Bizarre, Politics, Society

Reforming Halloween From “Jesus Ween” To Saturday-Only Observance

As a self-confessed Halloween devotee, I am always taken aback by those who want to change or eliminate what seems to me to be a hugely fun holiday for kids and adults alike. Yet, this year has seen the annual reforms of the holidays from changing the date to establishing the alternative of “Jesus Ween.” Yet, this is an improvement over psychoanalysis that my love for Halloween is merely a cry for help from my dying soul.

Pastor Paul Ade, of Calgary, Canada, has come up with the solution to those who are having too much fun on Halloween without thought of their eternal soul. Ade has created Jesus Ween, the rage with a growing number of Christians. Inside of costumes and candy, celebrants wear all white to remember Jesus and hand out Bibles.
According to the website, “Pastor Paul [ordered] copies of New Testament pocket size Bibles from the Bible Society to use for personal evangelism. A few days before Halloween, a word came to him to give out bibles to everyone knocking at his door expecting candy.”

He told followers that his first such effort in facing candy-expectant children “was much easier than expected and since then God kept on talking to Pastor Paul about how to help Gods people make use of the “Go Ye” instruction every October 31st and on major public holidays.” They are also low-caloric — though not nut free apparently.

In Arkansas, Bryant Mayor Larry Mitchell has more modest hopes for reform: to change the date of Halloween. He is not alone in arguing that Halloween should be set for only Saturdays — dropping the historical practice of coming on the final day of October. Last year, it was a Connecticut legislator who wanted the change.

There is little doubt that weekend celebrations are more convenient for all. However, there is a certain mystique to falling on the final day of October — a day marking for many the start of the cold grip of winter. The date is often tied to when the Celts celebrated Samhain — “All Hallow tide”, or the “Feast of the Dead.” Mitchell is risking the wrath of the Celts in this questionable enterprise.

Source: Fox16

44 thoughts on “Reforming Halloween From “Jesus Ween” To Saturday-Only Observance”

  2. @Jill, surely christian children are cool with missing out on Trick or Treat; I’ve seen children at church services cheering on the condemnation of Harry Potter and Twilight as demonic. They don’t seem too concerned about denying themselves those surely they must feel the same way about Halloween?

    This “jesus ween” is just tacky. Surely there are harvest festivals they can celebrate. And giving out bibles on halloween is even more tacky.

  3. My real response is this. Almost every child denied a chance to dress up for trick or treat has seemed miserable to me. So at least this “holiday” in some way makes it up to them.

    I do wish Halloween could be declared a prossel-free holiday. Just turn off the porch light and have the celebration of christ at church or among those who are known to be of like mind. If you must give out a bible, then offer some candy as well. If someone doesn’t want the bible, then take it back without dirty or recriminating looks or offers to pray for the child.

    And take a look at the book of Extreme Pumpkins! It’s fun!!

  4. There’s something wrong with this drive to provide christians who don’t celebrate halloween something to celebrate instead. Why? Is there going to be a christian version of Hanukkah? Jesuskah? How about Ramadan? Christadan perhaps as Jesusadan doesn’t flow so well.

    It’s like the christians feel they’re missing out or are scared followers may start celebrating halloween if they don’t come up with a distraction. Or it could just be a bunch of attention whores who came up with the idea so they could shamelessly promote themselves.

  5. Halloween might have Celtic associations, but it is really a Catholic tradition of some 1,000 years. I have no problem with people dressing up as whatever they want to do whatever they want, but it is good to remember what Halloween is about — which is our mortality. Jesus Ween is certainly an oddity — latched on to by people who can deal with neither the Catholic & pagan connections to the night, or to modernity. Here is a interesting discussion: http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/culture/5322/all_candy%2C_no_jesus%3A_halloween_in_america

  6. I understand that these small bibles light up real well. With just a few matches or a blow torch, you can bring the spirit of Halloween Horror to anyone’s concrete porch or driveway. Have fun kids! Thank you Jesus-ween!

  9. Franly — Amen!

    Bunch of Hallow Weenies.

    How about we ban Thanksgiving — seems unconstitutional on its face. And it is a farce as far as history goes. Those Puritans didn’t come to America seeking religious freedom. They had all the religious freedom they could stand back in the Netherlands. What they sought was freedom from the influence of other religions; indeed, in time, the freedom to persecute those of differing faiths. Bunch of intolerant Hallow Weenies.

    And all the cute stories that they were giving thanks for their native friends saving their hides?– rubbish! One need only to read Governor Bradford’s Thanksgiving Proclamation to get a feel for these Indian-grave robbing Puritans : “and inasmuch as he has protected us from the ravages of the savages,”

    Bunch of intolerant, hypocritical Hallow Weenies.

  10. Elaine M. My morning is now complete with a mandatory giggle.

    “Ween-ers”, yea, that sums it up perfectly. 🙂

  11. The “Jesus Ween” press release:

    September 12, 2011

    October 31st is fast approaching and God has inspired us to encourage Christians all over the world to do it differently this year. We introduce to you the JesusWeen Christian gift giving festival which we hope will be an alternative for those who don’t celebrate or believe in Halloween. The dictionary meaning of Ween is to expect, believe or think. We therefore see October 31st as a day to expect a salvation gift or re-think receiving Jesus.

    We strongly believe this initiative will be beneficial to all Christians, Churches and Christian Bookstores as well. It will have a positive effect and provide an alternative to millions of people. JesusWeen (October 31st) is expected to become the most effective Christian outreach day ever and that’s why we also call it “World Evangelism Day”. It’s a day to give out Christian gifts, just as God gave us Jesus.

    No more hiding on October 31st…You can participate in a positive way. JESUSWEEN is all about spreading the gospel on October 31st. We are not supporting or endorsing the celebration of Halloween but we have chosen to use the only day in most countries that individuals are allowed to solicit, interact and exchange gifts without breaking the law.

    http://jesusween.com/press-release

  14. Jesus Ween. How bizarre considering that Halloween is a contraction of “All Hallows Eve”, it being the evening before all Saints day. Halloween was the invention of the christians to replace an earlier pagan festival as was the practice those days.

  15. This is part & parcel of the siege mentality that the wingnuts have created themselves in order to maintain the sense of victimhood they need to convince themselves that they are the persecuted minority.

    In a classic case of projection they claim to have evil forced down their throats while they cram their ideology down everyone elses.

  17. “A few days before Halloween, a word came to him to give out bibles to everyone knocking at his door expecting candy.”

    One has to wonder just exactly how much Pastor Paul like cleaning toilet paper out of his trees and shrubbery.

  19. “They are also low-caloric — though not nut free apparently.”

    *************

    Bravo.

  20. Changing the date changes the historical significance…it would be more in line with sukkot. But then again….Easter wouldn’t be on the first Sunday after the first full moon when the Spring Equinox occurs….but then again would Christmas be on December the 25th, if it had been allowed to rotate with the calender………it would be in line with another calendar….damn….

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