me how evil it was and again remind me that my mom was going to hell because she was a Wiccan and that I was going to hell because I wasn't baptised (yes, she told a child that she was going to hell). She complained about Halloween every year until the day she died, saying it was satanic and blah blah blah.

All you can do is reiforce the things that you want your children to believe and give an appropriate explanation as to why your mother is saying the things she says (without bashing her, as that would stoop to her level).

Trying to exlain Halloween to her is a waste of time and will fall on deaf ears, but what you can tell her is this (quoted from your first post):

"all they care about is that candy in the bag, they have an awesome costume and that the great pumpkin leaves them a treat when they get back from trick or treating."

And that to your children, that's all Halloween is.

Good luck!

[bean]

marc... the debate goes farther than than that. There is a town in, I think it's Oregon, that is beign sued to have Christmas displays complelty banned by a atheist group. There are groups out there trying to get all forms of Christian symbols banned from public view. Those are the people i was refering to.

And HW... When did I get cast as Satan?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

See, that's just rediculous and ass-backwards. Why can't we all just be tolerant of everyone else's beliefs?

[The_Dark]

Exactly my point.