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MYSTAGOGY

MYSTAGOGY
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J.Sanidopoulos
This weblog offers insights and analysis on various matters of life and thought from a 21st century Orthodox Christian perspective, among other things.
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Friday, October 30, 2009

Orthodoxy and Halloween: Separating Fact From Fiction



"Man should not be upset about the blasphemies of the devil, but only about his personal sins, and to hope in God's boundless mercy, for where hope in God is absent, the devil's tail is present."

- Elder Paisios the Athonite


Below are some quotes from various Orthodox Christian websites concerning the "satanic panic" over Halloween, though they all pretty much say the same thing and offer the same distorted information:

From the website of the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist:

"Orthodox Christians cannot participate in this event at any level."

"Halloween has its roots in paganism, and it continues as a form of idolatry to worship Satan, the angel of death."

"The Orthodox Christian must understand that taking part in these practices at any level is an idolatrous betrayal of our God and our Holy Faith. For if we imitate the dead by dressing up in or wandering about in the dark, or by begging with them, then we have willfully sought fellowship with the dead, whose Lord is not a Celtic Samhain, but is Satan the Evil One, who stands against God. Further, if we submit to the dialogue of "trick-or-treat," our offering goes not to innocent children, but rather to Samhain, the Lord of Death whom they have come to serve as imitators of the dead, wandering in the darkness."

"The Halloween festival was the proper night for sorcery, fortune telling, divination, games of chance, and Satan worship and witchcraft in the later Middle Ages."


From the website OrthodoxChristian.info:

"Be warned: Halloween is not what it appears to be! Its seemingly innocent manifestations represent a memory of an ancient celebration deeply rooted in paganism and demonology and continues to be a form of idolatry in which Satan, the angel of death is worshipped."

"From an Orthodox Christian viewpoint, participation in these practices at any level is idolatrous, and a genuine betrayal of our God and our Holy Faith. To do so by dressing up and going out would be to wilfully seek fellowship with the 'dead' whose Lord is also known as Satan, the Evil One, who stands against God. Or, to participate by submission to the dialogue of 'trick or treat' is to make offering, not to innocent little children, but to the lord of Death, whom they unknowingly serve as proxy for the 'dead'."

"Even if Halloween was good, clean, innocent fun, to what benefit - spiritual, intellectual or otherwise - is this for a Christian?"


From the website Orthodox Christian Information Center:

"If we participate in the ritual activity of imitating the dead and wandering in the dark asking for treats or offering them to children, we then have willfully sought fellowship with the dead, whose Lord is not Samhain, but rather Satan. It is to Satan then that these treats are offered, not to children."

"Halloween undermines the very basis of the Church which was founded on the blood of martyrs who had refused, by giving up their lives, to partake in any form of idolatry."

"Holy Mother Church must take a firm stand in counteracting any such (pagan) events. Christ taught us that God is the judge in all our actions and beliefs and that we are either FOR GOD or AGAINST GOD. There is no neutral or middle of the road approach."



From the website AllSaintsOfAmerica.org:

"I believe that the issue of Halloween is an example of a more fundamental struggle between Orthodoxy and the secular spirit of our age."

"This must be our Orthodoxy, and to believe it and to witness it is to truly become a 'fool for Christ.' Never has it been more foolish than it is today to be an Orthodox witness in the secular world of today. It is for this witness then that we don't participate in Halloween."

"Halloween, as it is practiced, rejoices in the irrelevance of spiritual evil."



From the website FatherAlexander.org:

"It is that time of the year when the secular society in which we live is preparing for the festival of Halloween. Many do not know its spiritual roots and history, and why it contradicts the teachings of the Church."

"The Holy Fathers of the first millennium (a time when the Church was one and strictly Orthodox) counteracted this Celtic pagan feast by introducing the Feast of All Saints. It is from this that the term Halloween developed...The people who remained pagan and therefore anti-Christian reacted to the Church's attempt to supplant their festival by celebrating this evening with increased fervor."

"We also need to avoid any sort of Halloween party or celebration as well as decorations in our homes. If our children attend schools that hold such parties, no matter what the day, they must not participate."



Ok, I think you get the picture how many Orthodox Christians unfortunately view Halloween. What is unfortunate is that they base their beliefs on a bunch of distorted information that have no basis in fact. If it does, I challenge anyone to present the historical evidence that Halloween is indeed an ancient pagan festival that was celebrated by sacrifices of humans to Satan (Samhain) and honored demons with treats. And these are only a few of the many distortions popularized in the "christian" tracts of fundamentalists and of multimillionaire publisher Jack Chick.

This smear campaign against Halloween, in which it has been scapegoated among Christians as the ultimate manifestation of secularism and satanism in contemporary culture, only goes back to farely recent modern times when certain Christian groups resorted to any fanciful tale to counter the emerging counter-culture of the 60's and 70's that was corrupting the youth. Christian leaders since then have clutched us in a guilt trip ever since about a holiday which prior to this extreme reaction was indeed harmless for the most part like any other holiday and had no connection with satanic rituals. It was a cultural festival which, though mischievous at times, really posed no threat to society until we were forced to believe that it did.

Personal Testimony

The fact is that I also once opposed Halloween for religious reasons, being convinced by fundamentalist literature that it was the "devil's holiday", a conspiracy of Neopagans and Satanists to corrupt our youth. Later when I researched the background of the holiday I came to different conclusions. I realized in the impurity and evil of my egotistical heart I was choosing a much easier enemy to fight rather than the much more difficult enemy within, the enemy of my ego which easily saw scandal elsewhere rather than in the impurity and scandal within my own heart and mind.

As a child born and raised in Boston, Halloween was one of my favorite holidays like the majority of American youth. It was a fun and innocent time to watch Halloween specials on TV like It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown and maybe play with my fright-meter with some mild horror films, to carve pumpkins and eat the toasted seeds, to order an extra batch of Scholastic books in school dealing with stories of the holiday, to dress up like a favorite cartoon or pop culture character, to have a Halloween party at school with candy, to color pictures of witches and vampires and ghosts which are a part of the folk-lore surrounding the holiday taming children's deep-seated fears of them, to go trick or treating around the neighborhood giving us the one chance in the year to actually meet our neighbors and receive a friendly gesture of candy, and when we got home we would eat our candy after they were carefully checked by parents. I was a child of the 1980's, so the initial signs of fear about the holiday which started in the 1960's were beginning to spread at the time also. Rumors were circulating that razor blades were being placed in apples and poison in candy by evil neighbors trying to harm us. Of course, none of these reports were actually traced and this was the first myth I was exposed to about Halloween that had no basis in reality. When people realized that such crimes were never reported, they still checked "just in case", since now the media gave crazy people an idea of how to get media coverage by harming a child on Halloween. In fact, this is exactly what the rumors did in a few not too serious cases. The innocence and fun was slowly but surely being lost.

As I entered my teenage years I continued to enjoy Halloween in mostly the same ways, but slowly stopped trick or treating. I can remember a few years being a little mischievous on Halloween with my friends, but it was mainly within our own circle in which we would have egg and whip cream fights all in fun. I still very much loved the holiday and the atmosphere it brought to the autumn season, especially in the midst of a New England autumn with the reality of death surrounding us in nature. Being a child of many fears about the supernatural, this was a time in which those fears were dealt with in an entertaining and humorous way and it helped me think more deeply on supernatural issues as well.

Like most Greek youth in America of my time, my involvement in the Church was limited to Sundays and ecclesiastical holidays where I had served as an altar boy since the age of seven and of course attended Greek school twice a week for six years. Because I loved holidays such as Halloween (as well as Christmas and Easter), from a young age I wanted to learn the story behind them to celebrate them on a deeper level. This thirst for knowledge lead me at a young age to contemplate deeper matters than most of my peers. In fact, the first time I opened my Bible was after watching the horror movie The Seventh Sign in 1988 which starred Demi Moore. I was twelve years old and this was one of my first Rated-R movies, but when I got home I looked anxiously in the Bible for the Book of Revelation and have hardly put my Bible down since.

My first in-depth research about the origins of Halloween stemmed from a bad grade in my seventh grade Social Studies class. I think I got a "B" on a test and since I wanted to maintain my "A" I had asked my teacher for some extra credit. Since it was a few weeks before Halloween my teacher recommended that I write a two-page paper on the origins of Halloween. I was actually excited about this assignment and began to study the origins. After reading through all the books dealing with the subject in my school library as well as articles in the Encyclopedia Brittanica, I wrote my paper and received my "A". But this was also the first school assignment I ever had that I not only got excited for, but learned a great deal.

When I was about eighteen years old I was involved in the youth ministry of my diocese (now metropolis) and was asked to write a session teaching the youth about Halloween. By this time I was already exposed to the Protestant literature exposing the "dangers" of Halloween and was a bit conflicted on how to present all this contradictory information that in essence began to confuse me about the holiday. Even though I felt somewhat positive about the holiday, I felt obligated to react negatively lest the youth be infested by the "demonic allurements" of Halloween. Though I tried to be somewhat moderate in my approach, it was more on the negative side of moderate, and this caused the majority of youth to be skeptical of what I was teaching since they had not been exposed to my literature and saw no harm in the holiday. To them, all I was doing was depriving them of some innocent fun and candy and calling it "demonic". If I were in their position, I would be skeptical too, so I fully understood why they could not accept it.

The confusion I felt that day prompted me to do further research into the subject, because it seemed to me that all the negative reactions against Halloween were based on myths and propaganda. I felt like Halloween, like pop culture, was being used as a scapegoat among Christians to attribute the failure of our churches to the "demonic allurements" of society with a particular event or person, when in reality it was the shallowness and unreasonableness of the churches that in many ways were the cause of the real evils that Christians needed to fear and avoid. And when I did my research, I realized how much I had been lied to and regretted the lies I spread by focusing on problems that were not problems at all, and covering up instead the real problems.


Hyper-Religiosity and Halloween

When I hear Christians today condemning Halloween as a demonic holiday filled with pagan rituals and accusing all participators in the holiday of being in league with Satan, of whom no doubt they were also in their younger years, I'm immediately reminded of the hyper-religiosity and immaturity of the Jews of our Lord Jesus' time. Hyper-religiosity and immaturity are based on an improper fear that tends to rely on superstition and human tradition for dealing with issues affecting our everyday lives, and in return something good or even divine could be misinterpreted as being evil or demonic in origin. This is what Jesus spoke of when he accused the teachers of the Law of being blind guides leading the blind who close the doors to the Kingdom of Heaven on themselves and in turn not allowing anyone else to enter.

It seems as if it was in the nature of the Jews to follow the path of superstition and human tradition against the clear path of God's wisdom and commandments. Could this be why the children of Israel had a golden calf molded at the foot of Mount Sinai? Could this also be the reason why the people of Israel would continuously abandon God's ways and seek their own ways in resolving their issues throughout the Old Testament? Could these incidents also be the source for the extreme reactions of the Jews and teachers of the Law in Jesus' day who tended to add laws onto the Law and create superstitions to keep people in line lest God punish their wickedness?

