As we approached their house I noticed there were no decorations strewn around the lawn. But the porch lights were on so we rang the doorbell. When the door swung open I was surprised to be greeted by the whole family. Their three kids, ages 10, 7, 3 were not in costume and seemed content staying home to hand out candy.
Interesting.
My boys came in the house and started playing while I started an inquiry.
The obvious question was why weren't the kids trick-or-treating.
Their response?
Well Halloween just didn't make sense to them. They are wonderful people and very active in their local church and with their strong Christian beliefs it seemed contradictory to them. It just didn't seem right, all the blood, gore, witches and goblins.
So without passing judgment on anyone else, they decided to pass out candy but not participate in the rest of it.
As they finished explaining this they said to me:
"All of our other friends think we are crazy, but of course you understand. Don't Mormons think Halloween is a little odd to be celebrating?"
I was at a loss for words. I had really never thought about it before but they had a great point.
Before I could fumble out a response my girls showed up at their house to trick-or-treat.
We all turned to look at Kate (7) and admire her costume. She was of course dressed as:
The Devil!
Luckily they are good friends and they caught the irony of the situation. But really why is my daughter dressed like Beelzebub?
She may not be the most menacing looking Satan, but it sure has me thinking.
6 comments:
that is pretty dang funny.
Maybe I was all wrong about California.
Hooray for your friends. I agree with them about Halloween; it's my least favorite holiday even though darling Roger was born on that date. The trouble is, kids love it, the goryer the better.
I agree with your friends. Scott hasn't done Halloween in years. He had a ball answering the door and handing out candy. Now, that doesn't extend to Jeff, my soon to be missionary who went out on stilts as a dancing tree from 'Wizard of Oz'. A mother can only have so much influence.
I'm sorry everybody, but I think Halloween is a harmless holiday that is simply in existance so kids can dress up and load up on sweets! I fully intend to encourage my kids to enjoy creative costumes and trick-or-treat time with each other as a family or (when they are older) with their friends.
It may seem a little mixed up to be dressing up as gory or evil things, but I promise your kids don't actually think they are the devil anymore than they think they are black cats or pumpkins. (By the way, I was a devil for Halloween this year too!)
Point is, it's silly to worry so much about a day children have enjoyed without any harm to their souls for decades! Relax! As long as you've taught your kids to choose the right, they will never mix up a shiny red costume and the real devil (who looks nothing like that anyway!)
Hahahah....
I think you got it wrong here... Because there is actually more than one face of a person and it is due to the fact that our culture shape us, our history shape us, our religions shape us, our environment shape us and many other things shape up and our beliefs are the result of those shaping and these beliefs are not always black or white. Sometimes they can be contradictory. It depends on how we interpret them. For me, I am a Chinese by ethnicity and we have many traditions in my culture, I follow, celebrate and respect them because it was what my ancestors believed. It was what they did that they think saved their lives or it played an important role in their lives or it can simply be a ritual. Whether it was fact or fiction, we might never know, but I respected my ancestors, and I will respect their beliefs and celebrate them, because, without them, I won't be here. It might be the active delusions or hallucinations of one of our ancestors but science has not always been so advanced. At the same time, because I am Catholic, and Catholic means universal, I do not think it contradicts my beliefs. As long as I believe in one God, the Father.
Anyways, kids need Halloween, because besides the fact that their brains are not fully developed, fantasies and such actually helps develops the brain; kids NEED FUN!!! Let them enjoy their childhood!
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