Halloween 2015

                     
Halloween is often seen as a controversial holiday, filled with evil and demons.It is seen as a fearful time of Satan worship.

Maybe the holiday had questionable origins. Maybe it was shrouded in superstition, but that was a long time ago.

Now-a-days Halloween is about playing dress-up, community parties, and general fun.  Yes, there is still a hint of the macabre, but for the Christian, celebrating the defeat of death should be common practice.

On Halloween, scary things are out in the open for all to see -- and to avoid if you choose. It is the other 364 days that I worry about. On those days, evil is more hidden and can often blindside the unaware.

FRIGHT NIGHT

I usually spent Halloween night with a bowl of popcorn in one hand and a bowl of candy for Trick-or-Treaters in the other.  I watch Halloween movies and hand out goodies.

This morning I was thinking about some of my favorite Halloween movies and scenes that stuck in my mind; 1)  Charlie Brown's, "I got a rock," 2) the scene in Ed Wood where he sits in a diner and converses with the great Orson Wells, 3) the "Keep your eyes on the heaven," speech from numerous cold war alien movies.

Then I remembered Fright Night.

Okay, Fright Night wasn't a classic.  It was one of those teen, the adults don't understand us kind of movie.  The teens figure out that a neighbor is a vampire and enlist the help of the local TV horror movie host, a vampire slayer, played by Roddy McDowell.

When McDowell is convinced that they are up against a real vampire he relies on what he has learned hosting movies.  Armed with vampire fighting equipment, they face the neighbor.  When the vampire attacks, McDowell hold up a wooden cross.  The vampire responds, "That only works for those who believe."  McDowell's fate is sealed.

 For a cheesy movie, I thought the comment was profound.

Lately, I've noticed a lot of unbelievers quoting scriptures on-line.  Usually it is a meme with a single verse or picture from a Bible story, completely out of context from surrounding literature. It is much the way a political candidate might take a one-line from an opponent's speech and make it a sound bite.  The verse doesn't take into account history or culture.

The person who does this usually appears very self-righteous about quoting from a book he doesn't even consider sacred, much like McDowell holding up the cross in front of the vampire.

The words don't work for those who don't believe.  As in Fright Night, the outcome can be tragic.

FIND SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE

It occurred to me, as I sat in my Sunday school class, that each person in that room had been hit with some sort of serious hardship. Some were mourning the death or separation of loved ones. Others are unemployed or underemployed. Some fear losing their homes.

That is why I was so delighted to see my friends laughing and playing with the children at a Fall carnival yesterday evening. Children, dressed in warm costumes, had a chance to play in bouncy castles, eat popcorn, play carnival games, and get lots of candy. Laughter filled the air.

We needed to hear laughter. We needed to laugh. We need to keep laughing.

A merry heart doeth good, like a medicine . . . Proverbs 17:23.