A common extreme reaction of the hyper-religious teachers of the Law was to see the devil where he was not and to not see the devil where he was. This is why they accused Jesus Himself of being an agent of Beelzebub, the prince of demons. Such extreme hyper-religious reactions trickled down to the common uneducated folk as well, as we see among the disciples of Jesus in Matthew 14 when they saw Jesus walking towards them in their boat over the water, causing them to wonder if this was a ghost they were seeing, making them to, as the Gospel says, cry out in fear. Fear, immaturity, hyper-religiosity, extremism, and distortion of facts all go hand in hand, as we are often taught not only throughout Holy Scripture, but within the writings of the Church Fathers as well.

The medieval West, especially after the Great Schism, also became a victim of this hyper-religiosity that springs from willful arrogant ignorance. We see this especially during the time of the Crusades and the Inquisition. The foundations of the United States are also based on such hyper-religiosity carried over from Europe, hence such events as the Salem Witch Trials and the need to separate the Church from the State. In fact, it is hyper-religiosity which is at the root of the secularism of our days and not pop-culture or Halloween. Pop-culture and such things as Halloween indeed can be reflective of secularism, but they are not the root of the evils of society as Christian leaders often claim.


The Origins of Halloween

I will not get into all the details about the origins of Halloween, lest I be accused of spreading satanic lies and propaganda myself. I encourage everyone to undertake their own honest research into the subject and judge for themselves what the true origins of the holiday are and separate fact from fiction. Consider this merely as a guide to help you think a bit deeper on the subject.

For example, when one reads all the ignorant propaganda regarding Halloween, the thought that comes into my mind are the various accusations the Roman government made against the early Christians. This is what Pliny had in mind in circa 110 AD when he calls Christianity a "superstition taken to extravagant lengths." Similarly, the Roman historian Tacitus called it "a deadly superstition," and the historian Suetonius called Christians "a class of persons given to a new and mischievous superstition." In this context, the word "superstition" has a slightly different connotation than it has today: for the Romans, it designated something foreign and different - in a negative sense. A religious belief was valid only insofar as it could be shown to be old and in line with ancient customs; new teachings were regarded with distrust. It is for this reason that the charge of "atheism" was brought against Christians, and almost every time disaster struck the Empire the accused were the Christians for displeasing the gods with their atheism. On a more social, practical level, Christians were distrusted in part because of the secret and misunderstood nature of their worship. Words like "love feast" and talk of "eating Christ's flesh" sounded understandably suspicious to the pagans, and Christians were suspected of cannibalism, incest, orgies, and all sorts of immorality.

Yes, these same pagan Romans who contrived these lies against Christians also contrived lies against their opponents to the north - among whom were the ancient Celts. The Roman historians note how a propaganda campaign went out against the Celts to basically demonize their enemies so as to conquer them in a war that became a campaign against "evil". Such demonization is even common today, so it should not surprise us that the Romans would do this against the Celts. Unfortunately, the propaganda which describes the "horrific rituals" of the Druids detailed in Halloween propaganda is only described by the Romans during their campaigns, and are so outrageous that they can hardly be seen as factual. Hence, there’s a distinct lack of historical or archaeological evidence that the ancient Druids ever sacrificed anyone, for example. The pumpkin also is a New World plant that never grew in Europe until modern times, so it couldn’t have been used to make jack-o-lanterns by the Druids. There’s zero evidence that the ancient Druids or their congregants ever dressed in identity-hiding costumes or engaged in ritualized begging at harvest time. The connections between these Druid practices and modern Halloween are based on early Roman sources and modern fundamentalist propaganda.

What we do know is that the dead were honored by the Celts, not as the fearsome dead, but as the living spirits of loved ones and of guardians who hold the root-wisdom of the tribe. The Druid rites, whatever they were, therefore, were concerned with making contact with the spirits of the departed, who were seen as sources of guidance and inspiration rather than as sources of dread. And of course, there was probably divinination and other pagan practices, but these were common in the world before the spread of Christianity and in no way can account for the condemnation outright of Halloween in our times. Before and after the arrival of Christianity, early November was when people in Western and Northern Europe finished the last of their harvesting, butchered their excess stock (so the surviving animals would have enough food to make it through the winter), and held great feasts. They invited their ancestors to join them, they decorated family graves, and told ghost stories.


Regarding the horrific Samhain, according to the Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance, in an essay called The Myth of Samhain: Celtic God of the Dead, both Neopagans and Christians have been wrong on this topic: “There is some evidence that there really was an obscure, little known character named Samain or Sawan who played a very minor role in Celtic mythology. He was a mortal whose main claim to fame was that Balor of the Evil Eye stole his magical cow. He is rarely mentioned in Celtic mythology; his existence is little known, even among Celtic historians.” However, “…there is/was no Celtic God of the Dead. The Great God Samhain appears to have been invented in the 18th century, as a God of the Dead before the ancient Celtic people and their religion were studied by historians and archaeologists.” Major dictionaries of Celtic languages don’t mention any “Samhain” deity either: McBain’s Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language says that “samhuinn” (the Scots Gaelic spelling) means “Hallow-tide” (or ‘sacred time’), and that it probably came from roots meaning “summer’s end;” with a possible derivation from the annual assembly at Tara every November 1st. MacFarlane’s School Gaelic Dictionary defines it simply as “Hallowtide.” In other words, what we find out is that Samhain was merely the Celtic New Year, just like September 1 was the Orthodox/Roman New Year.

The truth about trick or treating is a far cry from the horrific images “conjured” by fundamentalists. Rather than an ancient satanic plot to kill or corrupt children, the American tradition of trick or treating is mainly a modern custom invented by town councils, schoolboards and parents in the 1930's to keep their kids out of trouble. The great poisoned treats scare trotted out every year and exploited by Mr. Chick is, however, just another urban legend as noted above. Almost every actual example of booby-trapped Halloween treats has turned out to be a murder plot by a relative, not a malicious act by strangers.

According to Tad Tuleja’s essay, “Trick or Treat: Pre-Texts and Contexts,” in Jack Santino’s anthology, Halloween and Other Festivals of Death and Life, modern trick or treating (primarily children going door-to-door, begging for candy) began fairly recently, as a blend of several ancient and modern influences. At various times and places in the Middle Ages, customs developed of beggers, then children, asking for “soul cakes” on the Christian feast of All Souls Day on November 2nd. This was also known as "souling". Also in medieval times such begging took place door to door during the Christmas period, as is still done in contemporary Orthodox countries like Greece. Shakespeare mentions the practice in his comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1593), when Speed accuses his master of "puling [whimpering or whining] like a beggar at Hallowmas." In 1605, Guy Fawkes’ abortive effort to blow up the British Parliament on November 5th, led to the creation of “Guy Fawkes Day,” celebrated by the burning of effigies of Fawkes in bonfires and children dressing in rags to beg for money for fireworks. As the decades rolled by, this became thoroughly entwined with Halloween celebrations and customs. Also in mid-nineteenth century New York, children called “ragamuffins” would dress in costumes and beg for pennies from adults on Thanksgiving Day. Vandalism began to spread also in nineteenth century America during the Thanksgiving season among young boys pulling pranks. With increased urbanization and poverty in the 1930’s, adults began casting about for ways to control the previously harmless but now increasingly expensive and dangerous vandalism of the “boys.” Towns and cities began organizing “safe” Halloween events and householders began giving out bribes to the neighborhood kids as a way to distract them away from their previous anarchy. The ragamuffins disappeared or switched their date to Halloween. However, there is no evidence that souling was ever practiced in North America, where trick or treating may have developed independent of any Irish or British antecedent. Ruth Edna Kelley, in her 1919 history of the holiday, The Book of Hallowe'en, makes no mention of ritual begging in the chapter "Hallowe'en in America." Kelley lived in Lynn, Massachusetts, a town with about 4,500 Irish immigrants, 1,900 English immigrants, and 700 Scottish immigrants in 1920. The thousands of Halloween postcards produced between the turn of the twentieth century and the 1920's commonly show children, but do not depict trick or treating. Trick or treating does not seem to have become a widespread practice until the 1930's, with the first U.S. appearances of the term in 1934. The term “trick or treat,” finally appeared in print around 1939!

When explaining these things to people, I'm often asked: “How can these evil things never happen if so many people preach that it does? Where would Christians get these ideas if they weren’t fact?” The short answer, of course, is that preachers are people and (1) all people make mistakes, (2) some people are ignorant, and (3) others just tell lies out of fear or something else. Of course, I'm not advocating on behalf of paganism when I say this, but just good ol' plain honesty. For all I know the Druids may have sacrificed children or did other horrific things, but this is not supported by any evidence and even if it did there is still no actual relationship between that and anything we do on Halloween, and for this reason the propaganda against Halloween and human reason is unsound and improper. If someone decides Halloween is inappropriate for them, there is no need to “bear false witness” (that is to say, tell lies) about Halloween, Neopagans, Satanists or indeed any other religious topic, in order to make a spiritual decision for him or herself, or their children — the only people for whom they may have the right to make that decision.


The Christianization of a Pagan Holiday Myth

There is also the myth that Christians condemned the pagan festivities of October 31 by replacing it with All Hallows Eve, the day before the Feast of All Saints in the West. It is often recorded that in 601 AD Pope Gregory I issued a now famous edict to his missionaries concerning the native beliefs and customs of the peoples he hoped to convert. Rather than try to obliterate native peoples' customs and beliefs, the pope instructed his missionaries to use them: if a group of people worshipped a tree, rather than cut it down, he advised them to consecrate it to Christ and allow its continued veneration. Though this is true, this edict is likely not the reason why November 1 became the Feast of All Saints in the West.

Both the Feast of All Saints and the Feast of All Souls evolved in the life of the Church independently of paganism and Halloween. Let us first address the Feast of All Saints. The exact origins of this celebration are uncertain, although, after the legalization of Christianity in A.D. 313, a common commemoration of the Saints, especially the martyrs, appeared in various areas throughout the Church. For instance in the East, the city of Edessa celebrated this feast on May 13; the Syrians, on the Friday after Easter; and the city of Antioch, on the first Sunday after Pentecost. Both St. Ephraim (d. 373) and St. John Chrysostom (d. 407) attest to this feast day in their preaching. In the West, a commemoration for all the Saints also was celebrated on the first Sunday after Pentecost. The primary reason for establishing a common feast day was because of the desire to honor the great number of martyrs, especially during the persecution of Emperor Diocletion (284-305), the worst and most extensive of the persecutions. Quite simply, there were not enough days of the year for a feast day for each martyr and many of them died in groups. A common feast day for all Saints, therefore, seemed most appropriate.

In 609, the Emperor Phocas gave the Pantheon in Rome to Pope Boniface IV, who rededicated it on May 13 under the title St. Maria ad Martyres (or St. Mary and All Martyrs). Whether the Pope purposefully chose May 13 because of the date of the popular celebration already established in the East or whether this was just a happy coincidence is open to debate.


The designation of November 1 as the Feast of All Saints occurred over time. Pope Gregory III (731-741) dedicated an oratory in the original St. Peter's Basilica in honor of all the Saints on November 1, and this date then became the official date for the celebration of the Feast of All Saints in Rome. St. Bede (d. 735) recorded the celebration of All Saints Day on November 1 in England, and such a celebration also existed in Salzburg, Austria. Ado of Vienne (d. 875) recounted how Pope Gregory IV asked King Louis the Pious (778-840) to proclaim November 1 as All Saints Day throughout the Frankish Empire. Sacramentaries of the ninth and tenth centuries also placed the feast of All Saints on the liturgical calendar on November 1.

