# 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:** 3
**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, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/41 "2005-10-27T17:08:41Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > sorry, wandering OT… I don’t think you were. And it gives me a chance to elaborate. 🙂 I was painting with a bit of a broad brush there. I am from Massachusetts, and while I personally don’t mind being associated with laws permitting same sex marriage, or with Boston drivers and [pedestrians](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=341343), I know that not everyone in this state feels the same way. I didn’t mean my post as a general criticism of Kansas and its citizens. I certainly didn’t mean to imply that everyone from Kansas felt this way, or that everyone who felt this way came from Kansas. I _am \* concerned, however, about the general batshit_, rabid, regressive, idiotic, illogical, self-righteous, condescending, so-called piety in this country that masquerades as religious devotion. Hey! Nice idea for a Halloween costume! \*just trying to keep with the theme of the OP ---
**Author:** ![Dob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Dob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dob)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/42 "2005-10-27T17:15:53Z")
> [@](#): > > Fuck. Why can’t it just be about candy? great sig line! But dont forget the fun of seeing the computer nerd in your office building dressing up as a star trek/star wars/babylon geek every year. If worshiping Satan means I get to see that every year…where do I sign in blood? ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/43 "2005-10-27T17:48:19Z")
Google ad for “Subservient Chicken Mask” I give up. Now I know why all the cool religions are occult. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![aamco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@aamco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aamco)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/44 "2005-10-27T17:58:18Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > orgy of death worship and goat-felching Just out of curiosity, does that refer to felching a goat, or having a goat felch you? ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/45 "2005-10-27T18:05:33Z")
> [@Maus Magill](#): > > I thought the Roman’s big beef was not that it was any old human sacrifice, but rather _Roman_ human sacrifice. I think the last official Roman sacrafice was in 105 B.C.E. They burried a Greek man and woman and a Gallic man and woman in the Forum to precent another Gallic sacking of the city. Marc ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/46 "2005-10-27T18:09:02Z")
As I understand it, the Roman objection to human sacrifice by the Celts was that they used it for divination. Romans believed that divination, as done by a Haruspice, was properly performed with certain specific animals. ---
**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, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/47 "2005-10-27T18:12:58Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > As I understand it, the Roman objection to human sacrifice by the Celts was that they used it for divination. Romans believed that divination, as done by a Haruspice, was properly performed with certain specific animals. None of which may bear in the least bit on why modern-day Christians may find a Roman account of human sacrifice disturbing. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/48 "2005-10-27T18:23:52Z")
> [@mr bus guy](#): > > 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. Nah, we did that on Labor Day. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/49 "2005-10-27T18:29:52Z")
> [@mr bus guy](#): > > 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. Shows what you know. In order to put them _up_, I would have had to take them _down_, wouldn’t I? ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/50 "2005-10-27T19:10:39Z")
[QUOTE=Scumpup] As I understand it, the Roman objection to human sacrifice by the Celts was that they used it for divination. [QUOTE] And the people so sacrificed IIRC were not exactly upstanding citizens any way, but convicted criminals. I’d be interested to know what proportion of the Halloween-is-evil crowd is pro-death penalty. I think we might be able to strike a bargain… ---
**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, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/51 "2005-10-27T19:41:34Z")
> [@MGibson](#): > > I think the last official Roman sacrafice was in 105 B.C.E. They burried a Greek man and woman and a Gallic man and woman in the Forum to precent another Gallic sacking of the city. > > Marc You misunderstand. The Romans objected to Celtic human sacrifice because often Romans were the humans being sacrificed. I know _I’d_ object to being sacrificed. ---
