# Halloween =/= Satan Worship, you fucking twit **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 26, 2005, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081 "2005-10-26T23:03:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/21 "2005-10-27T05:12:28Z")
> [@Zabali\_Clawbane](#): > > In this town, people call anything that has to do with mythology or other religions (not to mention anyone who’s different or Goth) “Satanism”. I’m not kidding. My husband was told he was a Satanist in grade school because he knew what a unicorn was, and read mythology. The [D.A.R.E](http://www.kansasdare.org/) officer tells young children that Goths will take their pets, kill them as a sacrifice to Satan and hang them in a tree to drain their blood on Halloween. This was told to my husband by his friend’s little sister who had it said to her class. I had a conversation with a teacher recently who spoke of kids wearing Gothic style make-up as though it were tatamount to praying loudly to Satan in the school halls. People in this town also refer to the different Christian denominations as “religions” too though. As in “Southern Baptist is a different religion than Catholic.” :rolleyes: Well, strictly speaking, such condemnation of other religions is scripturally justified by the Bible, so they’re really only following their beliefs. ( :rolleyes: ) ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/22 "2005-10-27T05:47:39Z")
Yeah, but they can condemn other religions more intelligently, instead of being lazy and chalking everything that isn’t worshipping the Christian God up to “Satan worship”. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/23 "2005-10-27T08:51:46Z")
> [@HPL](#): > > But don’t christians have human sacrifice? After all, they talk a lot about a guy who died horribly, and they then talk about eating his blood and body I heard that they _conjure up_ the flesh of their undead god—who was somehow his own father—to consume each week. It’s all too Lovecraftian to me. Do we have any Lions left? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![thursday\_next](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@thursday\_next](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thursday_next)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/24 "2005-10-27T08:56:22Z")
Why can’t it be about the candy _and_ the costumes? Ok so lack of a party/holiday wouldn’t stop me if I was damned and determined, but how often does a girl get to legitimately dress up as Little Bo Peep during the year?\* Add to that the goodness of candy and I know my favourite holiday! We had a neighbour a few years ago who insisted that halloween was evil. EEEEEEvil! He wouldn’t take his kid trick or treating, no decorations, nuttin. And if thats his gig, its groovy as long as he doesn’t step on my candy … um I mean halloween celebration. The previous year he’d been all about costumes, had the munchkin dressed up as a pumpkin (the adorable standard baby costume). Then he joined a new church and the minister told him how wrong it was. So he told everyone how wrong it was. I think after a bit the term bite me was thrown out … a few times, but then again he was the neighbor who bought an American Flag for my family shortly aften 9/11 and attempted to put it up for us, since obviously we were too busy to show our patritoism or something. :wally - (And have their dad say: don’t you look darlin’, darlin’. Where’d you get the costume? Uhh some store dad … never mentioned it was from Lingerie, Ect.) ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/25 "2005-10-27T09:46:26Z")
As I mentioned in a different thread recently, it’s as inevitable as the leaves changing color that a letter to the editor will appear in the local newspaper denouncing Halloween as a Satanic holiday, to which this devout Christian says, “_ **Codswollop!** _” Yes, it’s all about the candy and the costumes, and I have fond memories of leading a parade of kids dressed up as saints (actually, I suspect, their Halloween costumers) up the aisle of my old church in full SCA regalia, fencing dagger in my belt and epee or schlager in hand, singing _I Sing a Song of the Saints of God_ on the Sunday closest to Halloween, aka All Hallows’ Even! By the way, **fushj00mang** , I have a simple response for people who complain about Christmas being over-commercialized. I put on my best, wide-eyed, innocent look (it’s very effective, I swear!) and say, “Why do you let it?” Don’t get me wrong – I enjoy getting and giving presents as much as anyone, especially looking for fun stuff for my niece and nephew. I’m also one of these dreaded liberal Christians whose closest friends include homosexuals and Wiccans, but it would be unthinkable for me to separate the religious aspects from Christmas. There have been many years when I didn’t have a Christmas tree or couldn’t celebrate Christmas with my family; I can’t remember a year I didn’t go to church on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or both (both have been when I’ve been in the choir). To me, Christmas is only as commercialized as one lets it become. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Mark 6:21) But here I go running Christmas into Halloween. Now, _that_ may be a sin! :eek: Forget Christmas for now. Bring on the candy and costumes! Especially the candy corn! CJ (I _love_ candy corn!) ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/26 "2005-10-27T12:28:47Z")
If you come to Australia, it’s about kids getting dressed up as Batman and Fairies and knocking on doors up and down the street in search of lollies (candy). It’s not exactly a widespread practice as yet, but more and more kids are getting into the festivity of our northern counterparts. Little shits are just Capitalists in the Making really… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/27 "2005-10-27T12:48:43Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > Not that I’m supporting the viewpoint (as I love Halloween,) but it probably has to do with Caesar’s description of ritual human sacrifice during Celtic Samhain rites. > > So, in their eyes, human sacrifice = murder = bad = Satan. Not all that hard, really. > > But was it Roman propaganda? Maybe. Nobody knows. I thought the Roman’s big beef was not that it was any old human sacrifice, but rather _Roman_ human sacrifice. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/28 "2005-10-27T12:51:02Z")