According to an early Church historian, John Beleth (d. 1165), Pope Gregory IV (827-844) officially declared November 1 the Feast of All Saints, transferring it from May 13. However, Sicard of Cremona (d. 1215) recorded that Pope Gregory VII (1073-85) finally suppressed May 13 and mandated November 1 as the date to celebrate the Feast of All Saints. In all, we find the Papal Church establishing a liturgical feast day in honor of the Saints independent of any pagan influence. Particular ethnic groups developed their own lore, which was merged with the celebration. For this reason, little ones (and some big ones) still dress in a variety of costumes and pretend for the evening to be ghosts, witches, vampires, monsters, ninjas, pirates and so on, without any thought of paganism. Nevertheless, All Saints Day clearly arose from a genuine Christian devotion independent of paganism.


Conclusion

I wonder today if my interest in Halloween and the macabre stems from my New England roots. After all, New England gave us the master's of American gothic and horror literature like Edgar Allen Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorn, H.P. Lovecraft and Stephen King. Our history in New England is deeply rooted in the folk-lore of Europe, as is evidenced in the Salem and Boston witch trials and the tales of "true" vampire legends in Rhode Island and Maine. Our tales of the paranormal are unlike anywhere else in the United States, and everywhere you go you are surrounded by these legends. Though these are all things that interest me and have made me proud to be a New Englander, I think my love for Halloween stems a bit deeper. Demons, evil, death, fear, vice, pain and suffering do exist and are a part of human existence. As Christians we have the weapons and the answers to overcome these and they go hand in hand with the hope which our faith brings us. Apart from this reality, I don't think I would enjoy Halloween as much. It is the connection between faith and fear that is even behind all the great classic monster stories we hear about on Halloween, like Dracula, Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the Headless Horseman, and so on, and in these romanticized gothic tales vice is always spoken against and demoted while virtue and selflessness is promoted.

As an Orthodox Christian, I do not want to come out as a proponent of Halloween since it is not an Orthodox feast I feel the need to defend. The reason I am trying to bring some awareness of the truth about Halloween is because as an Orthodox Christian I believe it is my duty to speak the truth and expose error in a spirit of love and concern, especially when other Orthodox are spreading these lies out of ignorance. Halloween is a part of our society and especially of our children's lives, and an answer from an Orthodox Christian perspective is needed. It does not help our Christian witness in the world to distort information to make our message sound better. In fact, it does just the opposite and I believe those capable of discovering the truth will be judged for disseminating lies which are unfounded. We have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power and truth to be above propagating errors. It is the proclamation of the truth which brings freedom and respect, and a pure heart which makes all things pure.

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Posted by J.Sanidopoulos at 8:54 AM
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Labels: America, Feasts of the Church, Orthodox Extremism, Paganism and the New Age Movement, Paranormal and the Occult, Secularism, Youth Ministry
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99 comments:

  1. Trevor-PeterOctober 30, 2009 at 7:01 PM

    Thanks for posting this! I was just wondering today if you would :-) I guess the next question is, how should Orthodox Christians treat the holiday? The "All Saints" aspect has practically disappeared from modern practice--should we try to revive it? If so, how? We're probably not going to move All Saints' Day. But what about a memorial service or an Akathist late Halloween night? (Dare I say, even in a cemetery?) Or is it better just to treat it as the secularized holiday that it is, and harmless fun (within certain bounds)?

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  2. John SanidopoulosOctober 31, 2009 at 12:08 AM

    There is no set standard on how to keep Halloween and I would prefer to leave it up to an individual, if they even want to keep it at all. I'm just saying you don't have to avoid it altogether based on it being in direct contradiction to the Christian faith. It doesnt have to be. But if we give the holiday completely to the devil and can't find any good in it, then we choose to do so. Personally, I prefer to keep it as a secular holiday and treat it seperate from the ecclesiastial feasts which we also celebrate as Orthodox on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. To me its very similar to something like Thanksgiving or Independence Day.

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  3. AnonymousOctober 31, 2009 at 1:55 AM

    I know children who are easily frightened by decorations of murder and blood and costumes of monsters.

    I think the two quotes at the start are ill-suited to justify your point of view.

    Would Elder Paisios and St Paul have an opinion on the matter or do you think they would say, "We'll leave it to the individual"?

    I do sympathise with some of what you've said but I think you've come to the wrong conclusion.

    -J

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  4. John SanidopoulosOctober 31, 2009 at 2:06 AM

    J, in fact I was one of those children. I was more frightened of those things more than any child I ever knew and have known since. For example, when Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video came out, I would have continuous nightmares for days and it took me a long time to be able to bear see the entire video. I can go on and on with such examples. But I must say, those memories are among my most cherished of my childhood. If that is something you don't understand, then I guess we have had different life experiences to interpret such matters.

    And the quotes are not meant to justify any point of view, but to critique the distortions and propoganda of Christian mythmakers.

    As for my conclusion, if you think you have a right over how someone views something, then we probably do have a disagreement. I dont see any way how either St Paul or Elder Paisios would disagree with what I say in my post, unless you maybe choose to read into something that Im not saying.

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  5. AnonymousOctober 31, 2009 at 3:34 AM

    Since your main point is to skewer Christian mythmaking and propaganda, I guess it's somewhat beside the point for to discuss whether we should participate in it at all.

    But to say simply to others no Christian should do so, I don't feel is propaganda or scare-mongering.

    From your posts on Buddhism for example, it's non-existent origins as the worship of Satan hasn't been it's issue for your critique, but we'd agree it's something Christians should avoid altogether since the Deceiver can enter the picture regardless.

    Sometimes Christianity asks us to give up things very dear to us. I gave up Buddhism for the above reason. This is my critique of Halloween too.

    -Forgive

    -J

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  6. John SanidopoulosOctober 31, 2009 at 9:02 AM

    I am not of the opinion that Buddhism should be avoided altogether. I have no problem with people going to Buddhist temples and admiring the art and history and even some of the wisdom behind its teachings. I have no problem with Christians speaking with Buddhists, reading Buddhist literature, receiving gifts from Buddhists, and other such things. I have done all those things and have no problem doing them in the future. My only problem with Buddhism is practicing it, which I would not do for the life of me. And I see absolutely no valid comparison between a secular holiday like Halloween and Buddhism. To me its like saying that celebrating Thanksgiving makes me a Protestant or Native American since it is certainly not an Orthodox feast we are celebrating, especially in the middle of a fast. Plus your previous point about children being "easily frightened by decorations of murder and blood and costumes of monsters" I believe to be very illogical as the basis for not allowing others to have an opinion about Halloween different from yours. My four year old niece lives right next to a neighbor who has their home decorated with such decorations and she has absolutely no problem with it, but she is absolutely frightened by their dog and runs inside the house everytime she sees it. According to your logic her neighbors should have to give up their dog because it frightens a little child. Maybe these things frighten you and you want to avoid them. If so, I respect your scare factor and I have absolutely no problem if you do not want anything to do with Halloween. And Halloween does not have to be gory. I personally don't like the gory aspect, but this is how some people celebrate it. There is no written rule that Halloween has to be gory or has to involve satanic worship or psychic readings or a medium's seances or any such things. Its very easy to enjoy Halloween and avoid all those things.

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  7. AnonymousOctober 31, 2009 at 9:16 AM

    I noticed also in this Betty Boop cartoon from 1933 that it shows just about every Halloween practice, except trick or treating.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUp_yg_-QG8&feature=player_embedded

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  8. AnonymousOctober 31, 2009 at 11:22 AM

    About Halloween, Geronda Ephraim of St. Anthony's and Philotheou specifically tells all of his spiritual children: "No."

    Instead of celebrating halloween, we, at the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, will be serving at panikhida after Vigil to the (God willing, soon to be glorified as a Saint) Brother Jose Munoz-Cortes, the keeper of the Myrrh Streaming Montreal Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, who was murdered on halloween 12 years ago. The remembrance of the martyrdom of our saintly brother on this date is like a stab in the heart and reminds us that we have a very real enemy in the devil.

    Elder Ephraim and Fr. Victor Potapov know of the evil that underlies this fun-candy "holiday" that is so popular in this country. They have warned us of the very real dangers. Orthodox Christians of good faith would do well do heed the warnings of His servants.

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  9. John SanidopoulosOctober 31, 2009 at 11:25 AM

    If they have been fed the same lies as the articles I quoted in my post, it would be understandable why they would be against. Fortunately it is all lies.

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  10. HollyOctober 31, 2009 at 12:00 PM

    I grew up protestant and converted to Orthodoxy. I celebrate Halloween now and didn't as a child. Protestantism had a lot of myth and scare tactics that I don't feel Orthodox has. I refuse to hide in the basement as my parents did from a harmless and potentially joy filled holiday.

    I believe that even if Halloween DID HAVE bad origins, it would still be alright for us to redeem the day and fill it with joy, laughter, neighborliness, and fun.

    I will never listen to misguided idealism again. It made a sad childhood and my goal as a parent is to make happy, secure childhoods for my little ones.

    Of course, when I was a child in my Protestant days we would have thought Orthodox Christians were going to hell because of idolatry. There is truth and it does set you free. The truth is God owns October 31 just like He owns every day. If people want to give Evil a day, go ahead, but I'm confidently secure in the fact that the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, Lord of All, is not going to be harmed by a few pumpkins and little kids in costumes.

    We will give treats to our neighbors, share mulled rum cider with the grownups, and decorate with pumpkins, spiders, and the like. Boo! :)

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  11. AnonymousOctober 31, 2009 at 12:17 PM

    I am very VERY shocked that someone as well educated, and well read in Orthodox Christian theology and patristics (not that that means anything) as you are, would subscribe to such a view regarding halloween. If Elder Ephraim's opinion is not enough for you, please find one Holy Father or mother of the Church who condones the celebration of halloween. Lord have mercy on us!

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  12. AnonymousOctober 31, 2009 at 1:29 PM

    There are many of Elder Ephraim's opinions that need to be ignored! Some of his teachings are contrary to Orthodoxy.
    Bravo, John, on a great article! Well researched and right to the point. Pesonally, I never liked Hallowe'en, but it's a personal, not a theological, dislike. It just seemed silly rather than evil.
    What I never understood--the same people who shun Hallowe'en as the product of Satan have no problem celebrating Carnival, even though Hallowe'en is a Celtic celebration of the dead and Carnival is the Roman celebration of the dead in the Spring. I don't see the difference (notice the common dressing up in costume).
    Also, to add to your research, the Swiss celebrate a parallel festival to Hallowe'en. Basically it consists of parades of school children carrying carved out turnips with candles in them (pumpkins, of course, being native to America). The Swiss are Celts as well, so you can see a little of the origin of the celebration.
    Thanks again!

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  13. AnonymousOctober 31, 2009 at 1:48 PM

    You won't find one Holy Geronda or Gerontissa who who endorses halloween like our host.

    But here's one from Anton Lavey, founder of the church of satan:

    "After one's own birthday, the two major satanic holidays are Walpurgisnacht (May 1st) and Halloween."

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  14. AnonymousOctober 31, 2009 at 2:20 PM

    I know some people don't like Geronda Ephraim, however, if I recall, John holds him with some esteem.

    So how is it that a discerning Father who has performed miracles could be "fed lies"?

    I'm still having trouble with John lumping all who oppose participation in Halloween as "hyper-religious", "propagandizing" and "mythmakers" or alternately "fed lies".

