Ayuh, we got around to talking about the necessity of feeling bad about
something or lamenting / mourning when it is necessary to lead to change. We
discussed this on a personal level as well as a community level and mentioned
some of the same examples you did. In case you were worried... lol!
I think it was pretty apparent I agree with your viewpoint on Halloween. It
can be enjoyed innocently but it can also be taken too far. To play Devil's
advocate though - what is your opinion of passages like Deuteronomy 18:10-12,
or 1Thess. 5:21,22, Eph. 5:8-12? Reading passages like this make me think that
hey! Am I really fighting against a dark holiday by trivializing it or am I
participating in something I shouldn't be. I think it comes down to what we've
mentioned in other posts - if I don't think I should be doing it, I shouldn't
be doing it (i.e. I shouldn't eat beans if I think it is wrong...). Are there
any holy, pure, Christ-like aspects to Halloween? Hmmm.....
Rob> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected]>
Subject: [crosspointe-discuss] Re: Halloween> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 11:49:03
-0500> > > Rob,> In response to the "fuddy-duddy, stick in the mud" statement,
I think > that lament is a very real aspect to the Christian faith. Healthy >
lament puts our our lives in constant perspective. The essence of > Lament is
honesty before God and trusting that he is concerned with > the very real
frustrations our lives produce. A majority of psalms > are laments, Jesus
laments over the status of Israel in Matthew, not > too mention Paul's lament
for Israel in Romans. While it must be > understood that we are not called to
fixate on our pain, we are not > called to disregard it as insignificant and
necessary. (Not that I am > arguing that this is your position :0 )> In regards
to Hallow's Eve, I think it is important to understand the > roots of the
holiday and be able to articulate a conversation about > the purpose for it,
not too mention All Saints day that follows. That > being said, I feel foolish
dressing up, but that has more to do with > me be a "stick in the mud" and not
because I am opposed to the > holiday. I do think it is dangerous to take kids
out in and encourage > them to knock on a stranger's door for the sake of
"candy". That > being said, I think there have been numerous churches, schools,
and > local organizations who have created great opportunities for kids to >
have fun and a place for adults to take them and feel at ease. Is > this an
endorsement of witchcraft, sorcery, and dabbling in dark arts, > I don't think
so. But I think this is because I am willing to > honestly talk with my kids
about the motivation. To me it's like any > other form of entertainment, it
gets out of hand, when we don't keep > it in check.> On Oct 8, 2008, at 10:31
AM, Rob L. wrote:> > >> > Follow me on this...> > We were discussing James
4:7-10 this week and one of the things that> > struck me was the admonition by
James in 4:9 to lament and mourn and> > weep. Obviously there is some context
and the conversation did get> > around to being sorrowful over sin and
repentance. I started us out> > though by discussing how this seems a poor way
to represent> > Christianity. I really don't like it when Christians come
across us> > as fuddy-duddy sticks in the mud when really we are capable of
having> > just as much, if not more fun than the world.> > So, this verse
caught my eye. One of the topics that came up is> > Halloween and how many
Christians want nothing to do with it. I am> > not judging this point of view
if anyone has it and in fact respect> > and understand it. I laid out for the
class Rob's theory of Holidays> > and thought it might garner some discussion
here as well.> > Christmas and Easter have some pagan associations both with
the timing> > of the holiday and some of the symbolism. I've always thought
that> > the significance of the birth of Christ and the resurrection of Christ>
> could not be eliminated/squelched/hushed-up by the forces of darkness> > so
they used the strategy of misdirection (in the form of these pagan> > symbols)
to minimize and trivialize the significance of these events.> > In kind of a
reverse thought process I've kind of always thought that> > dressing up in
costumes and handing out candy kind of trivialized and> > minimized the
admittedly evil roots of Halloween. Plus! it's fun, and> > you know how we like
to justify our fun. Just thought I'd solicit you> > alls thoughts - do you
celebrate it? do you feel any guilt over this> > or are you at peace with it
being a harmless childrens holiday?> >> > Rob> > >> >> >> >> > > > Mike Butler,
Minister to College and Singles > CrossPointe Church> Happy are the Beggars> >
> > > > _________________________________________________________________
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