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| Title: | Psychic Phenomena |
| Notice: | Please read note 1.0-1.* before writing |
| Moderator: | JARETH::PAINTER |
|
| Created: | Wed Jan 22 1986 |
| Last Modified: | Tue May 27 1997 |
| Last Successful Update: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Number of topics: | 2143 |
| Total number of notes: | 41773 |
527.0. "Hallowe'en: the good, the bad, and the misleading" by INK::KALLIS (Make Hallowe'en a National holiday.) Thu Oct 15 1987 16:37
The following _very long_ entry was originally promulgated by aome
folk who have a religious objection to Hallowe'en.
Commentaries on it will follow as the first response.
Steve Kallis, Jr.
Entry:
Reprints of this article may be obtained from The Southwest
Radio Church, P.O. Box 1144, Oklahoma City, OK 73101.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vol. 25 October 1984 No. 11
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
T R I C K O R T R E A T : T H E H I S T O R Y O F H A L L O W E E N
It has been said that some of our modern holidays, particularly Christmas, are
pagan in origin. This line of thought is quite weak historically. For
example, the allegation regarding Christmas is supported by one primary pagan
connection, the December 25th date. This is not true of All Hallows' Eve,
more commonly known as Halloween. Very little difference exists between
Halloween festivities now and Halloween festivities 2000 years ago. The
reason ancient Halloween rites have not changed (unlike the ancient rites of
December 25th) lies in the unique position of this ritual, in terms of the
occult.
The Roman Catholic Church has traditionally sought to dispose of pagan
holidays by using the tried and true formula of accepting the local date and
then merely changing the meaning and sometimes ceremonies of the date. On
Christmas these days, Santa Claus, gifts, and Christmas trees bear no
resemblance whatsoever to the ancient December 25th practice of eviscerating a
goose and using the internal organs to foretell the future, such as was the
practice of the pagan, ancient Romans. Altering holidays has met with much
less success regarding Halloween, however, because this ancient Celtic ritual
is more widely practiced now than ever before.
Halloween is a practice originated, as far as can be told, from the ancient
Celtic peoples. The expanse of the Celtic race is related in Barry Cunliffe's
book, _The Celtic World_:
"Traces of the Celts can be found almost anywhere in
temperate Europe. Their fortifications - hillforts and
oppida - are to be seen spreading in a broad arc from
Yugoslavia to the north of Scotland; the museums of Europe
store thousands of objects recovered from the excavations
of graves and of settlement sites or dredged from rivers and
bogs; while many of our great cities, including Budapest,
Paris, Belgrade, stand on Celtic foundations."
Other famous cities are built on Celtic foundations; London, England is a
prime example. As to the identification of modern Celts, Ireland, Wales, and
Scotland are populated largely by those of Celtic blood and retain the
indigenous Celtic languages, as do the cities of Cornwall, England and
Brittany, France.
According to _Funk and Wagnall's Standard Reference Encyclopedia_,
"Halloween or "All Hallows' Eve" is a "name applied to the
evening of October 31, preceding the Christian feast of
Hallowmass, Allhallows, or All Saint's Day. The observances
connected with Halloween are believed to have originated
among the ancient Druids, who believed that on that evening
Saman, the lord of the dead, called forth hosts of evil
spirits. The Druids customarily lit great fires on
Halloween, apparently for the purpose of warding off these
spirits. Among the ancient Celts, Halloween was the last
evening of the year, and it was regarded as a propitious
time for examining the portents of the future. The Celts
also believed that the spirits of the dead revisited their
earthly homes on that evening."
Indications in our popular culture are that the public is becoming increasingly
aware of the original rites of Halloween. Probably largely responsible for
this reawakening are three movies which have grossed millions of dollars:
"Halloween", "Halloween II", and "Halloween III - The Season of the Witch".
In all three movies, this cult of death which is celebrated October 31st is
very well illustrated. Now, for the first time in possibly one thousand
years, many know the origins and true significance of Halloween.
Unfortunately, a marked rise in the ancient practices has accompanied this new
knowledge. In England, Ireland, Scotland, and France, as well as in America,
many thousands of persons are reverting to the religion of their ancestors and
to the "festival of the dead". Before examining modern witchcraft's rise, in
relation to Halloween and its affiliated rituals, we should consult the Bible.
Exodus 22:18 says, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live". The Bible
contains repeated denunciations of witchcraft and other practices of this ilk.
Therefore, claims by modern witches that they are "unopposed" to Christianity
must be put to rest. Exodus 22:20 further warns, "He that sacrificeth unto
any god, save unto the Lord only, he shall be utterly destroyed". Thus,
although the numbers of those who practice the black arts are growing, we must
remember that the ancient practices of sacrifice and witchcraft are expressly
forbidden.
_Man, Myth, and Magic_, a 24-volume encyclopedia of the supernatural, says
"All Hallows' Eve, or Hallowe'en, was originally a festival
of fire and the dead and the powers of darkness. It is the
evening of 31 October, the night before the Christian
festival of all Hallows' or All Saints' Day. All Hallows'
Day commemorates the saints and martyrs, and was first
introduced in the 7th century. Its date was changed from 13
May to 1 November in the following century, probably to
make it coincide with and Christianize a pagan festival of
the dead. All Souls's Day in the Roman Catholic calendar is
2 November. It is marked by prayers for the souls of the
dead."
The intentional effort by the Catholic church to stamp out the pagan
ceremonies of Halloween failed, however. Whereas the original meanings were
clouded or lost, the actual methodology of witchcraft and worships survives
until the present day.
Let us specifically examine the original meanings of Halloween. _The Golden
Bough_, by Sir James Frazier, is a considered and respected, albeit secular,
work on the occult from the 19th century. Sir Frazier's comments seem most
enlightening to our study:
"Throughout Europe, Halloween, the night which marks the
transition from autumn to winter, seems to have been of old
the time of year when the souls of the departed were
supposed to revisit their old homes in order to warm
themselves by the fire and to comfort themselves with the
good cheer provided for them in the kitchen or the parlor
by their affectionate kinsfolk. It was, perhaps, a natural
thought that the approach of winter should drive the poor
shivering hungry ghosts from the bare fields and the
leafless woodlands to the shelter of the cottage with its
familiar fireside."
So, one of the reasons for bonfires, so common on Halloween, are to attract
the dead and to keep them away from the home, until their journey into the
afterworld. This was a serious matter to those who practiced the Celtic
religion. Samhain, or Sa-ween as it was pronounced, hence Hallo-ween, was the
single most important festival concerning the dead to the ancient Celtic
world. Bonfires were also used for one of the most hideous acts imaginable.
The _Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology_ tells us:
"... on the eve of Samhain the people of the side
(otherworld) left their domain and wandered in the world of
man ... hideous and terrifying ritual at Samhain ... attacks
by hostile supernatural powers and of sacrifices are
indicative of this insecurity and the need for
propitiation."
Simply put, the Celts wished to know the future and believed that on this
terrible night they could learn the future by use of a ritual. This ritual
consisted of constructing a basket, containing a human being or an animal.
This basket was then burned, with the unfortunate inmate within burned to
death. It was the belief of the Celts that by watching the victim die by
fire, they would be able to see signs of the future as the sacrificial victim
passed from this world into the next.
The Celts believed that on this night other creatures roamed with the spirits
of the dead. Fairies, as reported by _Man, Myth, and Magic_,
"... could also be seen on All Hallows' Eve, moving from
one fairy hill to another with the music of bells and
elfhorns. They were sometimes identified with the dead."
The Celts held that fairies could be good or bad; however, the introduction of
Christianity changed this distinction. Jack Santino's work, _Night of the
Wandering Souls_, reveals:
"Samhain, with its emphasis on the supernatural, was very
pagan. While missionaries identified Christian holy days
with native holy days, they branded the earlier supernatural
deities as evil and associated them with the Devil. As
representatives of the rival religion, Druids were
considered evil; their gods and spirits, devilish and
demoniac. The Celtic underworld inevitably became
associated with the Christian Hell. The effects of this
policy were to diminish but not totally dispel beliefs in
the traditional gods. According to priests, fairies were
fallen angels, thus identifying them with devils in
Christian theology."
