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Conference hydra::dejavu

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 18:37

    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.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
527.1TOPDOC::SLOANEBruce is on the looseThu Oct 15 1987 19:425
    WOW!
    
    How many _weeks_ did it take you to type this in, Steve?
    
    -bs
527.2a few commentsINK::KALLISMake Hallowe'en a National holiday.Thu Oct 15 1987 20:19321
    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.   
    
527.3Somehow it's hard to picture a turnip as being scary...DECWET::MITCHELLMemory drugs: just say ..uh..Thu Oct 15 1987 21:1912
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.
527.4Fanatics=hollow weeniesPUZZLE::GUEST_TMPHOME, in spite of my ego!Thu Oct 15 1987 22:1460
    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
    
527.6Lack of understanding is not evil, but it can cause harmERASER::KALLISMake Hallowe'en a National holiday.Fri Oct 16 1987 11:1148
    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.
527.7Me reads hints of justified persecution...HPSCAD::DDOUCETTECommon Sense Rules!Fri Oct 16 1987 12:3622
    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
527.8Fundamentalism vs technologyPBSVAX::COOPERTopher CooperFri Oct 16 1987 13:3817
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
527.9Kudos for 527.6...CHGV04::ORZECHAlvin Orzechowski @RDCFri Oct 16 1987 16:583
     It was worth reading this whole note for that gem!

     Alvin
527.10BUMBLE::PAREWhat a long, strange trip its beenFri Oct 16 1987 17:092
    re -1
    I agree completely_:-)
527.11... and the crowd goes *WILD* ...MASTER::EPETERSONFri Oct 16 1987 17:212
    Yes, folks, it's another home run from Stephen Kallis!  Look at
    that boy go!   :^D
527.12FSLENG::JOLLIMOREFor the greatest good... Fri Oct 16 1987 18:104
Yep! Another 'atta-boy Steve!' 

Nice job! and thanks. S'why ur appreciated here.
Jay
527.13Way to go!CLUE::PAINTERFri Oct 16 1987 20:113
    
    RE.6 - Good show!  (:^)  
    
527.14My turn...DECWET::MITCHELLFace Trials of Piles with Prep. HSat Oct 17 1987 02:04219
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.                             
527.15watch out for the Great Pumpkin!USAT02::CARLSONset person/positiveSat Oct 17 1987 12:2616
    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.
    
527.16addendum...USAT02::CARLSONset person/positiveSat Oct 17 1987 17:2110
    (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.
527.17And I thought it was just "mischief night"GRECO::MISTOVICHMon Oct 19 1987 15:548
527.18Next in line for tv evangelistSALES::RFI86Mon Oct 19 1987 16:2112
    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
    
527.19It says so in your book, there for *we* believe...SSDEVO::YOUNGERThere are no misteakesMon Oct 19 1987 16:3225
    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
527.20DV780::WILSONPalias DVWPS::WILSONMon Oct 19 1987 16:562
    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.
527.21Echo of .19 and .20NEXUS::MORGANWelcome to the Age of FlowersMon Oct 19 1987 18:467
    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. 
527.22warlock/witch USAT02::CARLSONset person/positiveMon Oct 19 1987 22:457
    re.21
    
    nope, Mikey, no teenagers here.  
    
    Seems like a few blind statements. '^)
    
    t.
527.23Definitions of Witch and WarlockSSDEVO::YOUNGERThere are no misteakesFri Oct 23 1987 00:2915
    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
    
527.24can't resist injecting a little humor...LEZAH::BOBBITTsprinkled with syntactic sugarMon Oct 26 1987 16:2315
    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
    
527.25Night of the VegetablesDECWET::MITCHELLChoose short personal names becauseTue Oct 27 1987 16:5315
    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. 
527.26don't let it get away!INK::KALLISMake Hallowe'en a National holiday.Tue Oct 27 1987 18:4113
    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.
527.27It's live, it's Saturday Night!CLUE::PAINTERTrying to reside in n+1 spaceTue Oct 27 1987 20:106
    
    Sounds like a Conehead to me......
         
    Too bad you can't enter it in the party contest!
    
    Cindy
527.28Very Interested.SLDA::WHEALTONReality and truth are explanations for our perceptionsThu Oct 29 1987 18:3417
    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.
     
527.29since you asked...ERASER::KALLISMake Hallowe'en a National holiday.Thu Oct 29 1987 20:0329
    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.
    
527.30Celts and DruidsSSDEVO::YOUNGERThere are no misteakesThu Oct 29 1987 22:5123
    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  
527.32Write EXTRACT TT for a Happy Halloween!DICKNS::KLAESI grow weary of the chase!Fri Oct 30 1987 12:55107
Happy Halloween H a p p y   
H a l l o w e e n H a p p y  
 H a l l o w e e n H a p p y 
  H a l l o w e e n H a p p y
   H a l l o w e e n H a p p 
y   H a l l o w e e n H a p p
 y   H a l l o w e e n H a p 
p y   H a l l o w e e n H a p
 p y   H a l l o w e e n H a
 p p y   H a l l o w e e n H 
a p p y   H a l l o w e e n H
 a p p y   H a l l o w e e n
 H a p p y   H a l l o w e e
 n H a p p y   H a l l o w e 
e n H a p p y   H a l l o w e
 e n H a p p y   H a l l o w 
e e n H a p p y   H a l l o 
w e e n H a p p y H a l l o 
w e e n H a p p H a l l o w 
e e n H a p p H a l l o w e 
e n H a p p H a l l o e e n 
H a p p a l l o e e H a p a 
l l o e H a p l l e H a p l 
e H a p l e H a p l e H a p 
l e H a l e a l e a l e a l
 e a l e a l e a l e a l e 
e e e e






















































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527.33pointerMARKER::KALLISAnger's no replacement for reasonThu Oct 20 1988 18:216
    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.