Halloween: holy horror or pure fun?
Last week I participated in a programme on Net TV discussing children and the Internet. During the programme we were analysing research published on the subject.
I had an unexpected verbal spat with a female caller who among other things said that she refused to let her daughter go to a Halloween party organised by her school, which, if I understood correctly, is a Church school. I disagreed with the lady in question saying that in my opinion a lot of unnecessary fuss is being made about Halloween. She reacted strongly pointing to something said on Radju Marija as the definitive proof that my views were nefarious ones. I begged to differ and upped the ante by referring to a piece I penned last year in The Sunday Times wherein I criticised the position taken by the Curia on the subject. The lady was appalled. I am glad that she is not the Grand Inquisitor as I would have probably been turned into barbequed meat.
A couple of days after the programme I received an email from a distraught mother. She was shocked that I dared to say publicly that I do not agree with the statement released by the Curia. She accused me of undermining the hard work that so many parents are doing to keep their children on the straight and narrow path. The letter, mind you, is written in the most respectful manner. But the underlying tone is quite clear: I am a corrupter of values.
While acknowledging that in the past 62 (almost) years I contributed my fair share to things not right – during Mass I everyday declare myself to be a sinner – I doubt whether I qualify for the title subtly attributed to me.
Since the Halloween bashers have once more been unleashed let me briefly re-visit the subject.
I cannot understand why some people get so hot under the collar if a priest disagrees with a statement released by the Curia. The Catholic Church, throughout the centuries, bred and nourished a different kind of mentality. Ever since St Paul had quite a big tiff with St Peter (and proudly bragged about it in one of his letters which we believe are inspired by the Holy Spirit!) the Catholic Church has been the agora of contrasting ideals and ideas. This is how we progressed.
Besides, I am totally aghast at the exaggeration of some Halloween bashers. Some of them say that Halloween exposes people to sadism, sexual violence, Satanism, torture, mutilation and strange killing. This exaggeration beggars belief.
Last year I wrote about the two children of friends of mine who went to a Halloween party.
The boy dressed as a skeleton while the girls dressed as a witch. Horrors of horrors the boy carried a pumpkin while the girl sported a broom. They enjoyed themselves immensely. At the appointed time the broom they had so diligently carried with them did not take off (as the Halloween bashers seem to predict) and they had to be picked up by their parents.
This year I asked their parents whether they noticed any negative effects on the behaviour or attitudes of their children as a result of their participation in Halloween celebrations. They noticed nothing of the sort. Were they skinning black cats or worshipping Satan? Do they fall into a trance whenever there is a full moon? Their answer was a definitive nope.
People don’t care about the origins of Halloween – whatever they are. Today people celebrate it because they just love to celebrate. Any excuse suffices for one to get a bit of fun. People invent all sorts of excuses to indulge in revelry. People who celebrate Halloween do not care about Druids and Wiccas; they just care about the present merriment.
Something similar is also happening to Christian festivals. Believers and non-believers celebrate, for example Christmas, but the meaning of the feast is radically different for the two groups. Most secularists do not feel that there are undermining their secular beliefs by celebrating Christmas since they totally ignore its’ origins. They just love the drinks and the gifts.
It is amazing how some people see a devil lurking around every corner. Do you remember the fuss about the dangers of sorcery and superstation when the Harry Potter’s mania was at its best? Harry Potter was about the victory of friendship and love; not about sorcery.
I have just read that a group of Russian Orthodox believe that the Apple logo is sacrilegious. They are saying that the image of bitten fruit triggers thoughts of the Bible's forbidden fruit, consumed by Adam and Eve. They consider this symbol as anti-Christian and want it banned. It seems that there is no limit to the stupidities that some people believe!
Don’t try to spoil the fun of the Halloween revellers. You will not succeed.
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Arthur Soler
Nov 2nd 2012, 14:12
Quote from Fr Joe Borg...."Don’t try to spoil the fun of the Halloween revellers. You will not succeed."