Thus, as the Celts converted to the new religion, they did not forget their
stories of the dead traveling to the afterworld on Halloween, nor did
sightings and activities of fairies cease being reported. Instead,
manifestations of this night became overwhelmingly evil, and the festival
adopted even more malicious overtones. Everything supernatural was attributed
to demons who masqueraded as fairies, hobgoblins, vampires, werewolves, and
virtually any other myth. Interestingly, until the advent of the 20th
century, these supernatural beings were regarded as very real and very
dangerous.
As more Celts became Christian, the native Druids or Celtic priests were
correctly labeled "witches". Witchhunting became a very common phenomenon
until the 17th century, with the usual punishment prescribed being burning at
the stake. Whereas witchhunting crazes broke out indiscriminately, hunting
witches during Halloween became virtually a national pastime. _Man, Myth, and
Magic_ says:
"Darker and colder creatures still roamed through the night
on Hallowe'en - demons and hobgoblins, witches who straddled
broomsticks or shankbones, flew in sieves or egg-shells, or
rode on coal-black horses. The fires helped to keep them
off and at Balmoral in Queen Victoria's time the effigy of a
hideous old witch was ceremoniously burned on a bonfire at
Hallowe'en."
It should be noted that Queen Victoria ruled the British Empire at its height,
during the 19th century. Witches were very much on the public's mind during
the last two millennia. Midnight of October 31st was considered an extremely
hazardous time, as witches were believed to be actively hexing people and
communing with the devil. Many Catholics took to making charms and casting
"white magic" spells to protect themselves from the evil they knew to be very
potent on this night. What many apparently did not realize was that charms
themselves were as evil as the witches they were supposed to thwart.
Foretelling the future was an idea intriguing to the Celts, as much as anyone,
and many still believed the Druids were witches - or in the case of males,
warlocks - they did not doubt this. Therefore, burning sacrificial animals
and, occasionally, people was still not uncommon. Even in our time, animals
are sacrificed on Halloween in Europe and in the Philippines, as well as in
the Americas.
Using witchcraft to foretell the future was a crime that cost King Saul of
Israel his life. I Samuel 28:7-8 reads,
"Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath
a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her.
And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that
hath a familiar spirit at Endor. And Saul disguised
himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men
with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said,
I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and
bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee."
The story of the witch of Endor already possessed several significant
similarities to the witches of the Celts. Familiar spirits are nothing more
than demons, and the fairies and leprechauns of Celtic myths are the same as
familiar spirits.
The Lord's punishment upon Saul was pronounced to him the very same night. I
Samuel 28:17-18 relates,
"And the Lord hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the
Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it
to thy neighbour, even to David: Because thou obeyedst not
the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon
Amelek, therefore, the Lord hath done this thing unto thee
this day."
The Lord's pronouncements concerning witchcraft are quite clear. There is no
such thing as "white" magic; it is all evil and empowered by evil beings. It
should also be emphasized that these actions transpired at nighttime, as do
traditional Halloween activities.
The other, and much more popular, so-called white magic act is the creation
and wearing of charms. Few people realize that the wearing and use of charms
is simply another manifestation of witchcraft. Be it rabbits' feet or
religious medallions, trinkets, or other such relics, these objects are
subject to demonic power. The word "charm" means "to cast a spell on". The
Bible contains several passages about charms and the use thereof. Psalm
58:3-5 says,
"The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as
soon as they be born, speaking lies. Their poison is like
the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that
stoppeth her ear; Which will not hearken to the voice of
charmers, charming never so wisely."
This is hardly a ringing endorsement of the use of charms. Furthermore,
Isaiah 19:3 states:
"And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof;
and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek
to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have
familiar spirits, and to the wizards."
The Lord purposefully groups together idol worshipers, witches with familiar
spirits, wizards, and charmers. This is not the only scripture dealing
thusly. The activities of Halloween, the making of charms, divining the
future, the practice of magic, and dealing with unclean spirits and demons are
explicitly forbidden to mankind. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 says,
"There shall not be found among you anyone that maketh his
son or daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth
divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a
witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits,
or a wizard, or a necromancer (that is, 'one who seeks to
interrogate the dead', according to Schofield). For all
that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and
because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive
them out from before thee."
This is a very explicit commandment from the Lord. Thus, the ancient Celtic
ritual of Halloween practiced today in America is pagan in origin and innately
linked with the occult, about which the Bible has much to say and warns
against.
Among the Celts - as well as among the Chinese, the Egyptians, and even the
Aztecs - it was thought that the spirits of the dead required food and drink.
During the festival of Samhain, the people would leave various articles of
food outside to placate the spirits. This was very important, for only the
finest mutton legs, vegetables, eggs and poultry - as well as honey and wine -
were left outside for the spirits to consume on their way to the netherworld.
To supply nothing meant that the hungry and possibly irritated spirit might
intrude upon one's house and help itself to one's belongings. Leaving out
food that had spoiled was also considered an open invitation to disaster.
Therefore, families who faced uncertain diets, often of very low quality, gave
what was most precious to them: food. This takes on added implications when
we recall that, at that time, food was very difficult to preserve. Moreover,
Halloween marked winter's beginning, when food was at its scarcest, and
starvation not uncommon.
From this practice evolved on of the most remarkable aspects of Halloween; to
quote Santino:
"Virtually all of our Halloween customs today can be traced
to the ancient Celtic day of the dead. Each of Halloween's
many mysterious customs has a history, or at least a story,
behind it. The wearing of costumes, for instance, and the
roaming from door-to-door demanding treats can be traced to
the Celtic period and the first few centuries of
Christianity when it was thought that the souls of the dead
were out and around, along with fairies, witches, and
demons. Food and drink were left to placate them. As the
centuries wore on, people began dressing as these dreadful
creatures and performing antics in exchange for offerings of
food and drink. This practice, called mumming, evolved into
our present trick or treating. To this day, witches,
ghosts, and skeleton figures of the dead are among the
favorite disguises."
The practice of wearing masks and outfits to represent these evil creatures is
universal in the human experience. From the Indians of America to China - in
all the inhabited areas of the earth - traditions exist in which individuals
who dress to represent a god or demon are imbued with supernatural powers and
often given presents or beneficial treatment. There is a reason for this.
Idols and masks of idols are representative of something! I Corinthians
10:19-21 says,
"What say I then? that the idol is anything, or that which
is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything? But I say,
that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice
to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should
have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the
Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the
Lord's table, and the table of devils."
So the Bible tells us that idols represent demons, "demon" being the actual
word used in the original Greek text. Offerings of food are offerings of food
to demons; the trick or treating of today is reminiscent of that practice. In
fact, trick or treating children often masquerade as demons. Food is given
these children under the guise of a "trick or a treat". It has become a
recent phenomenon that adults participate in these activities, a strange
shadow of what transpired 2,000 years earlier.
Lest we should become confused as to how the concept of romping spirits became
intertwined with children, we must again quote _Man, Myth, and Magic_:
"The guisers went from house to house, singing and dancing.
Their blood-curdling masks and grotesque costumes may have
been meant to keep evil at bay or, more likely, were a
visible representation of the ghosts and goblins that lurked
in the night. The masks have now been transferred to the
children who, in the United States, visit the neighbours for
the food offerings which belonged to the dead - or play
tricks akin to the legendary destructiveness of witches and
imps abroad on this night."
This then is the story and significance behind trick or treating. But there
is more to the story of Halloween ...
Virtually everyone in this country has either made or seen a jack-o-lantern.
