Thursday, October 14, 2010

Death Culture

I'm fired up, people. Let's talk about Halloween and what it has become.

Something is wrong. Something is wrong with a culture that glorifies death. That is what we do in America for the 6+ weeks leading up to Halloween.

Something is wrong when I take my son to Walgreens and have to leave with him crying because of the seriously creepy ghoul thing flying over the candy aisle. The thing that costs $20. People are paying $20 for a dead corpse like ghoul thing to fly from their tree. Do you know what you could do with just $14? You could buy a starter brood of baby chicks for a family in Africa. Baby chicks that will eventually produce hundreds of eggs a year for a family to eat and sell. Let's see, how should I spend my money- dead ghoul thing, or feed a starving family?

This year, we've got the Fox Valley Park District sponsoring a Haunted House decorating contest. This is a fabulous idea. Let's see who has the scariest house! You know what my friend from Rwanda told me a few Halloweens ago? He told me he suffers from flashbacks and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder at Halloween. You know why? Because he has seen REAL skeletons hanging from trees during the genocide. I loved explaining to him that in America, we do this for fun!

Now, I'm all for pumpkins and candy at Halloween. Yes, my kids wear costumes and trick or treat. But I am steadfastly against glorifying death. Don't we have enough death in our world? Let's fight back against our death culture. Let's overcome evil with good.

Deuteronomy 30:19

I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.


4 comments:

  1. Totally agree! Can you believe, a church we were formerly part of (not BCCC!) has a "Fright Fest" every year, including haunted house. Never felt OK with that.

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  2. You know I'm on this one!!! Thank you!

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  3. Just stumbled on your blog...thanks for this post. Really appreciate your insight and please know that we affirm your perspectives! (We're in the same boat... fall-time stuff, pumpkins, etc....all good. Ghosts, skeletons, witches...not so welcome around here.)

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