Note to self: have kids skip the Vatican this Halloween. Pope Benedict XVI has joined Kimberly Daniels at the Christian Broadcasting Network in issuing his own warning against Christians participating in Halloween. The Pope wants Catholics to know that the holiday is dangerous to not just their waistline but their eternal souls.
The Vatican has issued a statement denouncing Halloween as “anti-Christian” and “dangerous.”
In an article entitled ‘The Dangerous Messages of Halloween’, the Vatican’s official newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, lays out the soul-sucking dangers of the holiday. Liturgical expert Joan Maria Canals warns “Halloween has an undercurrent of occultism and is absolutely anti-Christian.”
Canals suggests that parents “be aware of this and try to direct the meaning of the feast towards wholesomeness and beauty rather than terror, fear and death.”
The church is suggesting a nice distraction for the kids like a mass or prayer vigil. I may give that a try Saturday night and suggest it with the kids, but if you do not see any postings on Sunday morning, you will know why.
Of course, there is still some room for dress up at such masses:
For the story, click here.
Welcome, Anglicans, Welcome, Episcopalians, Welcome All, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome.
Turn in your condoms in the vestibule.
The pope is trying to unite with Anglicans who don’t like women but also those who have split with the Episcopalians over the ordination of gay bishops.
That’s true Mike A. and S.M.,
The church is on a “haters-welcome” recruitment binge. They’re trying to poach Anglicans who don’t like their women out of line and no gays of course. Why not go after the pagans as well?
AY,
Those are some well played words.
Since I’m probably not going to be around tomorrow, here’s my contribution to the inevitable Halloween song conversation…
Which costume do you like best, the one at the top right or the one at top left?
Which one should I wear tomorrow night?”
Swarthmore mom, I agree with your observations. It appears that the Church is advancing toward fundamentalism with each passing day. I’ll know the transformation is complete when communion wine is replaced by Welch’s grape juice.
Mike S., isn’t it great to have reached that age when being a curmudgeon is not only acceptable, but expected? You can probably even buy or rent a curmudgeon costume for Halloween.
whooliebacon,
Will there be death panels?
Damn when people get in the way, “All Hallowed Eve” gets screwed every time. Commercialism gets its way for Corp Profits. Relegion is proof that you cannot profit without a Prophet or be a Prophet without a profit…..
“I think if you have any kind of government Candy program, you’re going to be stuck with it and it will lead us in the direction of the European style, you know, sort of British-style, single payer, government run Candy system,” Mitch McConnell remarked. “And those Candy systems are known for delays, denial of sugar rush and, you know, if your particular sweet tooth doesn’t fit the government regulation, you don’t get the Candy.
Then, he added, “And it may cost you your life. I mean, we don’t want to go down that path.”
I have always hated Halloween, since I was a child when it was a much, much more modest affair. I admit that as the entrepreneurs of society used it as another time for boosting sales, I as a father had to let my children participate in this celebration of harmful food products and ersatz scariness and often accompanied them trick or treating. It was done with much hidden loathing because my wife, my friends and neighbors felt differently and for my children’s benefit I didn’t want to play curmudgeon.
From a religious perspective, it is a pagan holiday and so the Pope and some other Christians denounce it. Knowing its’ history I can understand that judgment. I believe from a Jewish and Islamic perspective it is also not so good. However, never underestimate the power of American advertising, where a buck is to be made and I can imagine JT shepherding his costumed brood around neighboring streets. Bah Humbug!.
This is ZOMBIE DEFAMATION!!! How dare the Pope dress up like Nosferatu, not just on Halloween, but everyday? nal, I take your point but zombies were eating bodies and drinking blood before popes were a gleam in the eye of greedy men wishing to grab earthly treasure. Who is he to take a perfectly legitimate activity and claim it only belongs to him and his church?
I wonder how familiar the Pope is with the origin of “All Hollows Eve?”
I have a fundamental question. Is the red-eyed joker in the photo posted above on the reader’s *right-hand* side, the Pope?
On the other hand, is the dressed-up jack-in-the-box clown on the reader’s left-hand side, the Pope?
I will be relieved if right-hand is right and eternally damned if the left-hand is right.
Professor, the added photo is a jem, well done.
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I could get behind Canals’ suggestion if the wine were served in those plastic skull or dismembered hand type goblets sold everywhere for a buck at Halloween, and the ‘bread’ was little sugar skulls, like Day of the Dead candies. And seconds on the wine.
This pope becomes more like the fundamentalist christians in the United States everyday. Now I know why I don’t attend the catholic church very often.
Jill–
So the pope is suggesting a new Catholic version of the holiday celebrated on the last night of October that focuses on prayer and attending mass? You got a problem with that? Will it now be called Holyween? Who knows–kids may prefer drinking the sacramental wine blessed by priests to eating accursed candy prayed over by witches.
Jill:
That’s pro-Christian terror, fear and death. See the difference?
It is patently absurd to for Pope Benedict or anyone else to attach any religious significance to Halloween.
Wouldn’t eating the body and drinking blood fit into the dangers of Halloween?