I'm in complete agreement. The only people who seem to be particulariy bothered by Halloween are either fundumentilist Christians, or grumpy old men and women, or both.
Andy Farrugia
Nov 3rd 2012, 11:39
Typical; when lost for words just hurl insults....grumpy, bigots, Taliban, medieval, etc. etc. Hilarious, endlessly.
Arthur Soler
Nov 3rd 2012, 18:29
@ Andy Farrugia
Typical: when you've run out of sensible contra arguments, you just hurl insults....bigots, Taliban, medieval etc.etc. Hilarious, endlessly.
Francis Saliba M.D.
Nov 3rd 2012, 19:20
@ the parrot.
"Grumpy old men" "bigots" "Taliban" etc are not insults hurled by Andy Farrugia. The first term was actually used by you.
Arthur Soler
Nov 4th 2012, 16:08
@ Francis Saliba
Quote by Francis Saliba "No wonder these grandsons are ill-behaved! "
Quote by Andy Farrugia "....bigots, Taliban, medieval, etc. etc....."
I think you have your arithmetic and facts all wrong. You excel in hurling insults, both in number and in kind.
Francis Saliba M.D.
Nov 4th 2012, 18:31
@ArthurSoler
Saying as it is - namely that puths making merry by pelting private residences with eggs and disturbing the residents - are "ill behaved" is not insulting anybody. It is saying the truth, such youths are behasving like louts and their parents should take them in hand, otherwise the police would have to do it.
It is your "facts" and your "arithmetic" that are screwed up, not mine.
Arthur Soler
Nov 5th 2012, 02:57
@ Francis Saliba
Your comments "No wonder these grandsons are ill-behaved! " were insulting inasmuch as were in direct response to my post wherein I noted that my six grandsons love Halloween etc. Had you said "....some youths are ill-behaved" I would have agreed 100%. Your capacity to hurl insults, whether subtle or otherwise, is unmatched, ...as in you addressing me "@ the parrot". QED.
Francis Saliba M.D.
Nov 5th 2012, 13:43
@ArthurSoler
Youths who disturb neighbours and who vandalise property are undoubtedly ill-behaved. Being grandsons admired by doting grandparents is no excuse. Those are the only ones I criticise for their manners, not anybody else. If you try to ridicule others by mockingly repeating their words parrot like, then you have only yourself to blame if you recognise yourself as “the parrot”.
Francis Saliba M.D.
Nov 2nd 2012, 09:04
"Most secularists do not feel that there are undermining their secular beliefs by celebrating Christmas since they totally ignore its’ origins."
Not so, at all. Secularists in America do not "just love the drinks and the gifts". They are succeeding in making it sound not politically correct even to wish someone a "Happy CHRISTMAS". If they had their way it would be just "Happy HOLIDAY".
Joe Brincat-LL.D
Nov 1st 2012, 13:38
After the event it seems that it was pure fun. 4 dead in Madrid, shooting in Los Angeles, a young boy lost his arm in Verona (see repubblica.it). Isn't that pure fun ?
Arthur Soler
Nov 1st 2012, 23:27
So why don't we just eliminate all fun events starting with Carnival ? I suspect that in many countries where Carnival is celebrated, the death toll is probably much higher than the incidences that you mentioned, tragic as they where, By the way, we should all also stop all football games, !!! The incidence of crowd violence is "off the map" compared with Halloween.
Francis Saliba M.D.
Nov 1st 2012, 11:28
Instead of a blanket approval of the "fun" of Halloween in all its antisocial exagerations I would expect Catholic priests to try and divert that fun into legitimate, inoffensive, non-pagan and non-vandalising behaviour rather than to throw in the sponge and prophesying that any moderating and civilising effort is bound not to succeed.
Andy Farrugia
Nov 1st 2012, 21:41
With all due respect, your expectations concerning the "good sense" of some, whether Catholic priests or otherwise, are a tad naive and unrealistic.