    This makes it easy to dismiss people out-of-hand like perhaps Metropolitan John Zizoulos and the EP have.

    I guess I've commented too much on this already.

    -J

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  15. hungeryjackOctober 31, 2009 at 2:31 PM

    Nice post - halloween pictures to print ..Keep Posting


    Ron
    halloween pictures to print

    ReplyDelete
  16. AnonymousOctober 31, 2009 at 2:32 PM

    John,

    Please list one Geronda or Gerontissa who endorses halloween.

    Your present cheerleaders (enemies/scoffers of Geronda Ephraim and the founder of the church of satan) are not exactly helping your case.

    ReplyDelete
  17. AnonymousOctober 31, 2009 at 2:47 PM

    Unfortunately, one cannot be listed, because they do not exist. Also, the post calling some of Elder Ephraim's teachings as "non-Orthodox" is so ridiculous that it does not deserve a reply. One need only look to the grace that has been given to such a man.

    ReplyDelete
  18. John SanidopoulosOctober 31, 2009 at 4:02 PM

    Just to address the Geronda Ephraim question before people start emailing me all night about it. I have known Elder Ephraim personally for since 1997 and have had many conversations with him. I hold him in the highest esteem. But I also know that he, like many monastics, hold to certain satanic conspiracy theories that have absolutely no foundation in fact, many of which have long been disproven (like his continued endorsement of "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" which anyone can easily discern to be a fraud these day - do your research if you don't believe me). The websites I posted look at Halloween as a big conspiracy theory also, against all proper reasoning and logic and even spiritual sensibilities (mainly because they claim to have done some research, though they cite nothing credible). Having spent a lot of time with the Elder Ephraim, I also know how people ask him question, since on two different occasions I served as his translator for a few hours. I'm absolutely sure the Elder knows nothing about Halloween, but he is fed information through questions like (hypothetically), "Elder, there is this satanic holiday called Halloween that my child want to participate in. Do you think this is ok?" And of course the Elder responds to such things with a firm "no", as anyone would that was born and raised in a country with no Halloween tradition, let alone has never done any research. I guarantee you that if I talked to the Elder about Halloween he would have a different opinion. Sometimes I would also ask him things that he knew nothing of and I would not lead him to make an easy answer like most and he would ask me details about it to understand it. People mislead Holy Elders all the time in trying to lead the question to fit their own pleasing answers. This is very common. And yes, even Saints can be mislead. I think this should be clear to anyone familiar with Scripture and the Church Fathers as well as the Lives of the Saints.

    ReplyDelete
  19. John SanidopoulosOctober 31, 2009 at 4:47 PM

    And before anyone misunderstand my last sentence, I want to point out that usually Saints are mislead because they precisely have that pure and gullible heart thinking in a loving way that they would never be lead in a deceptive way. As an example I cite the lives of Sts Cosmas and Damian celebrated on Nov 1. They were lead to their martyrdom for this exact reason, because they believed a liar, thief and murderer to go with them into the woods. They went because they thought only good thoughts of the man.

    ReplyDelete
  20. AnonymousOctober 31, 2009 at 5:33 PM

    In other words, if ONLY the deluded Geronda Ephraim and his spiritual sons and daughters, along with the Bishops and Priests of the Orthodox Church along with gullible Saints had someone like JOHN SANIDOPO0ULOS to teach themthe TRUTH (not lies) about the church of satan endorsed-holiday called "halloween", THEN they would all see the light and approve of this celebration?

    Who is the gullible one here?

    If there is a consensus amongst Elder Ephraim and those monastics and spiritual children entrusted to him, Bishops, Priests and the scholar-believers whom John S. cited disparagingly, then who should we believe? The Orthodox consensus or John S.?

    On the subject of halloween, I'm afraid the John S. has more in common with Anton Lavey than with the Holy Ones of the Orthodox Church.

    ReplyDelete
  21. AnonymousOctober 31, 2009 at 6:34 PM

    It is particularly revolting that John S. would presume to quote St. Paul and Elder Paisios as if their words support his arguments contra the Orthodox consensus that he has found against the celebration of halloween.

    John S. would have us believe that these words from Elder Paisios, quoted out of context,"If we are scandalized, the evil is within us," support his arguments.

    Following are words from Elder Paisios that directly address the issue of whether Orthodox Christians should participate in the church-of-satan endorsed holiday of halloween taken from the book with the very appropriate title, 'With Pain and Love for Contemporary Man':

    "In the past, when a war broke out, one was vigilant and took up arms to fight the enemy and defend his Homeland, his nation and his family. Today it's not our Homeland that we are called to protect and fight for in order to prevent the barbarians from burning our houses and dishonouring our sisters. Nor are we called to struggle for a nation or an ideology. Today, it is either for Jesus Christ that we are called to arms or for the devil. It is a clear front.

    "During the Nazi Occupation, one would be a hero by not saluting a German soldier. Nowadays, heroes are those who do not salute the devil."

    Through the prayers of St. Cyprian and Elder Paisios, may we Orthodox Christians refuse to salute the devil tonight.

    ReplyDelete
  22. AnonymousOctober 31, 2009 at 6:52 PM

    Re: I guarantee you that if I talked to the Elder about Halloween he would have a different opinion."

    "If."

    Put your money where your mouth is.

    Please talk to the Elder Ephraim or send an email or FAX to St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery and tell us all what Geronda tells you about halloween.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Deacon CharlesOctober 31, 2009 at 9:19 PM

    Thanks John for the thoughtful article. It lifts a burden from me because I have read all that negative stuff which does not fit the reality I experience about Halloween. As our Priest says,"Its just good clean fun and God has no problem with that!"
    Thanks again.

    ReplyDelete
  24. AnonymousOctober 31, 2009 at 9:43 PM

    "Perfect Love casts out fear."

    ReplyDelete
  25. AnonymousOctober 31, 2009 at 10:04 PM

    John, I'm definetly NOT with you on this one! You are just using personal opinions and "justifications" to support Halloween. Regardless if you think it may not be pagan festivity, the reality still remains that IT IS! I have been scandalized by a lot of your posts today, unfortunately. And all the things you said, about our holy elders being "deceived" and "mis-informed" about things like Halloween, and the Protocols of Zion, you have no clue what you're talking about. Perhaps you should pray to The Lord so he can reveal the truth to you, insteed of basing on your own interpreatations. The Orthodox Church has taken it's stance, and that's all there is to it, our duty is to be obedient. There is historical evidence and personal testimonies of ex-satanists and ex-pagans who solidify the truth about Halloween, there's even some media coverage and newspaper articles that support this. Get your facts straight my friend, and also ask the Lord tonight to reveal the truth to you!

    ReplyDelete
  26. AnonymousOctober 31, 2009 at 10:17 PM

    Re: "I guarantee you that if I talked to the Elder about Halloween he would have a different opinion."

    What, no more guarantee?

    ReplyDelete
  27. AnonymousOctober 31, 2009 at 10:22 PM

    "On the subject of halloween, I'm afraid the John S. has more in common with Anton Lavey than with the Holy Ones of the Orthodox Church."

    Whoever wrote this earlier, so true!!! I guess now it makes sense, why John's favorite musicians are Marilyn Manson (a satanic priest of the church of satan), Pink Floyd, David Bowie, The Beatles (4 evangelists of Satan), Bauhaus, The Doors, Iggy and the Stooges, Rasputina.

    The list of HORROR MOVIES that John also adores is to long for me to list. But perhaps I can type it out later!

    ReplyDelete
  28. PolychronisOctober 31, 2009 at 10:28 PM

    The 2 last big "Anonymous" comments, since it really matters were posted by me, Polychronis. Since it really matters to you, there ya go.

    Check this group brother :

    http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=13435660385&ref=mf

    Analyze the whole thing, the discussion board, videos and everything, and then tell me what you think!

    ReplyDelete
  29. John SanidopoulosOctober 31, 2009 at 10:36 PM

    Ive been a member of your group, Polychronis, and it is absolutely insanely ridiculous some of the things you post and one of the reasons why I felt it urgent to address these issues. The stuff you post on Halloween are made by Fundamentalist Protestants. I even know a few of the people in the them personally from when I attended a Protestant seminary in North Carolina.

    ReplyDelete
  30. AnonymousOctober 31, 2009 at 10:44 PM

    John S. called down the wrath of God ("I believe those capable of discovering the truth will be judged for disseminating lies which are unfounded.") on fellow Orthodox Christians including a priest, a bishop and a holy Geronda for the cardinal sin of holding a consensus position AGAINST halloween!!!

    Is that weird or what? It seems like the Accuser has a friend tonight, but then again tonight is not just another night for the enemy, right?

    ReplyDelete
  31. AnonymousOctober 31, 2009 at 10:46 PM

    So, John S., are you going to call Geronda Ephraim or not?

    ReplyDelete
  32. AnonymousOctober 31, 2009 at 10:53 PM

    BTW, if a lack of my name is your excuse for not backing your "guarantee" to talk with Geronda Ephraim to convince him to take your side about halloween, my name is Ioannis and I am a spiritual grandchild of Geronda Ephraim.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Nektarios Panagiotis FarmakisOctober 31, 2009 at 10:55 PM

    My brother contacted me ASAP, and told me of another brother (John), who has accepted the deceptive teachings of the secularists and masonic new agers.

    Before I begin, I would first like to testify, that I was once a Pagan. Occultist practicing in evil arts of magik and witchcraft.

    Secondly, as an ex-occultist, and ex-spiritual/religious shopper/traveller, I spent MANY years practicing different religions, as well as doing an in depth historical, dogmatic and linguistic analysis on all of them.

    Also, I have gathered testimonies of both wicthes/priestesses, and ex-witches/priestesses (who have converted/returend home such as myself).

    The traditions which have been passed down to them, whether in modern day WICCA, ancient crafts and paganism of druids or plain old secular paganism/humanism... all has its origins, roots and essence in the ancient esoteric occult practices of the Pagans and Druids of the old.

    You cannot mix darkness and light, lie and truth, traditions of the world with Holy Tradition, pagan rituals with Holy Mysteries, mammon/Satan/idols and God.

    A Christian is made in the image of God and needs no masks or costumes. Would Christ wear a mask and costume?

    Show me ONE saint who has practiced or endorsed Halloweed?

    Would Christ practice this? Would He be pleased with it? Would you knock on Christ's door with a mask and costume and say "trick-or-treat"?

    What about an Apostle?
    Or Panagia?

    By what authority do you promote the HERETICAL beliefs and scandalize people of Christ's flock?

    By what authority do you trample upon HOLY SCRIPTURE, HOLY CANONS, HOLY TRADITION and the TEACHINGS and EXAMPLE of the SAINTS?

    Get educated on the CUSTOMS & RITUALS which I once practiced and my conscience convicted me of:
    http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=13435660385&topic=5164


    Don't be fooled by the hedonistic and "fun" ways of the world, the SPIRIT OF ANTI-CHRIST!


    Ask yourself...

    Is it possible that you suffer from prelest/spiritual delusion?
    But then again, if we did, we wouldn't realize it, because that's what delusion is.
    Brother wake up! Get out of the evil ones grip.

    With pain and love,
    Nektarios

    ReplyDelete
  34. Nektarios Panagiotis FarmakisOctober 31, 2009 at 11:03 PM

    "The stuff you post on Halloween are made by Fundamentalist Protestants."

