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BY LUIS BUENAFLOR JR.
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Halloween is not happy
IF YOU’RE one of those who celebrate Halloween and greet every one you meet, “Happy Halloween” on Nov. 1, then you are suffering from a severe case of colonial mentality.
Worse, you’re a naive fool who has absolutely no idea why Halloween came to be yet you do so just because it’s trendy and everyone else seems to be doing it.
You’re probably one of those who also celebrate Thanksgiving, 4th of July and Super Bowl Sunday. Now if you’re an American then by all means go ahead and have fun celebrating all these mentioned holidays. But if you’re a Filipino it becomes a little awkward and totally out of place for you to even think about celebrating these holidays.
Just like the 4th of July, Thanksgiving and Super Bowl Sunday, Halloween is an American holiday that has no meaning nor is it a part of Filipino traditions and culture.
Halloween is basically a marketing strategy to sell just about anything from candles to clothes. Why, there’s even a “Halloween Spirit sale” on the File Commander software.
Most people actually believe that Halloween is part of the Christian or Catholic traditions that as Catholics we should celebrate. Sorry folks, it’s not.
Let’s see what the Bible has to say about Halloween. The Bible does not mention it. However, both the ancient origins of Halloween and its modern customs show it to be a celebration based on false beliefs about the dead and invisible spirits, or demons. The Bible warns: “There must never be anyone among you who…consults ghosts or spirits, or calls up the dead.” (Deuteronomy 18:10-12, the Jerusalem Bible)
While some view Halloween as harmless fun, the Bible indicates that the practices associated with it are not. In 1 Corinthians 10:20, 21, the Bible says: “I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too.” (New International Version)
Halloween history and customs
Samhain: The origin of Halloween can be traced to this “ancient pagan festival celebrated by Celtic people over 2,000 years ago,” states The World Book Encyclopaedia. “The Celts believed that the dead could walk among the living at this time. During Samhain, the living could visit with the dead.” However, the Bible clearly teaches that the dead “are conscious of nothing at all.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5) Thus, they cannot contact the living.
Halloween costumes, candy, and trick or treat: According to the book Halloween — An American Holiday, An American History, some of the Celts wore ghoulish costumes so that wandering spirits would mistake them for one of their own and leave them alone. Others offered sweets to the spirits to appease them.
In medieval Europe, the Catholic clergy adopted local pagan customs and had their adherents go from house to house wearing costumes and requesting small gifts. The Bible, on the other hand, does not permit merging false religious practices with the worship of God. (2 Corinthians 6:17)
Ghosts, vampires, werewolves, witches, and zombies: These have long been associated with the evil spirit world. (Halloween Trivia) The Bible clearly states that we should oppose wicked spirit forces, not celebrate with them. (Ephesians 6:12)
Halloween pumpkins or jack-o’-lanterns: In medieval Britain, “supplicants moved from door to door asking for food in return for a prayer for the dead,” and they would carry “hollowed-out turnip lanterns, whose candle connoted a soul trapped in purgatory.” (Halloween — From Pagan Ritual to Party Night) Others say that the lanterns were used to ward off evil spirits. During the 1800’s in North America, pumpkins replaced turnips because they were plentiful as well as easy to hollow out and carve. The beliefs behind this custom — the immortality of the soul, purgatory, and prayers for the dead — are not based on the Bible. (Ezekiel 18:4)
As Catholics, the only “Holy days” Filipinos should be celebrating is November 1 which is “All Saints Day” a day for remembering all the Saints canonized by the church. Please remember that Cory Aquino is not a saint so please refrain from praying to her. Nov. 2 is the other “Holy Day” it being the actual “All Souls’ Day” which is the day intended for remembering and honoring all our dear departed.
So if you fancy yourself a “little brown American” then go ahead make your day celebrate Halloween./PN
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