**Author:** ![Orual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orual)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/52 "2005-10-27T21:58:08Z")
> [@Maus Magill](#): > > You misunderstand. The Romans objected to Celtic human sacrifice because often Romans were the humans being sacrificed. I know _I’d_ object to being sacrificed. I imagine the Celts objected somewhat to Rome’s invading legions. I know I would. Incidentally, does anyone have a cite for Caesar mentioning _any_ specific Celtic holiday when discussing their penchant for human sacrifice? I’d look it up myself, but my _Gallic Wars_ is buried in the basement somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/53 "2005-10-27T22:46:06Z")
No holiday mentioned AFAICT. [Book 6, Chapter 16](http://classics.mit.edu/Caesar/gallic.6.6.html): > [@](#): > > The nation of all the Gauls is extremely devoted to superstitious rites; and on that account they who are troubled with unusually severe diseases, and they who are engaged in battles and dangers, either sacrifice men as victims, or vow that they will sacrifice them, and employ the Druids as the performers of those sacrifices; because they think that unless the life of a man be offered for the life of a man, the mind of the immortal gods can not be rendered propitious, and they have sacrifices of that kind ordained for national purposes. Others have figures of vast size, the limbs of which formed of osiers they fill with living men, which being set on fire, the men perish enveloped in the flames. They consider that the oblation of such as have been taken in theft, or in robbery, or any other offense, is more acceptable to the immortal gods; but when a supply of that class is wanting, they have recourse to the oblation of even the innocent. Chapter 19: > [@](#): > > Husbands have power of life and death over their wives as well as over their children: and when the father of a family, born in a more than commonly distinguished rank, has died, his relations assemble, and, if the circumstances of his death are suspicious, hold an investigation upon the wives in the manner adopted toward slaves; and, if proof be obtained, put them to severe torture, and kill them. Their funerals, considering the state of civilization among the Gauls, are magnificent and costly; and they cast into the fire all things, including living creatures, which they suppose to have been dear to them when alive; and, a little before this period, slaves and dependents, who were ascertained to have been beloved by them, were, after the regular funeral rites were completed, burnt together with them. ---
**Author:** ![Orual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orual)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/54 "2005-10-27T22:50:14Z")
Thanks, **Kimstu**. I thought that I would have remembered a garbled Latin transliteration of “Samhain”. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/55 "2005-10-27T22:59:44Z")
> [@Maus Magill](#): > > You misunderstand. The Romans objected to Celtic human sacrifice because often Romans were the humans being sacrificed. I know _I’d_ object to being sacrificed. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/56 "2005-10-27T23:11:02Z")
Caesar’s remark about “sacrifices of that kind ordained for national purposes” sounds as though it might indeed refer to ones associated with fixed seasonal rituals or holidays. But I didn’t spot any actual reference to such an “ordained” event. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/57 "2005-10-28T00:34:55Z")
> [@Siege](#): > > 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!) Christmas is already Halloween, didn’t you notice? 31[sub]OCT[/sub] = 25[sub]DEC[/sub] QED. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/58 "2005-10-28T09:26:39Z")
Of course! I read Isaac Asimov’s short story about it! (It’s in one of his _Tales of the Black Widowers_ collections. I’ll see if I can find the name of the specific story.) CJ ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2005, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/59 "2005-10-28T09:48:21Z")
> [@Excalibre](#): > > 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. But it’s spelled with a… :smack: :smack: :smack: :wally :smack: You’d think I didn’t know how to pronounce “Mhairi” either. I swear it’s the preceding vowel that undid me. And almost the last thing I saw before I left the house this morning was see a spot of Scooby-Doo in which (hah!) Velma was waxing all earnest about misunderstood 17th-century Wiccans. :rolleyes: ---
**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 28, 2005, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081/60 "2005-10-28T13:39:37Z")
> [@fluiddruid](#): > > Cite? No cite, but rather inference from two facts. First that the Romans were not at all squeamish about bloodshed. (Heck, they used to watch people get killed for entertainment.) Secondly that the Celts and Germans would sacrifice prisoners, and in the case of prisoners of war, they would have been Romans. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-satan-worship-you-fucking-twit/328081.md?page=4)