    Most of the info in that group is
    a) from Orthodo
    b) plain unbiased historical research
    c) testimonies of pagans/witches and ex-pagan
    d) my own personal experience
    e) common sense - all rleigion aside
    f) a few selections from OTHER non-Orthodox people, who had/have an ORTHODOX stance on this issue. For the Holy Hierarchs told us to BE SELECTIVE and DISCERN, LIKE BEES WITH HONEY - when it comes to reading non-orthodox material.

    Brother, this is exactly what you have learned and become, from Boston's Holy Cross seminary and the Ecumenists/Papist, pseudo-agapology anti-Pantristic advocates: A Protestant and secular humanist. The poison of worldliness, ecumenism and new age has spread rapidly throughout the West and even the East.
    Only the remnant, small logical flock will be saved, even the elect will be deceived, including Patriarchs, clergy etc..
    Where will we be?

    Also, can you challenge/refute the things in this group, one by one...

    Historically, linguistically, chronologically, scientifically, ontologically and with facts/evidnece disprove all the topics in the discussion board.

    When and if you do, I'll become "Protestant" too.
    Cause you know, you must have much more enlightement then the Saints and Elders right?
    I mean 85% of Saints were just illiterate monks/nuns with no PHD'S dude!

    ReplyDelete
  35. John SanidopoulosOctober 31, 2009 at 11:04 PM

    Well, at least people are praying for my wretchedness tonight. I guess that is a good thing. Keep me in your prayers brothers and sisters.

    ReplyDelete
  36. AnonymousOctober 31, 2009 at 11:15 PM

    Forgive me, but I do not imagine Satan rejoicing, or the Holy Trinity being saddened as little children dress up in costumes in order to receive candy? Orthodox Christians, and all heterodox Christians can do the aforementioned divorced of any supposed or actual cultural baggage. To the pure, all things are pure. I do not celebrate Halloween, but I do not think you are harming your children's salvation letting them go door to door to get candy. This is a wholesome activity and if you do not believe that this can be done without endorsement of Satan, then maybe you should not participate. You can rid the leaven from the dough.

    But I am sinner and this opinion is just that, an opinion. I would however do whatever my spiritual Father counseled me to do. But since I do not celebrate Halloween as I am a single adult, and it has no attraction for me, it is a non-issue.

    Hugh D.

    ReplyDelete
  37. IoannisOctober 31, 2009 at 11:33 PM

    "When people turn to evil forces by way of a joke, when they praise them and flirt with them, it reflects on the fate of the person, because it teaches him that evil is acceptable. Walking with a demon in life can only lead one to tragedy, unhappiness and self-destruction."

    -Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin (Moscow Patriarchate) speaking about halloween

    ReplyDelete
  38. PolychronisOctober 31, 2009 at 11:53 PM

    I think Nektarios mentioned quite a few points which I can relate to myself that rely on PERSONAL EXPERIENCE rather than independent opinionative "research". I used to be involved with the studies, the practises and some of the rituals of the occult, whichcraft, black magic in my older days, also deep into the heavy metal scene for a while. And I can assure you that all of the satanic beliefs and practises which I mentioned above are connected with Halloween one way or another, not through "lies" or "fairytale stories & propaganda" like you claim but through ritualistic ceremonies, demonic teachings and factual experiences that realisticly take place, believe it or not! I have lived such experiences and so have hundreds and thousands of other people who have made open public testimonies about it! I wouldn't label my self as a high ranked ex-satanist, not at all to that degree. But even my neutral and moderate personal involvement within these dark communities, have assured me about the meaning of Halloween and how it is linked with pagan/satanic culture.

    In all respect and humility John, let me ask you a few serious questions : Why do you disregard and disapprove the personal testimonies of ex-pagans, satanists, occultists, magicians, witches and such that have repented and have admited to real life demonic experiences regarding Halloween? How can you claim that their words are not valid ? What is your answer...let me guess..hmmm...that everyone's testimony is fake? propaganda? or fundementalist protestant? RIGHT? This is a weak arguement. How can you label so many old saints from the past, comtemporary saints and holy elders of today, true God fearing hierarchs, and generaly the Orthodox Church's stance as a whole about the issue being "one big deception" ? So ALL these people are deceived, they're ALL mis-informed, i guess they ALL lack the reasearch that you have done ughh ? Could be that we are just trying to find ways to justify a PAGAN CELEBRATION which in moderate, external terms is just "innocent and fun" ? Are we maybe hooked on our past, and we're just relating our old personal so called "joyful" experiences which we had as kids on halloween to things like fun, joy, innocense, play-time, neighbouring and such ? Maybe it's for the love of the world that we want Halloween, to seem okay in our eyes, yes--no????

    ReplyDelete
  39. PolychronisOctober 31, 2009 at 11:57 PM

    "Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry...
    The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?
    The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?..
    Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils (1 Cor. 10:14, 16, 21)."

    ReplyDelete
  40. John SanidopoulosNovember 1, 2009 at 12:03 AM

    Polychronis, Nektarios, Ioannis, and Antonymous - I refer you all to the first two quotes in my posting and the section on Hyper-religiosity. Don't you guys have anything else to do on Halloween. Shouldn't you be keeping vigil for all the infants that are being sacrificed as we speak to Satan. Isn't that what you believe?

    ReplyDelete
  41. PolychronisNovember 1, 2009 at 12:14 AM

    Pagan Invasion - Halloween Exposed - TRICKED OR TREAT ? Documentary. Full of personal testimonies about Halloween of people who used to be members of satanic cults. But I guess this is all part of the propaganda right ???

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK9a_gMAo1Q

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGqYbAvTVVU

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-wGEqLMWRQ

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woxa64kcf7Q

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtdYLxSmzRs

    ReplyDelete
  42. PolychronisNovember 1, 2009 at 12:19 AM

    Who ever said that I'm not praying for those sacrificed infants ??? Perhaps I would like to also try and help my Orthodox brothers and sisters as well at the same time.

    Here's an akathist to The Theotokos called "The Nurturer of Children" you can pray it as well :

    http://www.serfes.org/orthodox/nuturerofchildren.htm

    And thanks for the reminder, it's time to hit the prayer room again. Truth is I got sidetracked with your blog. H Panagia mazi mas!

    ReplyDelete
  43. Kevin P. EdgecombNovember 1, 2009 at 1:01 AM

    Nice post, John.

    In support of your points, I recall a lecture from a class I had with the late great folklorist Alan Dundes. He discussed Halloween and precisely some of the points you brought up. Halloween is certainly not an ancient Celtic pagan festival of the dead, and all the mythmaking associated with it is based in ulterior motives, whether neo-pagan, fundamentalist, or whatever.

    You other people: you have nothing to fear from the truth of reality. John has not said to everyone to go out and celebrate Halloween, only that it's not the thoroughly evil thing that especially religious people over the last few decades have been claiming it to be. Knowing the truth of its origins should be something you appreciate. Celebrate it or don't, if you like, but don't tart up your reasons for not doing so with lies, and don't let your lack of celebration become a thing of pharisaical pride in your heart.

    ReplyDelete
  44. AnonymousNovember 1, 2009 at 7:09 AM

    In light of the many comments, I would encourage all of you to read this well prepared and balanced essay on Halloween by an Orthodox Priest.

    http://www.allsaintsofamerica.org/orthodoxy/halloween.html

    ReplyDelete
  45. John SanidopoulosNovember 1, 2009 at 8:07 AM

    This was one of the websites I was critiquing. Of all it was the most balanced, though still contains many errors.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Alexey KhlopoffNovember 1, 2009 at 8:34 PM

    "Shouldn't you be keeping vigil for all the infants that are being sacrificed as we speak to Satan. Isn't that what you believe?"
    Is this laughable, friend?
    I'm looking at the bottom of the page also at your advertising for the satanic priest, M. Manson. I'm sure he appreciates your $ and advertising in his fight to root out Christianity from the world.
    I have a more proper quote (not out of context):
    "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and MANY there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and FEW there be that find it."
    We're not here for parties & candy; we're here to carry a cross.
    The passage that you have quoted continues "but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled." We are talking about customs outside of the Church; and, this passage confirms that (more than likely) their customs are corrupt. In a broader scope this portion of the Bible is speaking about the extreme purity that a bishop must have. And it continues to talk of the "many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers" trying to deceive the faithful. Brother, are you adding your efforts to these deceivers with your sophistry? Are you of the "disobedient" ones (spoken of in vs. 16), who thinks that the bishops & priests (that have written about this & you may have quoted) should prove their admonishments to you?
    I am Russian Orthodox; our priorities (if we value the spiritual) are to be at vigil for our holy father St. John of Kronstadt. I do not know if he ever said anything about Helloween or not, but our holy father St. John (Maximovich) was very wroth to find Russian youth involved in a carnival the night of St. John's (Kronstadt) glorification.

    ReplyDelete
  47. AnonymousNovember 1, 2009 at 8:56 PM

    Wikipedia's first sentence on Helloween ties it to Samhain. Oh, you don't trust wiki! Well, wicca.com lists under it's holy days Samhain:
    http://www.wicca.com/celtic/akasha/samhainlore.htm

    ReplyDelete
  48. John SanidopoulosNovember 1, 2009 at 10:51 PM

    I find your gullibility sad that you bought into the propaganda without doing any research outside of the propaganda, but I do find it a bit humorous that you actually believe hundreds of infants and virgins were sacrificed to Satan last night. Good luck on trying to prove that one. And no one denies that Neopagans celebrate Samhain. That doesnt mean all trick or treators are agents of Satan. But I know your sensitive little ego needs an enemy to fight to make yourself feel better, so if you want to believe what you do, go ahead. Dont forcefeed your poisonous Christianity on the rest of us however. God help us if we all believed what you did. And no need to call the wrath of God upon me tonight again. I can already hear you guys uttering your curses and incantations that the devil take my soul so as to allow your narrow minded beliefs flourish in the Church. My post was meant to liberate the Church of the accusations of the atheists and Neopagans that Christianity "consecrated" Samhain, which it didnt. But your pathetic Protestant Fundamentalist views are only confirming the arguments of the Neopagans and the atheists. In this way you are the ones working more for the devil by giving him Halloween instead of restoring it to the innocense it once was before the counter-culture of the 60's adopted it to reflect a darker more sinister side, which it doesnt have to.

    ReplyDelete
  49. IoannisNovember 2, 2009 at 9:46 AM

    "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into licentiousness..." (Epistle of St. Jude)

    Mystagogy used to be one of my favorite blogs, but this particular entry along with others that I have been made newly aware of, have shed some light, or rather revealed a hidden darkness, an infrequent though persistent boosterism of the demonic.

    St. Paul (the first Saint that John S. quotes out of context in this entry) wrote in his epistle to the Corinthian church:

    "[W}hat fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?"

    St. Paul commands us in the name of God:

    "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers...Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you."

    Just like one cannot enjoy a bowl of ice cream with even a smidgen of feces added, so I cannot partake of the Orthodox content of your blog mixed with satanic filth.

    May God be with you, John S.

    P.S.

    Do give Geronda Ephraim a call. You need to hear what he has to say.

    ReplyDelete
  50. John SanidopoulosNovember 2, 2009 at 10:00 AM

    Thank you, Ioannis, for helping to prove all the points I made in my post.

    ReplyDelete
  51. TimNovember 2, 2009 at 12:08 PM

    Wow, I can't believe how stupid your critics are John. So many posts by them and not one addressed even one issue or fact you brought up. I can't believe our desperately needed monasteries in this country are creating such idiots. I love Elder Ephraim too, but there is no doubt that he knows nothing of Halloween and is definately not qualified to speak on the subject without doing any research. Yes, even Saints must do research. God doesnt speak through them in everything they say, like mediums. This is occultic. Most interesting is how you correctly expose error, but all they can resort to is making this a personal issue, call down God's wrath on you and TRYING to expose your sins. How pathetic and sick! I think you proved in your previous post on "St Gerasimos and the Demon Possessed" that it is the demon possessed that expose peoples sins, not christians. Christians condemn their own sins and justify others sins. So in my humble opinion, I think your critics are displaying signs of possible demonic possession. Just my humble opinion.

    ReplyDelete
  52. Patrick BarnesNovember 2, 2009 at 2:44 PM

    John,

    Thank you for your thought-provoking piece. I don't agree with some points, nor do I think the quote from St. Paul is used properly (I can envision someone using it to justify, say, an Orthodox use of heroin), nor do I think Elder Paisios would think it's wise to participate in Halloween. Nevertheless, I do think there are some inaccuracies in the article on my Web site. And your more detailed look at the history of Halloween is an interesting corrective. The article on my site by Archbishop Kyrill was posted probably a decade ago, and no one ever questioned it. I admit that I didn't take time to research these things myself. Just this past week, however, I received an email from a ROCOR layman who said the article's statements about Samhain were wrong. So I updated the article. I was then made aware of your blog post and just added a link to it as well. As I wrote when adding your link: "Let each Orthodox Christian come to their own conclusions if they do not have specific guidance from their Priest or Spiritual Father."

    As for me, I'd rather see parishes do an alternative version of Halloween, such as a "Fall Festival", that still allows children to dress up, receive candy, etc. I also recall a blog post from a couple of years ago in which an Orthodox Christian described what he did on Halloween. The details are sketchy, but I seem to recall that he sat on his porch with a large Icon of the Resurrection, had a container of sand with candles in it, and some Orthodox music playing. Children would come to the porch, do their "trick or treat" thing, and he would give them candy while briefly mentioning the Icon, the Resurrection and Christ's conquering death, etc. He did it in a non-judgemental, kindly informal way. I love that kind of thing! What a great way to share Orthodoxy. There are just many ways to approach this holiday...

    God be with you, brother.

    Patrick Barnes
    Webmaster, Orthodox Christian Information Center

    ReplyDelete
  53. Patrick BarnesNovember 2, 2009 at 3:55 PM

    I found the blog post about the Orthodox Christian who sits on his porch with an Icon and candles during Halloween: http://saintjameskids.blogspot.com/2009/10/halloween-orthodox-approach.html.

    ReplyDelete
  54. John SanidopoulosNovember 2, 2009 at 4:20 PM

    Patrick, thank you for your comments and your humble approach in correcting this issue on your website, most of which I enjoy very much. And the alternative approaches you mention are a valid way to begin to redeem the holiday, though my own opinion is to avoid reactions as much as possible with secular holidays. Personally I dont believe any monastic would endorse the holiday since it is not ecclesiastical (as for example Mardi Gras or Carnival is which is a way to indulge before the Great Fast, or even Thanksgiving is which encourages the breaking of the Advent Fast), but I do fully believe that if they knew the truth about the holiday it would be a non-issue - at least for some maybe even most. In the end, I think it is all a matter of taste and personal conscience and, as you pointed out, if people are conflicted or unable to make a personal decision, then they should consult with a spiritual guide. And I know some people read into those first two quotes as if I'm trying to justify Halloween. I dont believe in the post I am justifying Halloween at all, but critiquing errors that corrupt the witness and mission of Orthodoxy in this world. This is only one of many many issues that do this, and I do believe at the heart of the whole "satanic panic" in America is an impure heart that sees scandals and the devil in others when Orthodoxy teaches us to see the impurity and scandals within our own hearts and minds. Having once thought this way as well, I've been able to judge such things as being a reflection of the evil I in fact had within myself and it gave a much easier enemy to fight against rather than my much more difficult passions. Nonetheless, thank you again for linking to my blog as well as the link you provided as well.

    ReplyDelete
  55. John SanidopoulosNovember 2, 2009 at 4:38 PM

    I also want to mention to everyone that I added a paragraph to my post to clear up a little why I added the two quotes in the beginning of my article.

    ReplyDelete
  56. IoannisNovember 2, 2009 at 9:32 PM

    Re: "For all I know the Druids may have sacrificed children or did other horrific things, but this is not supported by any evidence..."

    Of course the evidence is there for anyone who cares to look for it. Just a couple of examples:

    “The classic tree of the Otherwold is the apple tree. In Celtic culture, apples were first harvested at Samhain. Here we see a connection between the apple, Samhain, and the realm that lies beyond the living. MacKillop [James MacKillop, the author of the seminal ‘The Dictionary of Celtic Mythology’, Oxford University Press, 1998] notes that human sacrifices to the god Teutates were performed by ancient Celts at Samhain… Here we find the cauldron, water and apples. This recalls the ancient sacrifice by drowning, and here the person partakes of the sacred apple as he/she is plunged into the water. The apple ensues that the person shall return to life again.” Raven Grimassi, ‘Witchraft – A Mystery Tradition,’ p. 159

    “Gundestrup Cauldron. One the most celebrated works of early Celtic religious art was uncovered in a peat bog near the village of Gundestrup, Jutland peninsula, Denmark, in 1880, and is now housed in the museum at Ã…rhus. [Its] plates depict gods, conventionally seen as larger than humans, ordinary mortals, and animals. The seated horned god is now commonly accepted as an illustration of Cernunnos. A tall divine figure holding a man over a vat of water is thought to be Teutates accepting human sacrifice. “

    See: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O70-GundestrupCauldron.html

    Druids Committed Human Sacrifice, Cannibalism?
    National Geographic News
    http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090320-druids-sacrifice-cannibalism.html

    "Recent evidence that Druids possibly committed cannibalism and ritual human sacrifice—perhaps on a massive scale—add weight to ancient Roman accounts of Druidic savagery, archaeologists say."

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  57. John SanidopoulosNovember 2, 2009 at 9:49 PM

    Ioannis, I mentioned in my post that Roman historians went on a propaganda campaign in the first century against the Celts. Julius Ceasar and others do mention what you bring up, and they explain how human sacrifices were performed to three different Celtic gods in three different ways - victims meant for Esus were hanged, those meant for Taranis immolated and those for Teutates drowned. Many archaeologists have claimed to try to confirm these accounts, but they are based merely on conjecture as none have offered any conclusive evidence for human sacrifice. However, even if they did, there is no evidence this was done on Samhain, there is definately no evidence for the sacrifice of children or virgins, and most importantly of all, there is no connection between Samhain and Halloween. So your argument, for the time being, is void for lack of evidence.

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  58. IoannisNovember 2, 2009 at 10:13 PM

    Okay, John S. take a deep breath, put on your reading glasse and then read the first line of the story very c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y.

    Halloween - Ancient Origins (History Channel)

    http://www.history.com/content/halloween/real-story-of-halloween

    Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in).
    The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.
    To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities.
    During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other's fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.
    By A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.

    =====
    "LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see." (2 Kings 6:17)

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  59. John SanidopoulosNovember 2, 2009 at 10:16 PM

    First of all, I dont wear glasses so I can see just fine. Secondly, you have to start thinking a little critically. Haven't you ever wondered what the sources for this information are? Obviously not since if you did you wouldn't be wasting my time with this stuff. Ive already addressed everything you brought up.

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  60. IoannisNovember 2, 2009 at 10:23 PM

    James MacKillop, the author of the seminal ‘The Dictionary of Celtic Mythology’(Oxford University Press, 1998) notes that human sacrifices to the god Teutates were performed by ancient Celts at Samhain.

    James MacKillop, Ph.D.
    As a professional writer for thirty years, James MacKillop has published more than 1.7 millions words in parallel careers as a scholar/critic and a journalist. In a search of Internet sites, one finds his name most often as the author of the Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology and the Penguin Myths & Legends of the Celts, the most prominent of his seven books. He is co-editor, with Maureen Murphy, of An Irish Literature Reader, the world’s most widely used college-level textbook in that field. Although actually born of Highland Scottish descent, MacKillop is the past-president of the American Conference for Irish Studies and is currently under commission to write a history of that organization. For twelve years he led a theater and archaeology tour to Ireland. At present he is editor of the Irish Series at Syracuse University Press.

    Even before establishing credentials in scholarship, MacKillop was an arts journalist in broadcast and print media. His Celtic studies post-doc at Harvard included time for advanced film theory, and he taught film history for seven years and also produced. His stage reviews began with the classical music station WONO-FM and continued with the Syracuse Post Standard and also the New Times, where he has been a contributing editor since 1984. Reviews and feature stories often total 60,000 words a year and have earned him the Syracuse Press Club Award for Criticism eleven times. He is also an instructor in the highly selective Goldring Arts Journalism of the Newhouse School at Syracuse University.

    Lastly, MacKillop also travels professionally as an invited public speaker, appearing three dozen times in four countries, and as a tour leader of theater excursions. For Syracuse Stage, the city’s professional theater, he has led well-subscribed tours to London, England, and the Stratford Shakespearean Festival of Ontario.

    ===
    What are your credentials? Do you also have access to the primary texts? Are you fluent in ancient Celtic languages?

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  61. John SanidopoulosNovember 2, 2009 at 10:25 PM

    I know who he is. Yes I do have access to the primary texts. And the sources for his information were from the Romans regarding human sacrifices, not the Celts.

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  62. John SanidopoulosNovember 2, 2009 at 10:34 PM

    I should also mention that while covering an extensive amount of Celtic material, which is very useful, MacKillop's etymologies are often criticized by scholars for usually not being accurate. In fact some etymologies seem to be based on his looking up words in a modern dictionary rather than from a true command of Celtic linguistics, quite spurious. Also, he tends to assign Gaulish and Brittonic words to Latin.

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  63. IoannisNovember 2, 2009 at 11:15 PM

    In other words, "No I can't match his credentials. No, I do not have access to primary texts and no, I am not fluent in ancient Celtic languages and on bottom of this,I have nothing to refute the fact that human sacrifices to the god Teutates were performed by ancient Celts at Samhain."

    Since you are fond of throwing around the word "propaganda" please explain to us why you have been the mouthpiece of one, Isaac Bonewits author of 'Bonewits Essential Guide to Witchcraft'?

    A little intro on his first steps toward neopaganism:

    "It was during his time at Berkeley, that Bonewits spent about eight months as a member of the Church of Satan, an adventure he says, which began as a bit of a laugh."


    John S's script:

    The Real Origins of Halloween
    http://www.neopagan.net/Halloween-Origins.html

    and

    Halloween Errors and Lies
    http://www.neopagan.net/Halloween-Lies.html

    If you really want to make yourself sick, read how Bonewits parses the difference between Neopagans, like himself(good) and satanists-Christian-dualists (two sides of the same coin - bad) here:

    The Enemies of Our Enemies
    http://www.neopagan.net/Enemies.html

    The hilarious part about Bonewits' propaganda, is his attempt to "sell" of his version of neopaganism/neodruidism. He presents his potential followers of with an anachronistic politically correct paganistic/druidic creed of freedom from "racism, sexism, and religious tyranny." Yeah, just like the real thing sans human sacrifice!

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  64. John SanidopoulosNovember 2, 2009 at 11:27 PM

    This is not an issue of credentials. Its an issue of sources, of which I have told you that I have them, all of them. Didn't I mention in my post that I have studied this subject for the past twenty years. Plus, if you wanted to make it an issue of credentials, then cite yours. but if you just want to cite someone else's then I could quite easily gather dozens of more credible scholars in the field. You are just trying to deny the obvious. It doesn't matter where the truth comes from, as long as it is the truth. Plus, I would be so sure that you don't even own MacKillop let alone ever read him. I own his books and have read him.

    Plus, why dont you examine your own sources if you are going to try and critique mine. My sources are mainly primary, though I also made use of secondary sources. But instead of even reading MacKillop you cite Grimassi who described as the following on his website:

    "Raven Grimassi has been a teacher and practitioner of the Craft for nearly 30 years. He is trained in the Family tradition of Italian Witchcraft (also known as Stregheria), and is also an initiate of several Wiccan Traditions, including Brittic Wicca and the Pictish-Gaelic Tradition. He is currently the Directing Elder of the Arician Ways. Raven considers it his life's work to ensure the survival of ancient witch lore and legend along with ancestral teachings of the Old Religion."

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  65. John SanidopoulosNovember 2, 2009 at 11:30 PM

    You should also like to know that my post is a critique of Wiccan beliefs about Samhain. Neopagans argue that Christians transformed Samhain into Halloween. This is not supported by the evidence. So your refutations are merely supporting Wiccan critiques of Christianity.

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  66. IoannisNovember 2, 2009 at 11:34 PM

    Sources, right? It is apparent to me that Grimassi, a practicing witch claims Samhain/Halloween as his own. As an Orthodox Christian, I see no problem in giving the devil his due in the case of Halloween, which has been the point of all my posts.

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  67. John SanidopoulosNovember 2, 2009 at 11:40 PM

    Its too bad you can't cite the evidence though.

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  68. AnonymousNovember 2, 2009 at 11:42 PM

    Please, that last response was rather Bonewitted.

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  69. Kevin P. EdgecombNovember 3, 2009 at 1:25 AM

    Ioannis, there is no ancient evidence whatsoever that ties Samhain (a harvest festival!) to any kind of human sacrifice: none anywhere of any time. To say otherwise is to lie. To posit such is eisegesis, or is simply parroting secondary sources, neither of which reflect exemplary scholarship.

    Who cares if modern neopagans in their newly invented religion claim anything? None of it is historical, their religion or their claims sbout Halloween. You should be more interested in and more supportive of reality than they are.

    Keep up the good work, John.

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  70. John SanidopoulosNovember 3, 2009 at 1:46 AM

    Thank you Kevin. I should also note that even Neopaganism and Wicca specifically are a modern phenomenon as well with no connections to the Celts or the Druids. I posted something on the origin of these movements here:

    http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2009/10/origins-of-modern-day-wicca-and.html

    There is also a fascinating interview with W. Scott Poole I posted about how Americans view Satan and the roots of the so-called "satanic panic" here:

    http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2009/11/secret-history-of-satan.html

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  71. AnonymousNovember 5, 2009 at 1:38 PM

    Many culyures throughout the world have had a celebration or festival which centers around the idea of "Remembrance of death" and evrything connected with it at "Harvest time", as death is the harvest of our life. The seeds we have sown during our life, be they good seeds or bad seeds, we reap at the time of our death.

    In our culture,for the most part, unfortunately,only the worst aspects of death are remembered, Hell, the dead who find no rest, and the fallen angels, whose vices are seen as our only opportunity to "enjoy ourselves" before our inevitable, unpleasant end. Another,subtle message being that,"All this is just kid stuff. There is no life after death. We simply cease to exist. We should have as much "fun" as we can before then."

    As an Orthodox Christian, I believe that what Halloween HAS BECOME is not only against everything that we know to be true about life and death and about how we ought to live our lives in this very temporary world, it misses the point of it's pre-christian "Pagan" roots as well,(which were actually CLOSER to what we believe than what we see portrayed in the media, for instance...)

    Setting aside the errors of the modern world, we pray: "Grant us to pass the night of the whole present life with wakeful heart and sober thought, ever expecting the coming of the radiant day of the appearing of Thy only-begotten Son, our Lord and God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, when the judge of all will come with Glory to render to each according to his deeds. May we not be found fallen and idle, but awake and alert for activity, ready to accompany Him into the joy and Divine palace of His Glory, where there is the ceaseless sound of those keeping festival and the unspeakable delight of those who behold the ineffable beauty of Thy countenance."

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  72. VasilisNovember 10, 2009 at 9:46 AM

    Interesting article in National Geographic:

    http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/10/091029-halloween-costumes.html

    I couldn't help but notice how much your arguments are supported here John. Though it ties to tie in modern practices with the ancient ones, the author always has to point out that we in fact have no records on how the ancient Celts celebrated Samhain. And even what is described here is relatively harmless, though of course a bit pagan influenced as they were pagans. But it would be understandable how relatively easy early Christians could have blessed and slightly altered these practices as a harmless cultural practice.

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  73. ChrisFebruary 22, 2010 at 7:55 AM

    "I realized in the impurity and evil of my heart I was choosing a much easier enemy to fight rather than the much more difficult enemy within, the enemy of my ego which easily saw scandal elsewhere rather than the impurity and scandal within my own heart and mind."

    In essence, you are saying that Christians who view Halloween as evil, do so because they themselves have evil in their hearts. I suppose that those Christians who have no evil in their hearts would view Halloween as a harmless, non-evil holiday (holy day)?

    In other words, Christians who view Halloween as evil are evil themselves, while Christians who view Halloween as good are good?

    This is tantamount to saying that I must be evil to think sin is evil. If I were not evil then I would not think sin is evil.

    This illogical. I'm sorry, but I can't buy this logic.

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  74. John SanidopoulosFebruary 22, 2010 at 8:03 AM

    No, I was saying in essence this is the way "I" viewed Halloween. And if you read the rest of the article in context, I try to dispel both the "evilness" and "goodness" of Halloween. But since you equate "sin" with "Halloween", I can see why you find these things incomprehensible, even though for me the twaine do not meet.

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  75. 01varvaraFebruary 28, 2010 at 1:23 PM

    Not for publication, please...

    Dear John,

    My condolences for the cross of dealing with absolute shmidiots. Haven't you figured out that the zealots have a patristic citation for EVERYTHING? You can't argue with such sorts.

    Like unto them are the Uniates who try to tell you that everything is now hunky-dory between the Church and the various Unias. They get all bent out of shape when you remark that no Orthodox hierarch has put his John Henry to any ukaze authorising such nonsense.

    In short, it ain't easy being green... It does take ALL kinds, John. Do pass me the jug, it's on your right. You may take a friendly slug, yourself (indeed, I urge you to, you need it!).

    a kind word from a fellow blogger in the trenches,
    Vara Drezhlo

    PS
    Don't give any credence to anyone who won't give their name... if it's on my driver's licence, it's good enough to share with you. Be good and walk the path of the Fast to the end... then... HAPPY EASTER!

    BMD

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  76. JeremyApril 22, 2010 at 2:42 PM

    I commend your sobriety and honesty in dealing with this topic, although I think your post could have been half as long -- two examples of hysterical anti-halloween polemics would have been plenty, and the rest of the post could have been condensed. I the questions brought up (unwillingly) by your detractors are even more interesting than your post. Many seem to read into your post an endorsement of every aspect of
    contemporary halloween practice. That makes it easier
    to cast you in the role of a minion of darkness and equate you with Anton Levay. After all, he considers Oct. 31 a demonic holiday and you don't, so your views must be the same. (?)

    It seems to me odd to say that the opinions of satanists and neo-pagans should be informative to a Christian view of *anything. These religions are new. They are made up.

    You talk about hyper-religiosity, something I think is also called "fanaticism." I knew a protestant who said "A fanatic is someone who has more faith that you." I think that your deriders here would be hard pressed to find a definition of fanaticism that didn't threate

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  77. JeremyApril 22, 2010 at 2:59 PM

    Oops. Jumped the posting gun....
    anyway: I think that your deriders would be hard pressed to find a definition of fanaticism that didn't threaten their understanding of faith.

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  78. Desert Mother '61August 27, 2010 at 10:46 AM

    I'm getting in late in the convo, I realize but as a mom and a grandmama, I'd say let kids be kids and let 'em have some harmless and supervised fun on Halloween. After all, kids are only young once! I gave Halloween parties in my home and took my girl trick or treating and I highly doubt that it's gonna send either of us to Hell. There are far worse things out there without creating boogeymen. Sometimes I wonder if all the hoopla against halloween is more about adults with an agenda pushing their hang-ups on the rest of us. There are some Christians in all branches of Christianity that are so cheerless and dour that they don't even want to allow any sort of fun or joy in life. I noticed that sometimes adults who convert to Christianity, especially if they are coming from a past that includes alcoholism and/or drugs tend to pick the strictest sect they can find and get absolutely rigid in their ideas...and then of course the kids can't do a doggone thing because their parents basically switched one addiction for another! To me, a Christian putting peer pressure on another Christian re: the holiday is the same as judging them. One might also want to keep in mind that the Puritans thought Christmas was "pagan" and actually banned the celebration of the holiday. It seems to me that in the 21st Century we as adults should be able to teach our kids the difference between fact and fiction.

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  79. hamlakounSeptember 26, 2010 at 11:51 PM

    John, I greatly admire your profound research and incredible depth of knowledge. I think this type of knowledge should be available to everyone. But I do have a few issues with it as well.
    1. you have made clear that Halloween was not born out of terrible evil, and that is proven by your immense evidence. However, let's take a look around at the huge publicity it has. Dollar shops sell witches and demonic costumes like hotcakes, and who are we to say that Halloween does not inspire evil in some people? Accodring to the Bible, witchcraft and its influence should be avoided AT ALL COSTS, even if if does come in the form of harmless holiday wear. I am NOT AGAINST people celebrating Halloween, but I am AGAINST the effects and influences that Halloween can create in less than solid minds (i.e. children, teens). Halloween did not start out as a bad thing, but now in the 21st century it has become many things to many people. I think like yourself that the Church should do more research before it speaks out, but I can see clearly see why it would be so afraid of something like Halloween gaining too much (Bad) attention. The church has a GOD given right to speak out for itself.
    2. I think you need to be slightly more respectful of the opinions of the readers and commentators( who took out of their time to read your posts) and not call them "ridiculous" or inflict sarcasm "i will be too busy callin g on the wrath of God".
    I think anyone who respects good solid evidence such as yourself will not lower their image just to prove a point that may or may not be accepted.
    But Please continue with the good work, the rewards are great.
    Best Wishes,
    M.

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  80. J.SanidopoulosSeptember 27, 2010 at 12:29 AM

    Well, I won't be respectful of something ridiculous, and sarcasm is one way I show how ridiculous it all is.

    But as I basically said in my post, we shouldn't blame Halloween or the day for the bad behavior or occultic mentality the day inspires for some people, if you can say that a day can even inspire someone. To me its like blaming the Bible for all the evil it supposedly inspired. Someone can read Bram Stoker's "Dracula" and be inspired to commit heinous murders against little children in imitation of the Count, or they can read it like me where it inspires no such evil and is listed in one of my all time five favorite novels.

    Anyway, I'll be writing more on Halloween and will write a shorter version of this post in the next few weeks.

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  81. NickOctober 8, 2010 at 11:08 PM

    Beloved brother in the Lord:

    Forgive me. This topic has been over exhausted. All we should do is ask our spiritual father if it's blessed to participate in this event or not and leave it at that.

    Everything else leads to extremes and disunity.

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  82. J.SanidopoulosOctober 9, 2010 at 12:51 AM

    But lets make sure our spiritual fathers know the facts and avoid the myths spread by some mislead spiritual fathers.

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  83. 02varvaraOctober 21, 2010 at 11:28 PM

    John...

    Sanity! I raise my glass to you! All Orthodox peoples have customs that come from the old pagan times. There's nothing wrong at all with them. What's so bad about having some continuity with our pagan forebears? (I know that we AREN'T pagans... I think that some "Christians" are just too dismissive of too much). There are Christians who still sacrifice sheep!

    In short... be grounded and sober, that's the ticket.

    Vara

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  84. Tony ChristianOctober 24, 2010 at 7:25 PM

    When I was a kid in the 70's I had a blast on Halloween, and somehow I still managed to become a Christian and discover Orthodoxy! The Satanic panic is a thoroughly descredited myth for those who care to do a modicum of research.

    So long as you put God and His Church first, observe the festival if you want and enjoy.
    Thanks for the post.

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  85. Mr. AcmeOctober 26, 2010 at 9:13 AM

    Great article - just a couple thoughts:

    1. As Eastern Orthodox, we celebrate "All Saints Day" on the first Sunday after Pentecost, so our Halloween should be held in the Spring, making 10/31 just an ordinary day.

    2. We can just as easily prove that Halloween is a Communist holiday as it is a Satanic one. Trick-or-Treating started when FDR was in his first term and fit in nicely with his "spreading the wealth" policies. Kids learn that instead of earning their own wealth by working hard, they can simply go door to door and collect goods from others who are more fortunate. These redistribution practices have to stop or else America's kids will grow up to be Socialists.

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  86. steveOctober 31, 2010 at 5:06 PM

    John
    It's just mindboggling that you would consider this demonic feast in any which way and form. Many people who commented here have rebutted everything you stated.Do you recall how St John Maximovitch reacted to his parish celebrating halloween? Do you have a spiritual father? Did you get a blessing to defend this satanic feast the way you do ? You have a great website but sometimes you go off on these satanic tangents. By the way, there never was a "Schism" the Church is ONE and can never be divided. The papists left on their own delusional accord
    in Christ
    savva

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  87. GeorgeOctober 31, 2010 at 8:03 PM

    Hello John,

    I've had a chance to read through your article, as well as the posts below it. I just wanted to add some points that are yet to be covered.
    Putting aside the “true” origin of the holiday, evil or not, it’s what Halloween has become today which we know is evil. One orthodox writer mentions “sorcery, fortune telling, divination, witchcraft” etc are some of the evil practices which occur on Halloween. These practices are reinforced by modern pop culture as a ‘scary’ but ‘cool’ and ‘normal’ practices to participate in during Halloween. Is it worth risking people, especially children, to these evil practices which can lead them astray?

    I once heard an orthodox lecture on modern pop culture and how people are craving nostalgia, as it brings them fond memories of when they were younger and gives them a ‘good’ feeling inside. As an observer to this article and all the posts which support the participation in Halloween, it’s interesting how many people have a love for Halloween because of all the nostalgia from their childhood. Is this enough to justify the participation in Halloween? I don’t believe so. For the next generation of children can we create a new set of nostalgia by celebrating All Saints Day?

    I think it’s great that from a historical perspective, you’ve shown that the true origin of Halloween is different to popular belief. But from a religious perspective, I can’t see how this justifies participating in Halloween?

    Finally John, you mention in your conclusion that “I do not want to come out as a proponent of Halloween since it is not an Orthodox feast I feel the need to defend.” If this is true, why are you defending it? What harm is there in letting this insignificant celebration go?

    Lord have mercy.

    George

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  88. cristiOctober 31, 2010 at 8:42 PM

    Dear John,


    I am sincerely disappointed to read that celebrating this satanic feast is ok for an Orthodox Christian ! In fact, celebrating Halloween means dressing in costumes that show you different than you are in truth ! Right ?! So what is happening is you "lie", you serve the lie, not the Truth ! As Orthodox Christians we had chosen to be the servants of the Truth, the servants of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the Truth ! When we serve the lie, we are in reality servants of the devil !
    I saw, few minutes ago, in the lobby of the building, a saw a lady dressed in devil ! So what do you have to say about this ?!

    I strongly advise you to confess to your spiritual Father and ask GOD for forgiveness !

    Forgive me, please, if I made you upset ! Believe me, I WANT YOU IN HAVEN !

    MAY GOD BLESS AND SAVE ALL THE SOULS ! AMEN !

    Mircea

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  89. J.SanidopoulosOctober 31, 2010 at 11:17 PM

    George, read my other article on Halloween titled "Ten Things I Won't Do On Halloween".

    Mircea, you worry about your own salvation.

    http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/10/ten-things-i-wont-do-on-halloween.html

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  90. J.SanidopoulosNovember 1, 2010 at 12:16 AM

    People need to start worrying about themselves and stop focusing so much on other people. We should keep in mind that if we were to analyze the people that go to church on Sunday at our local parish, some are probably hypocrites, others probably do it for show, yet others probably attend for ethnic reasons, while others do it for socializing, etc, etc. Very few are probably there fully with the right intentions. If we were to apply the same standards of our church attendance to our reluctance towards Halloween based on how other people celebrate it, whether it be neo-pagans or satanist etc (a tiny minority), then we would probably think that attending church is of the devil. But of course I realize most people aren't that logical.

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  91. GeorgeNovember 1, 2010 at 9:28 PM

    Hello John,

    Thanks for referring me to your other article. It was an interesting read, but it didn’t address any of the points in my previous post. You can respond to my previous post should you choose.

    Regarding your article ‘Ten Things I won’t do on Halloween’, you don’t mention what you ARE celebrating? Likewise with the article above. Can you please clarify this?

    I just wanted to finish by saying that my intention is to find out what exactly your intent is when it comes to Halloween. As I mentioned, it’s not entirely clear and it would help clear up a lot of confusion. People may be reading this page for advice so it’s important all angles are understood.

    Lord have mercy.

    George

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  92. J.SanidopoulosNovember 1, 2010 at 10:30 PM

    I think people celebrate Halloween for very different reasons, so I don't want to lead anyone towards a specific way of celebrating something like this. There are things to avoid, like any holiday, so I think its enough. Like Ive said, I'm not trying to defend myself or Halloween, even though some people read this into what I wrote cause they refuse to see the damage Christians have done in demonizing the holiday, and this includes Orthodox. My only goal is to show the truth and open the door to allow Christians to celebrate Halloween any way they wish according to their own personal Christian conscience. This is not a Christian holiday that requires rubrics or guidelines. I will not expect a 5 year old to celebrate the way I do. People have different tastes and interests.

    If you wish to know what I did Halloween, I went to church in the morning, came home and made a few blog posts, saw a horror movie, went to parents house in order to have a Name Day celebration for my nephew Demetri who celebrated on October 26th, I went with my nephews and niece to a few houses for trick or treating, I went for a drive into Salem, MA to check it out for about 30 minutes, then came home and watched Ghost Hunters Live. Its pretty uneventful and would have liked to have done other things, but oh well. I also like the time leading up to Halloween, seeing horror movies, going to haunted houses (both real and fake), reading a gothic novel, and most of all, being a New Englander, I love the Autumn season more than any other. Basically, I celebrate one aspect of my personality that may or may not conform to the interests of others. Others may like to dress up and have a party, or whatever else. People should have the freedom to express themselves according to their own Christian conscience and not be enslaved by others narrow views.

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  93. NataliaNovember 5, 2010 at 2:39 AM

    Hello.

    I want to add that citations are needed in your post. After the initial quotes, almost no citations are presented in the body of the text. The claim that you have researched the topic must be supported if you want the reader to believe it. One of your last responses on Nov. 9, 2009, and then Nov. 3, 2009 began including references. I really would like to know where to find that article you mentioned from 1939.

    Alexey Khlopoff: thanks. Everything you wrote made sense to me. I appreciate that.

    ReplyDelete
  94. J.SanidopoulosNovember 5, 2010 at 2:49 AM

    It's not a citation type article. It is just a post to help encourage people to do their own honest research and discover for themselves whether or not I am just coming up with this stuff.

    ReplyDelete
  95. robanitguyinpaOctober 3, 2011 at 10:51 AM

    John, inasmuch as I appreciate your views, I can not wholly agree with them. Personally, I find Halloween as abhorent and prefer not to celebrate it myself, particularly since I do not want to be wrapped up in anything that may have evil connotations or underpinnings. Thank you for your views though.

    ReplyDelete
  96. JoeOctober 11, 2011 at 11:41 AM

    John,
    Thank you for taking a stand on this issue and not backing down. It is time that Orthodox Christians stop reacting to things like American fundamentalists. When I was an Anglican priest, I researched this topic as well and came to the same conclusions that you have. I will continue to link this post to others who are misinformed about the facts of Halloween. God bless you.

    Joseph Patterson

    ReplyDelete
  97. Carol LNovember 1, 2011 at 7:14 AM

    John, I enjoy your articles very much. I have always deeply loved halloween. I was raised in a fundamentalist home that saw the devil everywhere, which is very destructive. For the first 2 years after converting to Orthodoxy, I tried to suppress my love for halloween but this year began integrating it back into my life. Like you, I read a gothic novel and donned a costume and enjoyed the fall and it felt like coming home, not a fall from grace. Thank you so much for sharing your studies and personal experiences.

    ReplyDelete
  98. Haunted HouseAugust 11, 2012 at 8:34 AM

    Haunted house
    http://bestforhalloween.com
    Horror and Halloween Link Directory. Add your site for free. Horror authors, Halloween props, Halloween sound, Halloween costumes, Haunted houses, all horror related sites are welcome to join.Scary House

    ReplyDelete
  99. IoanNovember 1, 2012 at 10:26 AM

    To me it is great to know the truth and try to make the best of things...that are not inherently Orthodox Christian, such as this secular holiday. However, I believe it is bad spiritual tactic to actually think that anything that is spiritual in nature (or even just has the potential to be remotely interpreted as spiritual) will not have an impact on one's soul. Even on a secular level, people have the potential to dress like demons and witches, go to decadent parties. If you think this stuff is innocent, I don't think it is. You give a millimeter to the devil, and he will make a mile out of it.

    I would like to see more opinions by clergy and elders. You started by offering quotes from Orthodox sources, but it does not make sense why you disagree with them (spiritually, not rationally), and what your orthodox sources for putting them in a different light are. They might be slightly wrong in their historical facts, but spiritually, I think they are pretty good.

    In Romania, Halloween poses a threat to Orthodoxy, to the health of the nation, and that's just the way it is. I could never stand for it, nor be neutral about it. I'd always warn people against associating themselves with anything that bears any resemblance of evil and imperfection.

    ReplyDelete
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