Arthur Soler
Nov 2nd 2012, 05:52
@ Framcis Saliba
"Grumpy old men" Your reply just proves my point. Grumpy to the core.
Francis Saliba M.D.
Nov 2nd 2012, 22:32
@AndyFarrugia.
I did not mention any "good sense" to be expected from Catholic priests or otherwise. I am all in favour of Catholic priests being at the forefront of spreading the gospel good news by pushing the frontiers of Christianity into pagan territory, not the other way round.
Arthur Soler
Nov 1st 2012, 00:59
We have six grandsons, all under the age of 8. They LOVE Halloween...and so they should. To them it is simply an opportunity to wear a fancy costume and eat sweets. Some older kids do indeed inconvenience grumpy old men and women, but the majority of us seniors enjoy the occasion as much as the kids themselves. Our neighbourhood is alive with colour, fun and most importantly, with smiling kids.
Francis Saliba M.D.
Nov 1st 2012, 08:51
@ArthurSoler.
The "majority of (you) seniors should be inculcating the children under your care that it is not legitimate fun when their "trick or treat" Halloween goes beyond "fancy costumes and sweets" and degenerates into vandalising the property and disturbing the peace of citizens in their homes, insulted by you as "grumpy old men and women". No wonder these grandsons are ill-behaved!
Jacqueline Dimech
Oct 31st 2012, 19:30
One may opt to believe or not to believe.....well, just take some time to visit http://famigliacattolica.blogspot.com/2011/01/halloween.html this is just one of the many articles written over and over...Gods word says: temptations are sure to come!!...but woe to him by whom they come!!!...and woe to us CATHOLICS if we are not careful what changes we allow to infiltrate our society.
Efrem Gatt
Oct 31st 2012, 19:06
This Halloween issue seems to once again be a matter of xejn mhu xejn attitude which is being sparked off by the different views from within the church, Bishops say one thing, some priests contest it, and the lay person is left puzzled to pick his choice. So very saddening I must say.
Andy Farrugia
Oct 31st 2012, 15:20
"Don’t try to spoil the fun of the Halloween revellers." Hmmm! And what about the poor old folk in the simple comfort of their homes who have to suffer having their doors and window panes messed up with eggs and other gooey stuff? Ara veru m'ghandekx x'taghmel biex tikteb fuq dawn ic-cucati, ta!
Ronald Caruana
Oct 31st 2012, 15:13
Well said Fr. Joe Borg!
Joseph Micallef
Oct 31st 2012, 12:23
Maybe commentators here should read the real origins of helloween by visiting here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween - they will be surprised!
Francis Saliba M.D.
Oct 31st 2012, 10:27
In the company of the Roman Catholic Church in Poland I am against Halloween "fun" not only because it is of satanic origin but because in any supposedly civilised Christian country the aged and inoffensive residents sheltering in the privacy of their home should be spared the insults, the harrassment and damage to property carried out in the night by vandalising masked revellers.
Joseph Rapinett
Oct 30th 2012, 11:59
No wonder Jesus told the Farisees that His mission bestowed on them will be taken from them and given to others to lead the people of God
Henri Miceli
Oct 29th 2012, 22:16
way to go father...... Thumbs up :)
Jessica Debattista
Oct 29th 2012, 15:08
Ask any child to draw the ugliest face he/she can imagine and you are bound to get crooked noses, warts, moles and scars.
I had this experience long before Halloween became popular in Malta.
Halloween just gives them the opportunity to impersonate it.
Jessica Debattista
Oct 29th 2012, 14:39
My ten-year-old grand-daughter is going as Dracula to a children’s party. She’s been wearing plastic fangs - gnashing them at the mirror for these last few days.
“You look so ugly” I tell her.
“You are not supposed to look pretty on Halloween”. Apparently, that’s all it means to her.