These macabre, grinning pumpkins with candles inside often light the way of
the errant ghost seeking his or her candy. Have you ever wondered where the
idea for the jack-o'-lantern originated? This, too, was a Celtic invention
used during the ritual of Samhain or Halloween. In the United States, the
jack-o'-lantern is a carved pumpkin. The orange, grinning, candle-filled lamp
of Halloween is extremely popular and may be observed virtually anywhere in
the United States at Halloween. The use of a pumpkin for the jack-o'-lantern
is an invention of the American Indian. In Europe, where the concept for the
jack-o'-lantern was conceived, it is not a pumpkin but rather a carved-out
turnip. The switch was made in America because, besides being much larger
than a turnip, the pumpkin is easier to carve. The turnip was the original
jack-o'-lantern, and here is the earliest known tale of how it originated.
The tale of the jack-o'-lantern is, in several ways, reminiscent of the
classic tale of Dr. Faustus in world literature. A blacksmith by the name of
Jack made a contract with Satan. The deal contained a trade-off. Jack the
blacksmith would be given powers by Satan that would make him the best
blacksmith in the world for a period of seven years. In return, Satan would
demand Jack's soul at the end of this seven-year period. Jack thus received
the powers and hung a sign outside his shop proclaiming himself the master of
all masters.
As the story goes, one day the Son of God came to the shop, accompanied by the
apostle Peter. The sign had indicated that the owner was in need of religious
indoctrination. Thus, the two worked several miracles - to no avail - in
Jack's presence. Peter then offered Jack three wishes, which Jack immediately
seized upon. Santino writes:
"first, he wished that whenever he told someone to climb a
nearby pear tree that person would have to stay in the tree
until Jack allowed him to come down. He made the same
wishes regarding his armchair and his purse: one must stay
in them until Jack allowed him to go.
"'You have wished very foolishly', said Saint Peter. "You
should have wished for everlasting peace in Heaven.'
"Nevertheless, Jack used these three wishes to trick the
Devil when he came to take his soul. Each time the Devil
came, Jack tricked him into climbing the tree, sitting in
his chair, and finally, shrinking himself and entering his
purse. Each time, the Devil gave Jack seven years in return
for his freedom, and finally he simply fled in terror."
Jack could not live forever, however, and one day he died. When presented a
heaven's Pearly Gates, Peter would not allow Jack inside. Denied entrance
into heaven, Jack went to hell. At the gates of hell, Satan refused Jack
entrance, saying that Jack was full of too many tricks and would cause
mischief. Satan then ordered the gates of hell closed. But before Jack was
thrown out, he managed to scoop out a burning coal from the fires of hell with
a turnip he had been eating. As this coal came from hell, it was eternal and
would never be extinguished. Thus, Jack, who was denied entrance into heaven
and hell, was doomed to roam the earth with his peculiar lantern, his
Jack-o'-lantern, if you will.
The Halloween festival became fully established in America after the huge
influx of Irishmen as a result of the great Irish potato famine of 1846.
America, in that era, was quite religious, and so the stories of fairies and
leprechauns, as well as demons and ghosts, were accepted as fact. Religious
beliefs aside, those less well-educated tend to be more superstitious - at
least that was the prevalent thinking of the early to mid-twentieth century.
In America, those who were the most superstitious were also the least
educated; the American Indian, the Negro, and poor white settlers in the
Appalachian and Ozark regions tended to take superstitions very seriously
indeed. Other than these groups, belief in the Bible as the Word of God
confirmed, as a matter of course, the existence of ghosts and demons.
Education - as taught in the mid-twentieth century until the present - has
become increasingly secular and anti-supernatural in thinking.
Studies in the occult, from both religious and purely academic points of view,
have shown a marked increase in the numbers and efforts of satanists in the
latter part of this century. By satanist, we include such practices as
witchcraft, following pagan religions, charmers, necromancers, and other
practices of the black arts.
According to Paul Lee Tann's _Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations_,
"Satan worship and all forms of the occult is evident
everywhere. It is estimated that there are at least 100
million Americans who dabble in some form of Black Magic."
"In New Jersey, a young man was drowned by a group of his
friends at his request, because that a violent end would put
him in command of forty legions of demons."
Witchcraft is not dead. In England, at the ancient ruins of Stonehenge, Druid
priests perform ancient rites, as their ancestors did. Witch hunts, which
resulted in the murdering of more than half a million persons in Europe during
the last millennia, are not a phenomenon of the past. According to _Collier's
Encyclopedia_,
"In 1957 during a virus epidemic in Alaska, the civil
authorities were hard put to it to prevent an Eskimo
community from destroying the 'witches' held responsible."
No, the occult is not dead. In fact, the occult is currently probably
stronger than at any time since the Dark Ages. Zombies are no laughing matter
in Haiti, any more than demons are to Christians; and who is to say in what
form demonic power can manifest itself? Astrology, chiefest of the black arts
among Americans, has skyrocketed in popularity since the 1960s.
According to the _Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations_,
"Americans spend over $200 million a year on astrology
alone. A 1976 Gallup Poll indicated that those who take
astrology seriously may number as many as 32 million ... It
is estimated that 1200 of the 1700 U.S. daily newspapers
regularly print horoscope columns."
The evil world of the occult wages an ongoing assault against Christianity.
We believe revival of witchcraft and the black arts is indicative of the end
times. Satan knows the time of Christ's return is near, and he is mustering
all of his forces to engage in a battle he has lost already. Let no one doubt
that witchcraft and sorcery are very real. The number of occult-related
murders has been on the increase in this country for more than a generation.
Moreover, one of the most significant occult dates of all - the one favored
for Black Mass - is Halloween, celebrated the last day of October in our
nation. On college campuses and universities today, Anton LaVey's _Satanic
Bible_ is often a best-seller - in some cases, outselling the Bible itself.
It is of great importance to realize that the powers some claim are not powers
of themselves; real sorcery relies on demonic or Satanic power. Ephesians
6:12 states:
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
places."
There is, in conclusion, only one way to win against Satan; that is victory
through Christ Jesus.
| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 527.1 | | TOPDOC::SLOANE | Bruce is on the loose | Thu Oct 15 1987 17:42 | 5 |
| WOW!
How many _weeks_ did it take you to type this in, Steve?
-bs
|
| 527.2 | a few comments | INK::KALLIS | Make Hallowe'en a National holiday. | Thu Oct 15 1987 18:19 | 321 |
| There is no way I could adequately respond to this much verbiage
line by line (though it deserves such response); therefore, I'm
going to choose representative sections and comment on these.
Before beginning, it's worth noting that if whoever compiled this
thinks "occult knowledge" is something forbidden and sinful, he
or she spent a lot of time wallowing around in it. :-)
>It has been said that some of our modern holidays, particularly Christmas, are
>pagan in origin. This line of thought is quite weak historically. For
>example, the allegation regarding Christmas is supported by one primary pagan
>connection, the December 25th date.
Is the author saying this is not correct? In point of fact, Luke
2:8 indicated that the time of Jesus' birth was in the spring, since
shepards (note plural) were abiding with their flock at night; this
was traditionally done at the lambing season (a mystic would see
_this_ connection instantly with the Lamb of God), which was Spring,
not winter. Other holidays, such as May Day, or Hallowe'en (as
the article "proves" had pagan roots: Christmas (a _mass_ to celebrate
Christ on earth, not necessariloy "Jesus' birthday") was celebrated
on 25 December because it eclipsed the Saturnalia celebration prevalent
in Rome at the time.
>Christmas these days, Santa Claus, gifts, and Christmas trees bear no
>resemblance whatsoever to the ancient December 25th practice of eviscerating a
>goose and using the internal organs to foretell the future, such as was the
>practice of the pagan, ancient Romans.
The ancient Romans were a very superstitious lot, and many of their
practices, including the above, prognostication by the actions of
mice, of the ways bones fell, from dice, and dozens of other methods,
were by no means restricted to the Saturnalia, or any other
holiday/feast, for that matter.
