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.

What Frightens Me

I love the Fall, not so much Halloween though. Seeing images of skeletons, fake blood and ghosts everywhere just goes against my "choose life" attitude. Yes, I let my kids dress-up for Halloween, but we just don't do blood and gore.

Never has my dislike of Halloween been so strong since I have developed relationships with refugee people. Imagine me trying to explain to very recent African refugees why Americans put fake cobwebs in their bushes and dangle fake skeletons and dead bodies from their trees. Imagine my horror as a refugee grandfather told me he didn't like to see that, since he has seen real dead bodies and skeletons hanging from trees in his home town.

He has experienced genocide and experiences trauma when we Americans choose to glorify death by decorating our homes with these scenes.

I don't remember Halloween being such a big deal when I was growing up. The day itself was filled with trick or treating and a Halloween party at school. Adults might attend a costume party. But I don't remember so many homes being decorated (a full month or more before Halloween!). I think I heard somewhere that Americans spend more money on Halloween than any other holiday other than Christmas. What??? It frightens me that we choose a holiday that glorifies death more than we celebrate Easter which is all about LIFE.

"I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life..." Deuteronomy 30:19b-20