We participate. Our kids trick-or-treat and love it. It is a great time to get out in the community and meet and greet neighbors. This year Alex will be Darth Vader and Brianna is going to be a princess.
This past week we had some good friends over for dinner. Part of the conversation rolled around how their church participates in the festivities. They don't do Halloween, they do what many churches do, they put on a Harvest party. The kids get to dress up in costumes and I'm sure there are games and prizes. However, the clincher is the costumes have to be biblical characters. This helps keep it wholesome.
Well it is probably a darn good thing that we aren't going there. My wife and I started to laugh as we thought of biblical characters we could dress our kids up like. Here are a few:
- They could team it up as Adam and Eve - the costumes are cheap. Very cheap.
- Brianna could go as Rahab.
- Alex could go as Beelzebub.
- or drunk and naked Noah.
- or Nebudchadnezzar when he went mad for seven years.
- or the demon possessed man Jesus healed at Gerasenes.
- Another team idea is that they go as Balaam's donkey. They could flip a coin or wrestle for who will be the...
- One of the four creatures covered with eyes from Revelation.
- A Nephilim.
- A beheaded Goliath or John the Baptist.
- A pillar of salt.
- A serpent.
- Robbers on the road to Jericho.
You get the idea. I don't mean to make light but... okay I do. Restricting the kids to biblical costumes a first glance sounds innocent but many characters in the bible weren't. I'm sure the people that put together the fest are expecting shepherds and angels and other such familiar characters. I would just love to see the reaction if someone showed up in a costume listed above.
5 comments:
Brian,
Very funny! Back in the day, Steve and Matt went to a party as John the Baptist...Beheaded that is. Steve was the body and Matt was the head, as for me, someone had to lead the body around!!
Have a Happy Halloween
That's awesome, man.
Brian,
I just stumbled on to your site via Tracey's site, and I laughed at your post!
I have not had the best experiences with devout Christians...those who feel strongly and openly discuss their beliefs. Most Christians I know don't find humor to be a gift. I am always glad to see that this is not a pervasive trait.
Like Tracey, you can be true to your beliefs and laugh at the same time.
I like to point out to some of these 'uptight' people that Jesus likely wasn't born in December, but more likely in the spring based on records of the 'census'. Then I'll continue to tell them that the winter observance strangely coincides with pagan festivals like Saturnalia. Essentially, it's an appropriation of a pagan holiday. And...coincidentally, 'All Hallow's Eve' or 'All Saints Eve' has similar history. So, for the sake of consistency, those who have a problem should not observe Christmas. Crazy, just crazy...
SC - Thanks for checking out my little spot of the iworld.
I am sorry for those devout Christians you have had bad experiences with. I apologize for them.
I too have not always had the best experience with those I share a faith with. As a matter of fact we don't always see eye to eye on somethings, especially the use of humor. Sometimes their best intentions fall flat and leave a bad taste.
Humor is truly a gift. I believe whole-heartedly that it is a special gift that God has given to provide laughter and joy in a broken world.
Post a Comment