Halloweenily? Me?

Halloween is too American.
Halloween is un-Christian.
Halloween is Pagan and evil.

Righty oh then.  Halloween is such a nonsensical piece of useless American ephemera is it.  Like many other useless American things that we hate in our world: mobile phone, traffic lights, air conditioning (not invented by Jesus actually but if your unit was made in South America, it may have been assembled by Jesus) Lets not forget carbon dating, camera film, chocolate chip biscuits, condensed milk, suspension bridges, potato chips, the Big Mac.  The USA has contributed more than enough things to current western societies that We should allow them some lenience on this one, because its IRISH!!

The Harvest Festival Samhain "Sow en" apparently originated from northern Ireland and England (Wales and Scotland weren't a thing) by the Druids (Stone Henge, the third of the henges, it came after straw henge and wood henge) Built by the Welsh and was to celebrate the end of the growing season and the start of winter.

They believed that the dead could cross into the world of the living at this time (John Edward would've been out of a job) so they would dress as ghosts etc in case they bumped into a real one so then they'd go unnoticed.  Not a terribly dumb plan, it seems practical if you actually believed that.

"Oh we don't believe in ghosts and witches in Christianity"  Im sure all the Wiccans reading would annoy you if they said "oh we don't believe in Christians.  And ghosts, are you sure?  The notion of people who have died and come back to walk among the living is completely foreign to Christianity? I'm no theology major but I distinctly remember quite a significant segment of the book being about a person being killed and them coming back and walking around with people for 40 days.  He even told people what to do.  he told people to not be afraid.

Halloween was an Samhain was an ingrained celebration by the time Pope Gregory I? (the one with the really big hat) made November 1st All Saints Day and 2nd All Souls Day. Hallowed days. The day before henceforth becomes All Hallows Eve and if you're good at rearranging letters (and ditching a few) you can get Halloween.

Pagan and evil? Pagan is a term for polytheistic belief systems by Christians.  Non theists are also called heathens but often go on to prove things with science but I digress.  Hinduism, Ghandi was clearly a devil worshipper right, with all his 'be nice to people and don't solve problems with violence'? Ancient Greeks were polytheistic and its not like they did anything useful but I wonder if I could find out the circumference of that circle? Why does the level of the water go up in the bath when a person gets in? It means worshipping more than one God but we've seemingly steered or had it steered and I wont ask "by whom?" toward the thinking that "Pagans" wear goat skulls and  sacrifice babies.  There are probably less polytheists less in the world as there are, at least according to census data, less theists in the world of all varieties.

So its too American? Actually its Irish and nobody's complaining about St Patrick's Day and if it were American, so what? tons of awesome stuff has come from America, like Sham-Wow, remember that?
It's Un-Christian? Well it was until a Catholic Pope decided to add two "Hallowed" days right after it like many other northern hemisphere festivals that christianity has "borrowed" for its own purposes *coughChristmas*.  Plus the main thing that people consider un-Christian (people who were dead coming back to life) is clearly depicted in the Bible (I have read one before, its a long boring story and nobody likes snakes, which is sad if you're a snake). So its as un-Christian as the resurrection of Jesus?
It's Pagan and Evil? well Pagan refers to any religion that believes there is more than one God.  There are still a few of those around.  Have you ever met people hanging Crystals and dancing in front of trees smiling and being all nice? Totally and evil Pagan.  The Hindu doctor who sewed my face back together at uni..Yeah he'd only do that if I promised to eat a kitten.

I get that people don't like it.  Maybe they'll be disturbed by kids knocking on the door during their favourite tv show.  Maybe they are against the commercialisation of someone's traditional religious event.  So start a campaign to remember the "true meaning" of Halloween like you do for Christmas and Easter. Maybe you're against the sexualisation of young people in costumes as some look like they belong in the bedroom of adults instead of being worn o their kids, go an crusade to make all costumes floor length.  Dress up as a dalek. I just cant stand the bullshit arguments against it.  "It's not Australian", well Santa still wears his friggin long coat, long pants and winter hat when its 40 degrees here so deal with it.  If you don't like Halloween just say "I don't like giving away lollies".

Yes I'm a non theist and I also believe wholeheartedly that everyone, including myself is a hypocrite and Halloween is a great demonstration of that hypocrisy. I have no problem with your religion reader, provided you don't use the fact it's yours to diminish someone else's, at that point I'll go to town.

I.M