Halloween - Harmless or Harmful Fun?

[9Westy9]

Halloween is a dangerous time. It teaches kids to expect candy for nothing. The same kids later on grow up to be bums, bankers, and Wall Street executives -- living off the hand outs of others.

or become extremely successful

 

[Kathryn]

Halloween is fun as hell. I mean, wait...that didn't sound exactly right...

Me (in hat) with a co worker earlier today

 

[blackout]

Compared to a state of apathy hate takes effort.

Yeah, well but you know people like to feel as if they're doing something.

 

[A. T. Henderson]

Compared to a state of apathy hate takes effort.

Everything takes effort compared with apathy, and apathy permits hate so could be considered its moral equivalent.

 

[tumbleweed41]

Day after Halloween 2011.

• Number of human sacrifices performed in America on Halloween- 0
• Number of reported "razor blades in apples"- 0
• Increase in black cat adoptions (supposedly used for sacrifice) at animal shelters around America- 0%
• Incidences of Halloween gang initiations involving mass killings- 0
• Incidences of LSD laced tattoos handed out to children- 0
• Incidences of children and parents having fun dressing up and having fun last night- Millions.

 

[no-body]

Compared to a state of apathy hate takes effort.

Hate is worth the effort to the ego because it puffs it up. People love being right and for "the others" to be wrong.

 

[Caladan]

The objective of the magazine is to present the teachings of Islam, reflecting its rational, harmonious and inspiring nature. It also brings together articles and viewpoints on different religions and seeks to make discussions on religion and religious philosophy accessible to a wider readership.

Did you say rational? because I'm pretty sure your magazine and you talk about paranoia regarding 'witches', 'evil spirits' and 'satanic worship'.

 

[Caladan]

Islam repeatedly stresses the need to seek knowledge and The Review of Religions provides a unique platform for people to acquire, and share knowledge.

Seeking knowledge usually results in understanding. not publishing material about evil spirits and witches.

 

[Bismillah]

It's based on a separate tradition than mine and not mine to adopt.

 

[Mr Spinkles]

It's based on a separate tradition than mine and not mine to adopt.

Can you explain?

 

[Bismillah]

Can you explain?

What more is there to explain Spinkles

 

[Mr Spinkles]

What more is there to explain Spinkles

You said "It's based on a separate tradition than mine and not mine to adopt".

Does this mean you are unable to participate in Halloween because your religion forbids it?

 

[Bismillah]

Does this mean you are unable to participate in Halloween because your religion forbids it?

I can choose to participate or not however according to most scholars Muslims should not participate in celebrations that are based or rooted in other religions.

I don't celebrate Halloween because it is not a part of my religion just as you won't celebrate Eid in five days because it is not a part of yours.

 

[McBell]

I can choose to participate or not however according to most scholars Muslims should not participate in celebrations that are based or rooted in other religions.

I don't celebrate Halloween because it is not a part of my religion just as you won't celebrate Eid in five days because it is not a part of yours.

um...
What religion do you believe the current Halloween is "Based" or "rooted" in?

I ask because the current Halloween, just like the current Christmas and Easter, are based on consumerism, not any religion.

 

[Bismillah]

I ask because the current Halloween, just like the current Christmas and Easter, are based on consumerism, not any religion.

I don't doubt that the holiday today is centered around consumerism, however its origins are clearly Pagan.

 

[Mr Spinkles]

I can choose to participate or not however according to most scholars Muslims should not participate in celebrations that are based or rooted in other religions.

I don't celebrate Halloween because it is not a part of my religion just as you won't celebrate Eid in five days because it is not a part of yours.

Halloween is not part of your religion OR my religion, but that's no problem because it is an inclusive holiday open to everyone. It's fun because it's all pretend, like a Civil War re-enactment or a Renaissance Festival.

The reason I won't celebrate Eid in five days largely because I am ignorant of it, I am not Muslim, and none of my Muslim friends have invited me to celebrate it with them. Certainly, I would not want to interfere or give offense to those who celebrate Eid. That's not why you don't celebrate Halloween, is it?

 

[blackout]

Living Life is open to everyone.

We all make of things,
whatever it is WE decide to make of them.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I don't celebrate Halloween because it is not a part of my religion just as you won't celebrate Eid in five days because it is not a part of yours.

Maybe I should try this argument with my wife the next time Valentine's Day rolls around.

 

[Bismillah]

Halloween is not part of your religion OR my religion

Well I struggled to find an apt word because you are a secular humanist. However, you are correct in saying that it is not a part of my religion. As a Muslim I don't celebrate Halloween because it precisely has no basis in my own religious tradition just as you, a non-Muslim, are not concerned with Eid.

 

[Mr Spinkles]

Well I struggled to find an apt word because you are a secular humanist. However, you are correct in saying that it is not a part of my religion. As a Muslim I don't celebrate Halloween because it precisely has no basis in my own religious tradition just as you, a non-Muslim, are not concerned with Eid.

Is the problem with Halloween that it is not part of your religion, or is the problem that Halloween is frowned upon by your religion?

When the opportunity arose I was open to celebrating lots of holidays that are not part of my "tradition" including Chinese New Year, the pagan mid-autumn festival, and the Passover Seder. (All of these are still different from Halloween of course, which is almost purely about fun and can be essentially whatever you make of it.) The reason I do not usually celebrate these holidays has to do with custom and familiarity. It has nothing to do with your reason, which is that scholars recommend not to "participate in celebrations that are based or rooted in other religions".

So there's a definite asymmetry here between traditions of inclusiveness vs. traditions of exclusiveness. This is just an observation.