Halloween

Alright, it's that time again and the stores are doing a fabulous job at selling us on the "Coolness" of Halloween. The kids are getting ready to dress up in different costumes from Superman to the Doctor Seuss' Cat-in-the-Hat. The spooky movies are out on TV and Hollywood turns out the most horrific tales of the undead, Psycho killers, and basically our worse nightmares. Our churches are putting on alternatives to the traditional Trick-or-treat custom and some of our spiritual leaders are denouncing the day as demonic and a celebration of evil. While on the other hand the "enlightened population is promoting this "holiday" and a celebration.

So where is the truth in all this? Is it demonic? Or just a simple celebration? Should I participate or allow my kids to do so? What?

Well, I've included a few links at the bottom of this blog that details the origin of Halloween. The History channel has an interesting article, free of Halloween promotion while the neopagan has a more positive Halloween spin on things. The Wikipedia site is no doubt interesting but it is in a constant state of flux. I've added the links so you don't have to read me drone on about the history and the specific meanings behind the day.

I would rather settle down on the practical nuts and bolts of this celebration (which is not a holiday) and what it means to me.

Halloween has traditionally been synonymous with death, darkness, fear, pain, and destruction. If you read the history of the celebration, you'll find that it is was developed around the day in which the druidic practitioners’ believed the veil between this world and the spiritual realm was the thinnest. During this time they believed that the dead and other spirits could cross over to our world.

When I was a kid the kids in the neighborhood dressed up as demons, Dracula, zombies, mummies, witches, and ferries. Today we have added princes, princesses, super heroes, Joe the plumber, etc. But the underlying celebration still remains. It is still done in ways to represent groups of spirits knocking on doors as our innocence dresses up and visits house after house after dark.

Halloween, glorifies death, the undead, fear, and those who conjure up and speak to them. Just watch the television, look at the movies coming out, check out the decorations in the schools, stores, and malls.

My house doesn't celebrate death. If we want to dress up in customs then we dress up. We don't need to wait for the 31st of October. If my kids want candy they can ask me for some and I will be more than happy to give it to them without the need to coerce me with "Trick or Treat."

Wikipedia - Halloween

Neo Pagan - Halloween

History Channel - Halloween

Who will Christians Vote for?

People from the pulpit and others who hold a position of leadership within the Christian world, have been very vocal about whom the public should vote for. So what do you think? For whom should the Christian vote for?

I have an opinion that I think is quite logical and well thought out. Of course if you think differently I am interested in hearing your opinion and opposing argument.

My opinion is based on looking at the human core. The questions that must be asked is “Who are we?”, and how should we act based on that answer? Without getting to DEEP allow me to explain myself.

We are all motivated on some level to do participate in certain activities that support our basic desires and believes. Some basic examples are that we sleep to function. We eat to live, but we choose one restaurant over the other because it has an item that we desire more than another item in the 2nd restaurant. Both restaurants offer food but there is a distinction that we make based on our palette. We may like meat over vegetables, Mexican food over Italian, etc.

The same thing happens with the way we choose friends, churches, organizations, work, etc. These choices define us and to an extent provide a convenient way for others to file us into neat predetermined cubby holes. Our activities and choices are the fruit of what is inside our heart. In popular speak one could say, “We do what we like. We say what’s inside us.” This never changes. We may be offered a reward or a punishment to complete a given option but all that does is change whether or not the reward or the punishment is great enough to become the NEW desire.

Are you with me so far?

So the question and the answer to the title of this article is, "what is your desire?" If you are fundamentally based on money then your focus will be the financial aspects of the candidates. If you are fundamentally a protectionist then you will be more concerned with views they share with you concerning the homeland and our military. And if your life is based on Christ then your focus will be the moral issues the candidates stand on.

There will be many people who call themselves Christians who will vote based on the economy, the foreign policy, the truth, or the lie, the experience, the age, the sex, and race. All the above are valid reasons, and thank God we live in a country that allows us to vote for whomever we choose and for whatever reason. But the person that is based in Christ will vote based on the moral issues.

It sounds too simple doesn’t it? And there will be people who will debate this all the way to the voting booths but the reality is that Jesus said, “Seek First the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness.” It wasn't more experience, it wasn't money, it wasn't anything else except that which follows the Kingdom of God.

This blog wasn’t written to influence the vote but to point out that WE will vote based on who WE ARE.

Who are you?