| Every year in early October, Halloween props, | | | | rifled through some of the "good stuff" for |
| decorations, and costumes begin to fill the | | | | themselves). You remember hayrides, costume |
| entrances and isles of malls, departments | | | | parties, and visiting the local make-shift |
| stores, and even grocery stores. | | | | haunted house or haunted woods. You watched |
| Advertisements for haunted houses, costume | | | | Halloween television specials and just had a |
| parties, and other events start popping up | | | | lot of fun with your friends and have special |
| everywhere. As we are reminded of the | | | | memories of this scary holiday. |
| Halloween season, the argument about | | | | |
| Halloween starts brewing. Is Halloween a | | | | Evil Tradition |
| wicked ritual based on satanism and | | | | |
| witchcraft or is it a time to have harmless | | | | While many people find no harm in Halloween, |
| fun with friends? The debate continues. | | | | there are also many that avoid any activity |
| | | | or get together that has anything to do with |
| Halloween is celebrated every year on the | | | | Halloween. Many believe that the origins of |
| evening of October 31st. Many people love | | | | Halloween are based on satanic rituals and |
| Halloween time and enjoy dressing up as their | | | | witchcraft and any participation or |
| favorite character, taking their kids | | | | celebration in Halloween activities is |
| trick-or-treating, eating candy, and going to | | | | condoning witchcraft, satanism, and other |
| costume parties and think of it as just clean | | | | evil based traditions. |
| fun. However, other people think of Halloween | | | | |
| as an evil ritual based on satanic practices | | | | Conflicting Beliefs |
| and should be avoided at all costs. This | | | | |
| brings up an interesting debate with many | | | | There are many conflicting beliefs on the |
| passionate and heated arguments on each side | | | | history of Halloween. One belief is that it |
| of the issue. | | | | began as a Celtic pagan festival originally |
| | | | named Samhain in Ireland where Celtic priests |
| Simply Good Clean Fun | | | | (known as Druids) performed rituals by |
| | | | offering sacrifices or crops, animals, and |
| If you are like many people, you have fond | | | | supposedly even humans to please the gods. |
| memories of Halloween as you were growing up. | | | | This was done to ensure the sun would return |
| You remember picking out the costume of your | | | | when the winter season ended and the evil |
| favorite super hero or your mother making a | | | | spirits would be scared away. Another belief |
| scary ghost outfit made of a white sheet with | | | | is that much of the information about the |
| some holes cut out for the eyes. With a | | | | origins of Halloween are based on |
| little plastic jack-o-lantern or paper sack, | | | | inaccuracies, myths, and other fiction and |
| you journeyed about the neighborhood with | | | | that no historical proofs link Halloween to |
| your friends going door to door quoting the | | | | satanism or witchcraft. |
| well known phrase "trick or treat". You | | | | |
| couldn't wait to see what kind of candy or | | | | So, is Halloween an wicked ritual? Is it |
| treat you would get. Sometimes you would eat | | | | clean fun? Is it what we make of it now |
| some of the candy as you wandered the | | | | regardless of it's origins? Should we avoid |
| neighborhood even though your parents told | | | | it at all costs? Should we celebrate it as a |
| you to save it until you got home where they | | | | time of plentiful harvest? What is your |
| could ration your consumption (while they | | | | opinion? The debate continues... |