"Halloween or "All Hallows' Eve" is a "name applied to the
evening of October 31, preceding the Christian feast of
Hallowmass, Allhallows, or All Saint's Day. The observances
connected with Halloween are believed to have originated
among the ancient Druids, who believed that on that evening
Saman, the lord of the dead, called forth hosts of evil
spirits. The Druids customarily lit great fires on
Halloween, apparently for the purpose of warding off these
spirits. Among the ancient Celts, Halloween was the last
evening of the year, and it was regarded as a propitious
time for examining the portents of the future. The Celts
also believed that the spirits of the dead revisited their
earthly homes on that evening."
If anything, this _Funk & Wagnalls_ description is of a people trying
to _ward off_ evil, rather than embracing it.
>Exodus 22:18 says, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live". The Bible
>contains repeated denunciations of witchcraft and other practices of this ilk.
Indeed. And Medieval theologians indicate that that meant that
witches (and other nonChristians) would not be able to take Communion
and partake of the Life of Christ, not that they should be stoned,
hanged, or burned.
> Exodus 22:20 further warns, "He that sacrificeth unto
>any god, save unto the Lord only, he shall be utterly destroyed". Thus,
>although the numbers of those who practice the black arts are
>growing, we must remember that the ancient practices of sacrifice and
>witchcraft are expressly forbidden.
This depends upon how wishes to define "black arts." As will be
seen, the author(s) of this use the term rather loosely.
>_Man, Myth, and Magic_, a 24-volume encyclopedia of the supernatural, says
A very superficial encyclopedia.
>"All Hallows' Eve, or Hallowe'en, was originally a festival
>of fire and the dead and the powers of darkness. ...
Of course, it can be perverted, but the origins were to _ward
off_ the spirits of the dead, and hold back the darkness.
>The Celts believed that on this night other creatures roamed with the spirits
>of the dead. Fairies, as reported by _Man, Myth, and Magic_,
>
> "... could also be seen on All Hallows' Eve, moving from
> one fairy hill to another with the music of bells and
> elfhorns. They were sometimes identified with the dead."
>
>The Celts held that fairies could be good or bad; however, the introduction of
>Christianity changed this distinction. Jack Santino's work, _Night of the
>Wandering Souls_, reveals:
>
> "Samhain, with its emphasis on the supernatural, was very
> pagan. While missionaries identified Christian holy days
> with native holy days, they branded the earlier supernatural
> deities as evil and associated them with the Devil. As
> representatives of the rival religion, Druids were
> considered evil; their gods and spirits, devilish and
> demoniac. The Celtic underworld inevitably became
> associated with the Christian Hell. The effects of this
> policy were to diminish but not totally dispel beliefs in
> the traditional gods. According to priests, fairies were
> fallen angels, thus identifying them with devils in
> Christian theology."
This quote is revealing. To win people from their previous beliefs,
they called those beliefs evil. Nobody thought of "innocent,"
"misguided," or even "erroneous." I have heard nobody call the
great Amerind nature spirit Satanic, nor the Hindu gods, nor the
panthea of other _existing_ religions. Today, organized churches
may use these terms (misguided, erroneous, etc) for those who they
think have never been exposed to the word or light, but that's all.
>As more Celts became Christian, the native Druids or Celtic priests were
>correctly labeled "witches". Witchhunting became a very common phenomenon
>until the 17th century, with the usual punishment prescribed being burning at
>the stake. Whereas witchhunting crazes broke out indiscriminately, hunting
>witches during Halloween became virtually a national pastime. ...
How inspiring! Of course, one could quibble with the "correctness"
of the label if "witch" doesn't mean "Satanic witch." However,
the witch hunting in Europe led to the death of as many as half
a million _innocent_ people. The notorious Matthew Hopkins, in
England, set himself up as "Witchfinder General," and made a living
"exposing witches," and having them burned or drowned. Historic
evidence indicates that Hopkins' charges were made on the flimsiest
of evidence, the poor wretches who "confessed" did so under torture,
and once the torture was removed, they overwhelmingly renounced
their "confessions." Hopkins died in bed, though finally discredited.
>What many apparently did not realize was that charms
>themselves were as evil as the witches they were supposed to thwart.
Well, the simplest "charm" of that sort is the Lord's Prayer (...
"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. ...") spoken
by Jesus Himself. Is the saying of the Lord's Prayer, or a copy
of the Lord's Prayer evil? I think not.
>The story of the witch of Endor already possessed several significant
>similarities to the witches of the Celts. Familiar spirits are nothing more
>than demons, and the fairies and leprechauns of Celtic myths are the same as
>familiar spirits.
Says who? A familiar spirit was one _bonded_ to a specific person
(a Satanic witch or black sorcerer [who sold his soul to one of
the chief devils]), not a freely roving spirit.
>The Lord's pronouncements concerning witchcraft are quite clear. There is no
>such thing as "white" magic; it is all evil and empowered by evil beings. It
>should also be emphasized that these actions transpired at nighttime, as do
>traditional Halloween activities.
There is no clear citation for such a statement. I doubt if the
writers understand the differentiations, the symbolism, or the intent
of white magicians versus black. At least one Christian saint was
a white magician (Alburtus Magnus).
>The other, and much more popular, so-called white magic act is the creation
>and wearing of charms. Few people realize that the wearing and use of charms
>is simply another manifestation of witchcraft. Be it rabbits' feet or
>religious medallions, trinkets, or other such relics, these objects are
>subject to demonic power.
Where does one draw the line at this? Many Christians wear crosses
that represent the Cross of Jesus. Is that "subject to demonic
power"? Again, here, the writers show an abysmal lack of knowledge
about symbols and their meaning.
> The word "charm" means "to cast a spell on". The
>Bible contains several passages about charms and the use thereof. Psalm
>58:3-5 says,
>
> "The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as
> soon as they be born, speaking lies. Their poison is like
> the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that
> stoppeth her ear; Which will not hearken to the voice of
> charmers, charming never so wisely."
A careful reading of _just that_ makes it sound like the wicked
are those who will _not_ listen to charms, and who prevent others
from _hearing_ charms. What does that say against charms?
>Isaiah 19:3 states:
>
> "And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof;
> and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek
> to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have
> familiar spirits, and to the wizards."
>
>The Lord purposefully groups together idol worshipers, witches with familiar
>spirits, wizards, and charmers.
One interpretation of that is that _no matter what supernatural
resources the Egyptians would consult, good or bad_, Egypt's thrust
against the chosen people would fail.
>Deuteronomy 18:10-12 says,
>
> "There shall not be found among you anyone that maketh his
> son or daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth
> divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a
> witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits,
> or a wizard, or a necromancer (that is, 'one who seeks to
> interrogate the dead', according to Schofield). For all
> that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and
> because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive
> them out from before thee."
True, but what does that mean? The idea of divination (in its many
forms) is antithetical to Free Will, God's great gift to Man.
Particularly in the culture of the times, someone consulting a
divinator would be relinquishing his or her Free Will; that is the
abomination.
>This is a very explicit commandment from the Lord.
So was not eating pork.
>Virtually everyone in this country has either made or seen a jack-o-lantern.
>These macabre, grinning pumpkins with candles inside often light the way of
>the errant ghost seeking his or her candy. Have you ever wondered where the
>idea for the jack-o'-lantern originated?
What followed was a folk tale (hardly scriptural, and given the
content, mildly blasphemous [making Jesus lettle better than a
traveling magician]) about a blacksmith who outsmarts the Devil
-- a common Celtic folk motif. What the story _doesn't_ say is
that the Jack-O'-Lanterns in Europe were meant to _ward off_ first
the spirit of Jack, then, by extension, all spirits, evil or otherwise.
The common folk who were compelled to travel on the 31st used _their_
lanterns to scare off spirits; that is, they were not _celebrating_
someone like Jack; they were trying to chase such beings away.
In this respect, the Jack-O'-Lantern is more reminiscent of the
gargoyles of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, and of many Medeival
cathedrals where frightening figures were used both to ward off demons
and to remind the faithful of the punishments of Hell.
>Studies in the occult, from both religious and purely academic points of view,
>have shown a marked increase in the numbers and efforts of satanists in the
>latter part of this century. By satanist, we include such practices as
>witchcraft, following pagan religions, charmers, necromancers, and other
>practices of the black arts.
Again, here the author steals a base by labeling all "practitioners
of the black arts" as Satanists without defining just what constitutes
"the black arts." Also: suppose a child is brought up as a pagan
and hasnn't been exposed to the Bible. Is that person a Satanist?
If so, why are there missionaries? A Satanist must be one who knows
both of Jesus and Satan and consciously rejects the former for the
latter.
>According to Paul Lee Tann's _Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations_,
>
> "Satan worship and all forms of the occult is evident
> everywhere. It is estimated that there are at least 100
> million Americans who dabble in some form of Black Magic."
That's roughly one American out of two! Is this taken as a serious
entry?
> No, the occult is not dead. In fact, the occult is currently probably
>stronger than at any time since the Dark Ages. Zombies are no laughing matter
>in Haiti,
Nor ever were. But is the writer aware that the Zombi is one under
the influence of a Voudoun rite -- and Voudoun is a strange offshoot
of Christianity.
>... any more than demons are to Christians; and who is to say in what
>form demonic power can manifest itself?
>The evil world of the occult wages an ongoing assault against Christianity.
Difinitionally: anything "occult" is evil. So far, the writer
hasn't given a convincing case.
>We believe revival of witchcraft and the black arts is indicative of the end
>times. Satan knows the time of Christ's return is near, and he is mustering
>all of his forces to engage in a battle he has lost already. Let no one doubt
>that witchcraft and sorcery are very real. The number of occult-related
>murders has been on the increase in this country for more than a generation.
>Moreover, one of the most significant occult dates of all - the one favored
>for Black Mass - is Halloween, celebrated the last day of October in our
>nation. On college campuses and universities today, Anton LaVey's _Satanic
>Bible_ is often a best-seller - in some cases, outselling the Bible itself.
Who knows the increase in occult-related murders? THese aren't
backed by facts. Further, a more significant occult date than
Hallowe'en for Black Masses is Walpurgisnacht (or Walpurgis Night),
April 30. The Black Sabbaths performed on _that_ night were far
worse than what was reputed to happen on Hallowe'en. One suspects,
though, that the writer(s) never heard of this "celebration."
>Ephesians 6:12 states:
>
> "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
> principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
> darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
> places."
Rightly so. We should all striove against _dark_ powers, against
evil, and against spiritual night. Has this been shown for Hallowe'en?
I think not.
>There is, in conclusion, only one way to win against Satan; that is victory
>through Christ Jesus.
No Christian would argue with that (and nonChristians would see
it as a non-issue), but that does not make a good Hallowe'en
Connection.
Steve nKallis, Jr.
|
| 527.3 | Somehow it's hard to picture a turnip as being scary... | DECWET::MITCHELL | Memory drugs: just say ..uh.. | Thu Oct 15 1987 19:19 | 12 |
| Thanks, Steve, for that very interesting (and lengthy) information. Although
no student of the paranormal and occult, I must have counted at least 10
errors in .0 (some of which you have addressed). I still plan to put in
my 2 cent's worth.... the beauty of fundamentalist tracts is that one can
have a field day with them! The Biblical information was particularly
misleading, since verses were taken out of context (for instance, the Witch
At Endor is not presented as "evil" in the Bible...more on that later).
I think I'll go hollow out a turnip.
John M.
|
| 527.4 | Fanatics=hollow weenies | PUZZLE::GUEST_TMP | HOME, in spite of my ego! | Thu Oct 15 1987 20:14 | 60 |
| re: .2
Nice job, Steve!
Some thoughts:
As I have been reading the "Mists of Avalon" (see note on favorite
books) these past 2-3 months [I'm nearing the end, phew!] much of
what your topic talks about/to/of is much more relevant to me than
might have been earlier. It really underscores, for me, at least,
just how strongly Christianity has come to influence this entire
planet over the past two millenia...not that that (in some purist's
sense of it) is "wrong" but that so much of what Christianity
apparently tried to convey was so deliberately (in some cases)
or "innocently" (in probably most cases) distorted. This is
reminiscent of Cindy's earlier note on the meaning of the New Age
from some radical, zealot Christian understanding.
Perhaps it is too difficult for the "average" person to be able to
sort through the miriad of information and to discern between
helpful information and non-helpful data...perhaps that is why
the "gullible" have been so often led "astray." So then it
comes to those who have, by whatever means, come to an understanding
of what love and life could be, to disseminate that information
to others in responsible and helpful methods, i.e., by not
forcing others to "eat" their judgments, by not pushing their
manipulations or not taking advantage by exploitation of those
who "innocently" open themselves up to any idea that they feel
will bring more love into their own individual life(s). It
could be difficult, especially if one is "forced" to renounce
certain pronouncements along the way.
One of my lessons from this notesfiles has been to deal
with precisely this issue...when to speak, when not to speak...
when to offer help outloud and when to keep what is probably
a judgement to myself. I still feel very, very strongly that
our own negative egos are very much at work, here. To that
end I have (and have had) plans to add an additional note to
358 on the negative ego...something that has been very poorly
talked about, both in the world at large and in these notesfiles
in particular. Understanding the negative ego would go a long
way towards understanding the sentimentality of the motivation
which inspires the fanatical devotion/beliefs that this note
reflects. As Steve has so thoughtfully shown, so much of what
is held as a beief can simply be a lack of understanding or a
lack of proper communication...it's too bad (from the standpoint
of our collective pasts) that Christianity was "allowed" to
project such distortions. Too bad that some of the simpler
ideals that Christianity (which in turn echoes many other
religions/philosophies) espouses couldn't have been *all* that
was laid forth unto humankind. Too bad for us humans for the
garbage that we seem to have created to sift through. Too bad
that so many dreams and feelings were held contemptuously by
those who lacked the positive imagination of their fellow beings.
Too bad for us, who are making great efforts to reach deeper than
that, if we capitulate to these "teachings" of the consensus
reality.
As Steve pointed out...(to paraphrase:) What about free will?
What about love? What about understanding?
Frederick
|
| 527.6 | Lack of understanding is not evil, but it can cause harm | ERASER::KALLIS | Make Hallowe'en a National holiday. | Fri Oct 16 1987 09:11 | 48 |
| Re last_few:
Please note that I'm not knocking Christianity (as a Christian,
that would be a silly thing [at best] for me to do). The problem
is, that taking something and interpreting it out of context can
be harmful.
Expanding on subject (still in a JudeoChristian context):
Is "divination" wrong? According to the base note, yes, but what
about:
In Genesis 40:8-22 and Genesis 41:14-40, Joseph interprets dreams,
correctly.
The Book of Exodus shows Moses to be a powerful white magician.
God taught Moses some magic in Exodus 4:2-4 and Exodus 4:6-7. In
Exodus 7:10-12, Moses performed these feats before Pharaoh. The
plagues were a form of magic, yet we'll skip these since (for the
most part, The Lord sent them without indication (save for the River
of Blood) that Moses weas the agent. However, in Exodus 14:21-28,
Moses parted the seas. In Numbers 20:8-11, Moses drew water forth
from a rock. In Numbers 21:8-9, Moses (at the command of The Lord)
performed talismanic magic by erecting a brass serpent as a cure
from bites from firey snakes.
In Jeremiah 23:28, it's said that true dresm interpretation is fine
_if done in the service of The Lord. And indeed, the prophet Daniel
interprets Nebuchadnezzar's dreams in Daniel 2:28-47 and Daniel
4:19-27. (Daniel also interprets a mystic message for Belshazzar
in Daniel 5:17-19, but it didn't do Belshazzar much good).
How about astrology? Is this bad? Not acvcording to Matthew 2:1-2
and Matthew 9-12, where the Wise Men (or Magi, who were white
magicians) used astrology to foresee the birth of Jesus and who
were warned by God (who thus favored them) to depart to their country
without revisiting Herod.
Finally, paranormal works _in the service of The Lord_ is covered
nicely in I Corinthians 12:8-10, where it is said that through the
Holy Spirit, such items as healing, miracle-working, prophecy, discerning
of "other spirits," and interpretation of tongues, are manifest.
That's hardly condemnatory. Thus, in the context of the Christian
faith, there is nothing wrong with using the paranormal for good
works; it's when it's used for evil purposes (including
self-aggrandizement) that it's "an abomination."
Steve Kallis, Jr.
|
| 527.7 | Me reads hints of justified persecution... | HPSCAD::DDOUCETTE | Common Sense Rules! | Fri Oct 16 1987 10:36 | 22 |
| It seems that many sects of Christians (i.e., Fundamentalists) feel
that any type of "Magic" that is practiced by people who are not
a part of their religion is considered evil. It's something like
spiritual bigotry: They're right and everyone else is wrong.
If you cured someone from cancer with "Magic", and you don't hold up to
their definition of Christian, then you're in league with the devil.
The cure is then "An evil act" (huh!?) and is another step in Satan's
quest for domination of the world. They will go to great lengths to
prove this too!
My term "Magic" in this example could encompass "Anything not accepted
by the American Medical Association", and probably some things that
are. 8-) (<-- They're opening their eyes too!)
What really has me worried about the posting is the comments about
witchhunts. Are we going to find ourselves going through another Dark
age filled with persecution, torture and death? When are people going
realize that Christ's teachings are taught through peace and love,
not violence and aggression. THERE ARE NO EXCUSES FOR THIS RULE!
Dave
|
| 527.8 | Fundamentalism vs technology | PBSVAX::COOPER | Topher Cooper | Fri Oct 16 1987 11:38 | 17 |
| RE: .7
I think that a *lot* accepted by the AMA is repugnant to some
fundamentalists, but it is not politically expediant for them to
publically emphasize their opposition to life-saving medical
treatements. Given an excuse, though, they are out in force. I
suspect, for example, that a lot of Jeremey Rifkin's support
(Rifkin is a tireless campaigner to put the genie of recombenant
DNA techniques back in the bottle) is fundamentalist. Note that
this is *not* a judgement on the rightness or wrongness of Rifkin
or his cause. (I disagree with him, and think that in the long
term his methods work *against* the proper use of these techniques;
but my opinion is irrelevant to my point). I don't think that the
fundamentalist supporters share his motivations for opposing the new
technology.
Topher
|
| 527.9 | Kudos for 527.6... | CHGV04::ORZECH | Alvin Orzechowski @RDC | Fri Oct 16 1987 14:58 | 3 |
| It was worth reading this whole note for that gem!
Alvin
|
| 527.10 | | BUMBLE::PARE | What a long, strange trip its been | Fri Oct 16 1987 15:09 | 2 |
| re -1
I agree completely_:-)
|
| 527.11 | ... and the crowd goes *WILD* ... | MASTER::EPETERSON | | Fri Oct 16 1987 15:21 | 2 |
| Yes, folks, it's another home run from Stephen Kallis! Look at
that boy go! :^D
|
| 527.12 | | FSLENG::JOLLIMORE | For the greatest good... | Fri Oct 16 1987 16:10 | 4 |
| Yep! Another 'atta-boy Steve!'
Nice job! and thanks. S'why ur appreciated here.
Jay
|
| 527.13 | Way to go! | CLUE::PAINTER | | Fri Oct 16 1987 18:11 | 3 |
|
RE.6 - Good show! (:^)
|
| 527.14 | My turn... | DECWET::MITCHELL | Face Trials of Piles with Prep. H | Sat Oct 17 1987 00:04 | 219 |
| RE: .0
> Indications in our popular culture are that the public is becoming
increasingly aware of the original rites of Halloween. Probably
largely responsible for this reawakening are three movies which have
grossed millions of dollars: "Halloween", "Halloween II", and
"Halloween III - The Season of the Witch". In all three movies, this
cult of death which is celebrated October 31st is very well
illustrated. Now, for the first time in possibly one thousand years,
many know the origins and true significance of Halloween. <
The movie "Halloween" is no more about that day than "Silent Night, Bloody
Night" is about Christmas. By this twisted logic, one could claim that
a film about ax murders on Christmas amounts to an expose of the "origins
and true significance" of that day.
> Before examining modern witchcraft's rise, in relation to Halloween
and its affiliated rituals, we should consult the Bible. Exodus 22:18
says, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live". The Bible contains
repeated denunciations of witchcraft and other practices of this ilk. <
By this argument, Christians who do not "suffer a witch to live" are breaking
God's law. Is this what the writer is proposing? Yet he later writes:
> Witch hunts, which resulted in the murdering of more than half a
million persons in Europe during the last millennia, are not a
phenomenon of the past. <
So now the killing of suspected witches is considered murder! So by allowing
a witch to live, one breaks a commandment. By killing a witch, one breaks
another commandment. This sets up a no-win situation for the faithful,
wouldn't you say?
> Therefore, claims by modern witches that they are "unopposed" to
Christianity must be put to rest. Exodus 22:20 further warns, "He that
sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the Lord only, he shall be utterly
destroyed". Thus, although the numbers of those who practice the black
arts are growing, we must remember that the ancient practices of
sacrifice and witchcraft are expressly forbidden. <
What about those who practice the white arts? And although certain forms
of witchcraft may have been forbidden, sacrifice certainly was not. And
as Steve has already pointed out, many of the rituals instituted by God
certainly bear a strong resemblance to magic. Here is an example from the
book of Leviticus on how to get rid of a fungus growing on the walls of
a house:
"In order to rid the house of impurity, he shall take two small birds,
cedar-wood, scarlet thread, and marjoram. He shall kill one of the
birds over an earthenware bowl containing fresh water. He shall then
take the cedar-wood, marjoram, and scarlet thread, together with the
living bird, dip them in the blood of the bird that has been killed and
in the fresh water, and sprinkle the house seven times. Thus he shall
purify the house, using the blood of the bird, the fresh water, the
living bird, the cedar-wood, the marjoram, and the scarlet thread. He
shall set the living bird free outside the city to fly away over the
open country, and make expiation for the house; and then it shall be
clean." [Leviticus 14:49-53]
> ...one of the reasons for bonfires, so common on Halloween, are to
attract the dead and to keep them away from the home, until their
journey into the afterworld. <
I wasn't aware that lighting bonfires on Hallowe'en is that common a practice.
Have I been missing something all these years?
> Samhain, or Sa-ween as it was pronounced, hence Hallo-ween, was the
single most important festival concerning the dead to the ancient
Celtic world. <
The word Hallowe'en doesn't come from Samhain any more than sand comes from
sandwich. Hallow means "holy" and e'en is a contraction for even (evening).
It's a lot quicker than saying "All Hallows Evening."
> As more Celts became Christian, the native Druids or Celtic priests
were correctly labeled "witches". Witchhunting became a very common
phenomenon until the 17th century, with the usual punishment prescribed
being burning at the stake. Whereas witchhunting crazes broke out
indiscriminately, hunting witches during Halloween became virtually a
national pastime. <
This paragraph disturbs me in its tone. Notice how the author makes
a point of saying that druids and Celtic priests were *correctly* labeled
as witches. He also dispassionately reports that burning witches at the
stake was "the usual punishment," yet, in an earlier paragraph, he calls
the yearly burning of a single human by the Celts "one of the most hideous
acts imaginable." There seems to be an implied disparity here...
> Foretelling the future was an idea intriguing to the Celts, as much
as anyone, and many still believed the Druids were witches - or in the
case of males, warlocks... <
FWIW: A male witch is called a witch. A warlock is a male witch who practices
sorcery or black magic. (Any witches out there disagree?)
> Even in our time, animals are sacrificed on Halloween in Europe and
in the Philippines, as well as in the Americas. <
Well, I don't know about Europe or the Americas, but in the 7 or so years
I lived in the Philippines, I never heard of any animal sacrifices. In
fact, it is still considered a holy day there and is observed by eating
dinner at the family plot in the local cemetery. It is a time for people
to honor loved ones who have died.
> Using witchcraft to foretell the future was a crime that cost King
Saul of Israel his life....The Lord's punishment upon Saul was
pronounced to him the very same night. <
Yes, but it had little to do with his having seen the Witch of Endor. (Anyway,
if God were all that displeased, why did he not punish the witch for
practicing magic?) 1 Samuel 28:18 tells us that Saul was punished for
disobeying the Lord and for not executing "the judgment of his fury against
the Amalekites." God was particularly displeased with Saul's mistreatment
of David. There is no indication that the act of bringing up Samuel's spirit
was what displeased God.
> The story of the witch of Endor already possessed several significant
similarities to the witches of the Celts. Familiar spirits are nothing
more than demons, and the fairies and leprechauns of Celtic myths are
the same as familiar spirits. <
Interesting.... If the author believes in demons, and fairies and leprechauns
are demons, then the author believes in fairies and leprechauns. Also, 1
Samuel says nothing about the apparition as having been demoniac in nature.
In fact, the spirit said the following:
"Why do you ask me [why God no longer answers you] now that the Lord
has turned from you and become your adversary? He has done what he
foretold through me. He has torn the kingdom from your hand and given
it to another man, to David. You have not obeyed the Lord, or executed
the judgment of his fury against the Amalekites; that is why he has
done this to you today. For the same reason the Lord will let your
people Israel fall into the hands of the Philistines and , what is
more, tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me." [1 Samuel 28:16-20]
Do those sound like the words of a demon? Wouldn't a demon have lied to
Saul and tried to lead him further from God?
> The Lord's pronouncements concerning witchcraft are quite clear.
There is no such thing as "white" magic; it is all evil and empowered
by evil beings. <
Hmmm... The Bible states that Saul was possessed by an evil spirit sent
from God. I wonder what the author thinks of that?
As Steve pointed out, the Lord was quite clear on many pronouncements that
even the strictest fundamentalists today ignore. As for the Witch of Endor, she
hardly sounds like an evil person. When Saul heard the spirit tell him
that he would die, he fell to the ground out of fear and exhaustion. Here's
how the witch reacted:
"The woman went to Saul and saw that he was much disturbed, and she
said to him, "I listened to what you said and I risked my live to obey
you. Now listen to me; let me set before you a little food to give you
strength for your journey." But he refused to eat anything. When his
servants joined the woman in pressing him, he yielded, rose from the
ground and sat on the couch. The woman had a fatted calf at home,
which she quickly slaughtered. She took some meal, kneaded it and baked
unleavened cakes, which she set before Saul and his servants. They ate
the food and departed that same night." [1 Samuel 28:21-25].
Does that sound like the behavior of an evil person?
> It should also be emphasized that these actions transpired at
nighttime, as do traditional Halloween activities. <
Oh, I see. Traditional Hallowe'en activities happen at night, so they must
be evil. Christmas caroling happens at night too, so...
> The other, and much more popular, so-called white magic act is the
creation and wearing of charms. Few people realize that the wearing
and use of charms is simply another manifestation of witchcraft. Be it
rabbits' feet or religious medallions, trinkets, or other such relics,
these objects are subject to demonic power. <
In Exodus 39, God commands the priests to wear precious stones with the
names of the twelve tribes of Israel inscribed upon them. They were also
to wear a rosette of pure gold with the words "Holy to the Lord" inscribed
on it. This qualifies for the "creation and wearing of charms." Also, Steve
gave the example of Christians wearing crosses.
> So the Bible tells us that idols represent demons, "demon" being the
actual word used in the original Greek text. Offerings of food are
offerings of food to demons; the trick or treating of today is
reminiscent of that practice. In fact, trick or treating children
often masquerade as demons. Food is given these children under the
guise of a "trick or a treat". <
If food given to a child dressed as a "demon" is offering food to demons, then
food offered to a child dressed as an angel must be the same as food offered
to God. What a ludicrous outlook! This is a problem with many
fundamentalists: they have no sense of fun! A child dressed as a goblin
can hardly be considered to be in league with the devil. In fact, it can
be healthy for a child to dress as something he fears; it allows him to mock
the object of his fear and so overcome it.
I could go on and on, but this is enough for now.
John M.
|
| 527.15 | watch out for the Great Pumpkin! | USAT02::CARLSON | set person/positive | Sat Oct 17 1987 10:26 | 16 |
| Good points, Steve and John! That 'fungus cure' was most interesting.
However, John, I know a man who practices white magic and calls
himself a Warlock. He knows of a Wiccan priest who also calls himself
a Warlock. So it depends on the individual.
My friend also states;
October 30th is All Hallows Eve where the veil in thinnest between
the planes. It is used as a Memorial for the dead.
October 31st is Samhain - the Festival of the Dark, also used for
Communicating with those from beyond.
theresa.
|
| 527.16 | addendum... | USAT02::CARLSON | set person/positive | Sat Oct 17 1987 15:21 | 10 |
| (meant to say, "veil is thinnest")
Different pagan groups have different names for Oct. 30th and 31st.
Halloween is also called Hallowmass.(sp?) It would seem the real
Dark magicians/groups celebrate on the 31st. So, some of the White
Witches use the 30th instead. The real battle, if you will, is
between the Dark and the Light, instead of the Satanists vs.
Christians.
Theresa.
|
| 527.17 | And I thought it was just "mischief night" | GRECO::MISTOVICH | | Mon Oct 19 1987 13:54 | 8 |
| 527.18 | Next in line for tv evangelist | SALES::RFI86 | | Mon Oct 19 1987 14:21 | 12 |
| Steve thanks for typing this in. it was interesting if not totally
factual. Personally I think that this person should be next in line
for Jim and Tammy's position as head idiot of the year. It jsut
goes to show how many different ways of interpreting anything there
are. I always thought that Astrology was closer to alchemy than
witchcraft. though I guess that witchcraft is a kind of alchemy
also.
Geoff
-Goes to show you don't ever know
|
| 527.19 | It says so in your book, there for *we* believe... | SSDEVO::YOUNGER | There are no misteakes | Mon Oct 19 1987 14:32 | 25 |
| There is a problem with the logic that "Claims by modern witches
that they are unopposed to Christianity must be put to rest", then
quoting scripture "thou shal not suffer a witch to live", and assuming
it is all "Black arts". They make a statement, back it up with
*their* book - a phrase that shows that *they* are opposed to the
witches. There is nothing in the bible that shows that the witches
are against to Christians/Jews. Also, as John Mitchel points out,
they arbitrarily declare that the Celtic Druidic priests were
"correctly" named witches. Isiac Bonewits would have a field day
with that one! FYI, Isiac is a Druid who is very much anti witch.
He also has a BA in Magic from the University of California.
As a matter of fact, that whole thing is in Leviticus. In the NT,
which most Christians say superceeds the Law, it says "What you
do to these, the least of my bretheren, you do to me." He made
it quite clear that his "bretheren" where those that "nice" people
considered to be the scum of the earth - prostitutes, tax collectors,
lepers, and so forth. I think Jesus would have been very much opposed
to the idea of killing Witches or Heretics.
On the subject of Warlock, most people I know consider it to mean
"traitor", and view it as an insult. Witches, male and female,
prefer to be called Witch, in general.
Elizabeth
|
| 527.20 | | DV780::WILSONP | alias DVWPS::WILSON | Mon Oct 19 1987 14:56 | 2 |
| Warlock has also been defined as a truce breaker or breaker of
promises. The correct term for a male witch is just that, a witch.
|
| 527.21 | Echo of .19 and .20 | NEXUS::MORGAN | Welcome to the Age of Flowers | Mon Oct 19 1987 16:46 | 7 |
| I would like to echo .19 and .20. Witches are both male and female.
I always thought so called warlocks were just confused. Now it seems
they are considered outcast.