One day you’ll all realize (too late) that the Jews were right. ;j …and… > [@Anaamika](#): > > I’ve been exposed to Jesus Christ and still won’t accept the Gospel You should stop exposing yourself that way. You’ll get arrested. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/29 "2005-10-27T13:17:49Z")
You all miss the point. Halloween is all about putting up your Christmas decorations so that you can nbe the first asshole on your block to have Santa on the roof of your house. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/30 "2005-10-27T13:25:14Z")
Halloween weekend is the end of the boating season. Not that we get out much during October, but the city mooring is only leased through November 1st. I believe in getting as much time out of a lease as is possible. We’re pulling the boat out on Saturday. Halloween is a sad time… ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/31 "2005-10-27T13:35:00Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > [I did that](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=341516) to some extent already int the Halloweenie Meanie thread. But the X-people really light my Jack-o Lantern. 🆒 Relax, I’m one of those “X-people” that lights your jack-o-lantern and I’ll be going to a costume party tomorrow dressed as the Witch King of Angmar. My pastor thinks it’s funny. Confused yet? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/32 "2005-10-27T13:45:08Z")
'Tis the season. I had dinner out the other evening and left $6.66 as a tip. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/33 "2005-10-27T13:54:53Z")
Seems like an opportune time to link to [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=341007) failure of a thread. Halloween is not just about the candy and the costumes. It’s also about looking the macabre straight in the face and laughing at it (or getting the bejebus scared out of you). It’s all about the bones and cauldrons and shrouds and fangs. It’s all about fake blood and pointy hats and ghoulish faces carved into squash. ---
**Author:** ![Plynck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Plynck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plynck)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/34 "2005-10-27T14:13:45Z")
So, no more bobbing for kidneys in a big vat of blood at the party this weekend? How about the orgies? Are they out too? > [@Zabali\_Clawbane](#): > > In this town, people call anything that has to do with mythology or other religions (not to mention anyone who’s different or Goth) “Satanism”. I’m not kidding. My husband was told he was a Satanist in grade school because he knew what a unicorn was, and read mythology. Wow. :eek: Ignorance evidently is (religious) bliss. Ya know, instead of South Carolina, maybe the evangelists would consider Kansas as their new religious colony. Apologies in advance to those kind and sensible folks who call Kansas home, but it’s time we contained this epidemic. And, if their religious piety can stop the tornados, then that’s just icing on the cake. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/35 "2005-10-27T14:50:30Z")
Sadly, it’s not just KS or SC --my fundie, home schooled neighbors also believe this shit. And my church turned its Halloween party (Sunday school) into a “fall festival”–whatever. (I am glad to report that the “Fall Festival” died from lack of attendance about 4 years ago–imagine kids wanting to be spooked and dress up in weird stuff! They didn’t take to the celebrate the bounty stuff atall!) I love (as I said in the other Halloween thread) the theater of Halloween. I am less enthused about the gore, but I have never enjoyed being yucked out as entertainment. To each his own: you go to the “Haunted” House and be grossed out, I’ll read a ghost story and shiver in my chair… I was listening to Al Genie (sp?) the other day on NPR and he said that Evil must always have a moral aspect to it. Hurricanes are NOT evil, for example, because they are natural occurences (devastating though they are). I think he’s right. Halloween is NOT evil or satanic–the choices one makes on Halloween (or any other day of the year) can be. That said, I really don’t believe in Satan per se–but evil? Oh, yes–it exists and its terrible. But IMO we all have to fight it–Christians have no monopoly on the struggle. sorry, wandering OT… ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/36 "2005-10-27T15:52:28Z")
> [@](#): > > Get thee to a nunnery, fuckface! The Bard is timeless! > [@](#): > > Instead of putting out the “It ain’t about Satan” arguement, how about a “It’s been commercialized too much, like Christmas!” arguement? Yeah, preach it! We’ve totally lost the spirit of Halloween. I remember when i was a kid it was all about Satan. Now, it’s just candy and decorations and dressing up as whoever is the star of the latest Hollywood blockbuster. So everyone, keep Satan in your hearts this Halloween. Remember, Our Dark Lord is the reason for the season! ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/37 "2005-10-27T15:55:49Z")
I like that approach, **vibrotronica**. Next time a fundie complains, I’ll just look despondent and let out a big sigh and go “Oh, if only. It _used_ to be all about Satan but it has become so commercialized any more, I don’t know if it’s even worth it to attend the Midnight Black Mass …” ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/38 "2005-10-27T16:22:57Z")
That is perfect! I am going to do that to the next sanctimonious prig I come across! 😃 laughing face :eek: spooked Halloween face :mad: Satan face (needs horns) 😛 Kermit the frog face ;j Jon Sterwart costume ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/39 "2005-10-27T16:25:52Z")
> [@](#): > > Anyway, an observation of these individuals showed (at least to me) that many were the same ones who proclaim loudly that Halloween is a holiday for the worship of Stan. I, for one, welcome our Stan Overlord. (There needs to be somekind of window sticker clingie thing that says, " I Worship Stan. and have a picture of some nerdy guy.) ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/40 "2005-10-27T17:00:07Z")
Is it still cool to point and laugh at silly newagers appropriating holidays from dead religions and then mispronouncing them? I seem to spend most of the Halloween season suppressing the urge to punch people who pronounce “Samhain” with an m. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081.md?page=3)