The Insipidness of Halloween

Some people like Halloween, and go all out. Some believe it's demonically inspired, and recoil from it.

I just think it's stupid.

When I celebrate or observe a holiday, I want to know the reason why. If I don't know why I'm celebrating the holiday, it's completely meaningless to me. I put my flag out on Veteran's Day, and I know why I'm doing it. Christmas is not about "family," but about the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem, and I celebrate that, because I'm a Christian.

So when Halloween comes along, I take a look at what it means. And my conclusion is that it certainly did have significant religious meaning, but that meaning has been lost by our culture, and now people just dress up for the sake of dressing up. And I'm just not interested in that. If there's no meaning behind it that I want to participate in or support, it really has no taste for me.

I'm not the Christian who is pointing out all the evil that is associated Halloween; I just don't think that those connections are salient for the vast majority of the culture. Sure, there are a few people who consider this an important religious holiday, but they are a tiny minority, out of the mainstream, and I'm not afraid that little kids are going to be spiritually corrupted by dressing up like Cinderella and begging candy door to door. Or even dressing up like ghosts and vampires, etc. Okay, there is a line somewhere where those concerned about the spiritual darkness will want to draw a line before things get occultic, and I do think that people are unwise for crossing that line, but that's their perogative, and we don't need all the hand-wringing. Do what your conscience allows you to to, then abstain from the rest. But first, think about what you're doing.

But as an adult, all the magic of dressing up in a silly costume and romping around has faded for me. Adults, to a great degree, treat Halloween as sort of a Mardi Gras, a night of reveling; an excuse to behave in ways that would be considered outrageous on Nov. 1st, but are allowed on Oct. 31st under the aegis of the mood of the moment. An evening where chaotic Dionysian excess replaces the restrained Apollonian order of everyday life. An excuse to run, scream, shout, and basically be socially deviant, while enjoying society's approval (which shows about as much true rebellion as a temporary tatoo). And if that's all it means, then No, Thank You to all the brainless Bacchanalian festivity, because it's empty of any real meaning.

I'm I being a humbug? No, more like a Ho-hum, Shrug.