Reformoween or Hallowmation Day?

How do you celebrate Reformoween? I was never allowed to trick-or-treat growing up, because my mother told us that it was "celebrating the devil's birthday". It's da devil, Bobby Boucher!

So I was pretty sheltered. But looking back, it's probably for the better. Think about Halloween decorations. What is celebrated most during this time of year? What most stands out to me are all the images of death. Sure, there are the nostalgic memories (and I'm sure all of you can relate) of the smiley jack-o-lanterns and different cut-outs the teacher would pin up on the particleboard in elementary school, as well as other comforting images of Autumn. And then there's all those Peanuts cartoons and other Halloween movies/cartoons that take us back to the innocence of what was really not much more than "candy day" from a child's perspective.

Then there's the sadness of haunted houses. Each year, for the lofty price of about $12, roughly the gasoline cost of driving your car one mile down the road to Taco Bell, you can walk through a haunted house. I went last year to one called the "frightliner," a cruise boat at Waterfront dressed up like a haunted house, and was quite distraught at the celebration of death. Glorified in every room were images of human bodies being mangled, mutilated, and defamed in numerous dishonoring manners. Again I call to your attention that this is a celebration of the destruction of God's image (human bodies), an apalling thing to celebrate, all for the sake of trying to elicit a "scare" from the viewers.

"Will you escape Dementions, or will you become trapped in torment for eternity as yet another one of its soulless prisoners? Admission is $12.95"
See all of the ridiculous "attractions" that center around Halloween here in Louisville

So for $12.95 you can find out if you'll lose your soul or not. Neat. I'm just glad it's not 13 whole dollars. That would just be too much.

Isn't there a reason that these images are considered "scary?" It bothers one's psyche because it's not the way we were created to exist. We were created to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, not to celebrate the mutilation of His image which He's shared with us. It's amazing that people who whine about the bloody scenes in The Passion of the Christ (which are meant to represent the horror of sin's consequences) are the same people who go out and entertain themselves to the greater levels of gore and destruction at haunted houses.

This Halloween, let's make it about the reformation and liberation from the religious audacity of Papal rule. And if you're Catholic or "non-religious," I urge you to at least abstain from finding pleasure in human destruction.

Special Thanks to Jeannine for the sunset
Scary Sounds: Let Loose , Scary