The only warlocks I've personally known were teenagers that didn't know
the difference between the Craft and Satanism. That may not be the
case here though.
|
| 527.22 | warlock/witch | USAT02::CARLSON | set person/positive | Mon Oct 19 1987 20:45 | 7 |
| re.21
nope, Mikey, no teenagers here.
Seems like a few blind statements. '^)
t.
|
| 527.23 | Definitions of Witch and Warlock | SSDEVO::YOUNGER | There are no misteakes | Thu Oct 22 1987 22:29 | 15 |
| To quote Webster's Wiccan Dictionary (4th edition) :^)
Witch (n.) - A follower of a system of Paganism which accepts this
term. Applies to male and female Witches. Some traditions use Celtic
forms of Wicca for male and Wicce for female.
Warlock (n.) 1. A term invented by the Roman Catholic Church to
designate men who called up demons for the service of Satan (see
Satanism). 2. A Pagan who gave names of other Witches to the
authorities for the purpose of saving their own life (see Cowan).
Clearly, "witch" is the preferred term, no matter what your sex.
Elizabeth
|
| 527.24 | can't resist injecting a little humor... | LEZAH::BOBBITT | sprinkled with syntactic sugar | Mon Oct 26 1987 13:23 | 15 |
| I'm sorry to sidetrack, but a friend of mine's mother sent her a
hilarious halloween card:
(on the outside)
Yes, Halloween is that wonderful time of year,
Carve that pretty pumpkin
Roast and eat the seeds
Hand out that trick or treat candy...
(on the inside)
Invite the undead over for drinks...
-Jody
|
| 527.25 | Night of the Vegetables | DECWET::MITCHELL | Choose short personal names because | Tue Oct 27 1987 13:53 | 15 |
| Since .0 stated that the original jack o' lanterns (should that be
hyphenated?) were turnips, I decided to carve a jack o' turnip last
night. I have to admit that while the notion seemed silly and my
friends got a big laugh out of me hollowing out some root-vegetable,
the end result was rather impressive. The pointyness of the turnip
gives it an evil appearance that a pumpkin just doesn't have. Turnips
are also a nice "lantern" size.
Maybe next I'll carve up a potato and make a "pomme du terrible."
My friend Gabby made a jack o' zucchini. I'll leave the design to your
imagination...
John M.
|
| 527.26 | don't let it get away! | INK::KALLIS | Make Hallowe'en a National holiday. | Tue Oct 27 1987 15:41 | 13 |
| Re .25:
> ... I decided to carve a jack o' turnip last night. ...
Be sure to immortalize it on film! It might be the only such lantern
to be constructed in centuries.
Of course, pumpkins were _made_ to be Jack-O'-Lanterns. And pies.
But Western Civilization needed to reach a certain enlightenment
before pumpkins could appear onstage (they required the discovery
of the New World).
Steve Kallis, Jr.
|
| 527.27 | It's live, it's Saturday Night! | CLUE::PAINTER | Trying to reside in n+1 space | Tue Oct 27 1987 17:10 | 6 |
|
Sounds like a Conehead to me......
Too bad you can't enter it in the party contest!
Cindy
|
| 527.28 | Very Interested. | SLDA::WHEALTON | Reality and truth are explanations for our perceptions | Thu Oct 29 1987 15:34 | 17 |
| Can anyone suggest any good literature related to this subject,
ie. fictional Halloween stories, reliable references about Halloween
or even good related movies besides 'Halloween?
I hope this doesn't sound stupid but are all Celts Druids? It seems
like these terms are used interchangeably. I have summised that
Druidism is the religion of the Celt's. Is that right??
Also a good summary of what we can conclude from the many exerpts
in .0 and some of the replies would be appreciated. It seemed like
one reference (ie. an Encyclopedia) describes the origin and meaning
of Halloween to be such and such and then another comes out and
says it involved something else. I guess it's just that there are
a number of ideas that share some basic resemblence to each other
with variations when it comes to specifics.
/BRuce W.
|
| 527.29 | since you asked... | ERASER::KALLIS | Make Hallowe'en a National holiday. | Thu Oct 29 1987 17:03 | 29 |
| re .28:
A very good _fictional_ work is Ray Bradbury's _The Halloween Tree_,
a book that takes a tour (following a boy) throughout the world,
showing some customs of Hallowe'en, and how they differ between
countries.
>Also a good summary of what we can conclude from the many exerpts
>in .0 and some of the replies would be appreciated.
I don't know about summarizing what we can _conclude_ from the exerpts,
however, I'll summarize it as I perceive it:
.0 is written by someone who believes that Hallowe'en is something
either inspired by or co-opted by Satan. Through citations from
the Bible and from books echoing his or her view, the author of
the base note has attempted to "prove" that Hallowe'en is something
no one who is a Christian should be involved with. It was posted
here because 1) Hallowe'en has many Pagan roots (as does Christmas,
for that matter, and Easter), and some of the citations used Pagan
practices as "proof" of the "badness" of the holiday; and 2) because
most of the DEJAVU folk would be interested in the reasoning, and
my (and others') rebuttals.
Hallowe'en comes from several diverse sources, so there's no "snap
answer" to its genesis. It's _primarily_ from Sahmain, though.
Steve Kallis, Jr.
|
| 527.30 | Celts and Druids | SSDEVO::YOUNGER | There are no misteakes | Thu Oct 29 1987 19:51 | 23 |
| Re .28:
>I hope this doesn't sound stupid but are all Celts Druids? It seems
>like these terms are used interchangeably. I have surmised that
>Druidism is the religion of the Celt's. Is that right??
I presume you meant "WERE all Celts Druids?" If you meant it as
written, certainly not - Britain has been pretty thoroughly
Christianized...
If you are referring to the past, the answer is still probably no. The
Picts (who were on the islands *before* the Celts) were practicing some
form of tribal shamanism. According to Isiac Bonowitz, the *men* were
practicing Druidism, and the women were practicing another religion (a
predecessor to Wicca) around the fire. So, if we believe him, at
least half of the people (women) were not Druids.
There were also Celts in other places - France, and even Turkey!
These people also were not Druids.
Hope this answers your question.
Elizabeth
|
| 527.32 | Write EXTRACT TT for a Happy Halloween! | DICKNS::KLAES | I grow weary of the chase! | Fri Oct 30 1987 09:55 | 107 |
| [1;1H[2J[1;56HH[21;66Ha[1;9Hp[21;51Hp[1;43Hy[22;44H [2;22HH[22;56Ha[13;73Hl[1;22Hl[22;23Ho[4;26Hw[12;5He[20;63He[4;62Hn[1;56H [1;55HH[21;66H [21;65Ha[1;9H [1;10Hp[21;51H [21;50Hp[1;43H [1;42Hy[22;44H [22;43H [2;22H
[2;23HH[22;56H [22;55Ha[13;73H [13;72Hl[1;22H [1;23Hl[22;23H [22;24Ho[4;26H [4;27Hw[12;5H [13;6He[20;63H [20;62He[4;62H [4;61Hn[1;55H [1;54HH[21;65H [21;64Ha[1;10H [1;11Hp[21;50H [21;49Hp[1;42H [1;41Hy[22;43H [22;42H
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[21;41H [2;24H [3;25HH[22;54H [21;53Ha[13;71H [11;70Hl[1;24H [2;25Hl[22;25H [21;26Ho[4;28H [5;29Hw[13;7H [13;8He[20;61H [19;60He[4;60H [5;59Hn[2;53H [2;52HH[20;63H [20;62Ha[2;12H [2;13Hp[20;48H [20;47Hp[2;40H [2;39Hy
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| 527.33 | pointer | MARKER::KALLIS | Anger's no replacement for reason | Thu Oct 20 1988 16:21 | 6 |
| For those weishing to discuss some of the religious aspects of
Hallowe'en or Samhain, I've set up a note in Religion. If you don't
frequent this conference, it's REX::RELIGION, or you can hit "SEL"
or keypad 7...
Steve Kallis, Jr.
|