Kevin Cassar
Oct 28th 2012, 23:39
If you do a little research, you will find that the real origins of what we now call "christmas" is not really secular but neither is it christian or catholic. True, that many of the ancient traditions regarding several "sun gods" died out, but I would have thought that you knew that December 25 was a "chosen" date and not a historic one.
Oscar Mifsud
Oct 28th 2012, 22:55
I don't agree with Fr Joe Borg at all, except that like him I don't believe in all that crap about witches, devils, sacrifices etc... Halloween is not a joke and no real fun, unless you consider receiving a few sweets, a big deal and a lot of fun worthy of celebrating. After all "celebrating" means making merry on some occasion that is good, beautiful, happy and worthwhile, Where is all that?
Gianella Caligari
Oct 30th 2012, 07:55
Well for a child's mind it is worth celebrating: dressing up and being allowed to eat a lot of sweets is surely a speciall occasion!!
Jacqueline Dimech
Oct 28th 2012, 21:24
I suggest that you - whoever you are - look up information about 'Halloween' - to realise that it's not just our Curia which advises against this celeb. We're living in a society of people wanting to be 'open minded', to the point of putting our values and beliefs at stake, exhalting our 'fun-filled days' and to heck with the spiritual side of all that we experience!!..Are we true Christians??
Mr Joe Borg
Oct 29th 2012, 12:51
@ Ms J Dimech. Please confer my comment in answer to your comment on Mr Sammut's post. It seems that what is satanic to some exorcists is not so bad for other exorcists!
Francis Sammut
Oct 28th 2012, 18:34
Keep up the good work father. You see, what we mean by a liberal Church? It does not mean everyone doing his own thing, but it does mean one can criticise constructively without being called names such as anti-Church, atheist and the like. With respect, Mgr. A. Gauci and others can learn a lot from this highly educated and down to earth priest! The Church as a whole need more like him.
Jacqueline Dimech
Oct 28th 2012, 21:12
Oh yeah!! What is so wrong with giving our children a culture of death, witches, and all?? of celebrating a day which is marked also by satanists??? Is this truly an innocent day??? Well, with all due respect Fr.Joe Borg...spiritism and its background is not merely some teaching by the Church, maybe priests like Fr.Elia Vella or Fr.Marcello Ghirlando are much more in touch with such realities.
Mr Joe Borg
Oct 29th 2012, 12:49
@ Jacquiline Dimech. Please note that Father Gabriele Amorth, a Vatican-appointed exorcist in Rome, has said, “f English and American children like to dress up as witches and devils on one night of the year that is not a problem. If it is just a game, there is no harm in that.” (Gyles Brandreth, "The Devil is gaining ground" Sunday Telegraph (London), 11 March 2000.) Fr J Borg.
Gianella Caligari
Oct 30th 2012, 08:00
I totally agree. It's priests like Fr Borg that attract me to the church. Otherwise I don't want to surround myself with people who are so close-minded that will call you names if you 'dare' to disagree.
Besides, I love Halloween and I actually prefer it over Carnival.
Joe Brincat-LL.D
Oct 28th 2012, 13:03
Equal rights. Fr Joe has a right to criticise the Curia, that lady has an equal right to criticise him. He answered back. The Curia did not.
Victor Rodenas
Oct 28th 2012, 10:57
That female caller should know that almost all Christian Feasts originated from pagan rituals.
Mr Jonathan Fava
Oct 28th 2012, 10:25
Very true. Let's just enjoy it. Good comments Fr Joe. Keep it up
Gerry Cowie
Oct 28th 2012, 10:09
Halloween is just another way the shops make capital out of gullible folk who spend money in the name of short term fun. Let people have their fun, knowing what is behind the whole thing and not taking it too seriously! At least on All Souls Day they can throw off all the regalia of Halloween and remember the souls of their loved ones who have gone before them with some dignity.
Patrik Larsson
Oct 31st 2012, 12:55
No need to worry about the devil no more. Hell just became a very cold place. You see, I actually agree with Gerry Cowie on something.
Please choose the reason of your report below: