Latest:

03:02 Troops poised for Taliban offensive
02:42 Haiti earthquake death toll rises
02:42 White Stripes blast 'war' advert
02:32 Playground for pensioners approved
02:12 Rise in illness among UK troops
01:22 Police 'to tempt murder witnesses'
01:22 MPs urged to back tax on banks
01:22 Burglaries fall as muggings rise

Clergyman bans Halloween

Monday, 27 October 2008

Bookmark & Share

A Church of Ireland rector has been branded a killjoy after he banned Halloween.

Earlier this month, the Rev Terence Cadden of Seagoe Parish Church in Portadown wrote to youth leaders telling them that Halloween contained “negative spiritual influence” and to hold parties associated with the holiday would be “inappropriate”.

The letter stated: “While the Select Vestry encouraging enjoyable and safe parties, we ask that organisations do not focus on Halloween, either by negative fancy dress, stories associated with Halloween, or by decorating buildings with items associated with Halloween.”

Mr Cadden told the Belfast Telegraph yesterday: “The church must protect the interests of its children, and the Select Vestry believes that the trappings of Halloween with its dark connotations, and not linked with Christ, are inappropriate. We have had much support in our stance.”

But that support isn’t evident with the local Upper Bann MLAs.

Stephen Moutray (DUP), a prominent Free Presbyterian, commented: “It’s taking things too far. As long as Halloween parties are in the context of having a bit of fun, I can’t see the harm. I don’t see youth leaders telling stories about the Prince of Darkness or the occult. I sell false faces and other Halloween trappings in my supermarket. I don’t sell fireworks, as my business includes a petrol filling station. The two don’t mix!”

SDLP’s Dolores Kelly commented: “The Seagoe stance is nonsense. It’s time they had a reality check. Children’s dressing up for a bit of fun and dunking for apples can hardly be construed as being anti-Christ. It’s unbelievable.”

And George Savage (UUP) said: “I think churches have more important social and community issues to deal with in this day and age, rather than banning children having a bit of fun at Halloween. It smacks of the church coming down on anything that gives a bit of enjoyment. Maybe they should join the real world.”

And a Seagoe parishioner contacted the Belfast Telegraph to say that she was considering leaving Seagoe in the light of the letter.

“It’s censorship — political correctness gone mad,” she said. “Children are hardly likely to become involved in black magic by donning pointed hats and eating toffee apples. It’s time the Select Vestry came out of its ivory tower.”

A spokesman at the Church of Ireland press office in Belfast said that issues such as Halloween were up to each parish. “We don’t have an overall policy,” the spokesman said. “Decisions like this are up to the individual Select Vestry.”

Comments

First |
Previous
1
2
3
Next
| Last

55 Comments

As I have said before Barry, You either believe it or you don't. Do you consider the battle of the Boyne to have taken place? or the battle of Hastings? All you have for their records are books written by men, but you 'believe' them to be true. Likewise I believe the Bible to be true. - ALL of it.

Posted by CannuckCol | 01.11.08, 22:56 GMT

So why does the holy spirit not get a writing credit? It's all a bit implausable isnt it? I mean if you take a step back and look at it it just doesnt fly any more. I mean all this stuff in Liviticus about being allowed to have slaves as long as their from a neighbouring country, not being able to approach the altar of the lord if you have a sight defect, eating shelfish being an abomonation! Did the holy spirit have a hand in those little jems?

Posted by Barry | 31.10.08, 19:30 GMT

The Bible was not written SOLELY by man. Yes Man was the tool used to write down the words, BUT each word was inspired by the Holy Spirit - the 3rd PERSON of the Trinity. Again you just have to accept and believe it's truth but one second after your death will be too late.

Posted by CannuckCol | 31.10.08, 19:03 GMT

Cannuck, I'm afraid, for me, that is not really a satisfactory answer to how this knowledge of what was supposedly said at the crucifixion became known to all mankind. It defies logic that if Luke was not there that these words could have made it into his part of the book that is known as the bible.

If he wasnt there what he wrote in the book could be 2nd 3rd 4th hand information or even more. Not really a good basis for the recording of the 'one truth'. I suppose I'm a bit of an agnostic when it comes to this.

I prefer to come to logical conclusions about things and not rely on stories, fables and legends perpitrated by people with vested intrests on what effect these stories had on the people they sought to control.

Posted by Barry | 31.10.08, 16:19 GMT

Barry, and Neill, It is all a matter of FAITH Either you believe in the ONE TRUE God and that HIS word is TRUE and accept HIS pardoning love by dieing, And YES Neill HE HAD to die to show just how much He loved us. Wouldn't you want to take the place of your child if they were going through some surgery just so as they would not have to endure it? Well God loves each and every one of us with a GREATER love than a mere human can give. And Neill, The communion is just symbolic of His blood and body The elements taken do NOT turn into them.

Posted by CannuckCol | 31.10.08, 15:31 GMT

One more general comment about christianity. Why did Jesus have to die? Surely god could have just said. "Original sin! Just forget about it. Lets just wipe the slate clean and start again"

But no God, in human form had to die to dissolve or possibly absolve all the sin going back to Adam. But in Killing Jesus, the Jews ( who according to the Old Testament are Gods chosen people- Lucky them) have suffered an umbelievable amount of hatred from pretty much everyone else.
Delicioulsy Ironic dont you think.

Or possibly its just all made up. I know which I think is the more likely.

Either way its made great debate and I think thats one thing everyone can agree about religion on

Posted by Neill | 31.10.08, 11:28 GMT

Col

But it is still eating flesh and drinking blood and the act of transubstantion (apologies on the spelling) actually converts bread and wine to body and blood. Vampyrism and cannibalism! Why couldn't Jesus have said " drink this wine because its a merlot"? Eat this cheese cos they are my arms and savor this mayo cos it is my soul?

Anyway I was trying to make light of a heated debate. Zeigests thesists aethists will never have their minds changed through senseless arguments like this. Just embrase the fact that the world is a big melting pot with countless points af view. If we all just spent a little more time worrying about eachother while were here and not on whats going to happen to us when we die, it would be a much better place. Ultimately religion has caused more division, fighting , death than anything else (race aside)

Posted by Neill | 31.10.08, 11:21 GMT

Cannuck: (Matt 6 verse 9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Once again note the word FATHER. Most definetly not mother.

Again I would like to draw to your attention that this was written by a man. Men held all the positions of power in those days, everything was recorded by men, it was basically a male orientated society and women were effectively 2nd class citizens. Now lowly scribes such as Matthew could not possibly rock the boat and state that god may be a woman or even genderless. In a male dominated society like in the time of Jesus it is possible that no one would have paid any attention to these rules of life that were laid down by 'god' if it had been portrayed that god was a woman.

So we see that in order to retain order over the peoples it was important that there was some kind of authority figure watching over everyone and that in this male society it was something that people had to respect. A man.

Posted by Barry | 31.10.08, 10:09 GMT

Cannuck, all of these verses you quote were written by men, mere mortal men who could not possibly know what the afterlife (if there was one) held. Also since there were 3 of them up there on the crosses, presumably they all died as crucifiction was a pretty nasty business with not many people surviving it, was Luke there with his quil and parchement to record these utterances?

If he was a) why did he not help? b) would the romans not have strung him up to a cross too given that he was an associate of Jesus and being the law of the time they would have taken action on the associates of the percieved 'lawbreaker'?

How do you know what was said on that cross? The answer is, no one knows. Is it possible,just possible that Luke made it up? For propaganda reasons to further this new faith that was soon to be called Christianity?

Posted by Barry | 31.10.08, 09:29 GMT

Barry, To continue, "There are a lot of bad people out there, would there not be some sort of queuing system employed? Also how do you know for sure god is a he? Could be a she.
Matthew 13 states reading from verse 40 "As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
There is NO queuing, the fires are continually burning.
As for God's gender, Christ said himself, 'I and the FATHER are one' Also he taught his disciples to pray (Matt 6 verse 9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Once again note the word FATHER. Most definetly not mother.

Posted by CannuckCol | 30.10.08, 22:35 GMT

First of all Neill, Communion is based on the 'Last supper' which Christ shared with His disciples before he was crucified and then rose three days later. So in offering his 'blood' it is actually his blood shed while the bread is REPRESENTING His body broken for us sinners; so it is NOT based on paganism. Now Barry, When Christ was on the cross, two others were crucified along with Him In Luke 23 we read "And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, TODAY shalt thou be with me in paradise." NOTE the word TODAY.

Posted by CannuckCol | 30.10.08, 20:33 GMT

If the flames are eternal and I'm stood in them the whole time (eternity) would I not get used to it like sitting in a hot bath?

Posted by Ben | 30.10.08, 16:49 GMT

Does anyone else realise the cornerstone of Christianity is based on Paganism? Namely the communion?

Its eating and drinking the body and blood of Christ (Literally in the Catholic faith) That to me is vampyrisim and cannibalism............Pretty pagan traditions dont you think?

Posted by Neill | 30.10.08, 16:36 GMT

Sorry I don't buy it Cannuck. Although you seem pretty sure of it. I'd like to ask you one question though.

You said in your previous post "you will seconds AFTER you die and are left to be TORMENTED in the ETERNAL flames of hell".

My question is how do you know the time frame involved from when a person dies and the fires in hell are kindled for the persons arrival and the tormenting starts? You say seconds. How can you be so sure? There are a lot of bad people out there, would there not be some sort of queuing system employed? Also how do you know for sure god is a he? Could be a she. It's a bit presumptious not to mention sexist. Of course this is all hypothetical as it's a fictional character.

Posted by Barry | 30.10.08, 11:02 GMT

Barry, There is just ONE HEAD of the CHRISTIAN church, the man YET ALSO GOD, Jesus Christ. If you chose NOT to believe in him that is up to you, but HE IS very much alive as is Satan who incidentally has put these notions that there is no God or satan into your mind, and you have fallen for it hook line and sinker. But, as i said earlier, whenever you do pass onto the next life, you will remember these comments and they will haunt you for ETERNITY. abd BTW, I am NOT a SLAVE, but am FREE by HIS saving grace.

Posted by CannuckCol | 29.10.08, 19:58 GMT

CannuckCol you might be a slave to a god that does not exist but I am not. Where is your proof of this almighty being? Is it that book of fairytales that is the Bible? I live my life in a good way, I do not steal, murder, covet or anything like that so why should I listen to nonsensical tales of judgement by a higher being or pointy demons who will fry me in the bowels of hell?

The notions of god and the devil were dreamed up by people from way back to the beginning of man in the earliest forms of civilisation by those in charge to stop people from getting out of line and retain order in society. God and Satan are as fictional as Peter Pan. It is one of the great swindles of the history of the world that so many people are controlled by organised religion by the threat of a mythical mystical all seeing being that will wreak havoc on you on 'the last day' if you dont do what the heads of the organized churches tell you to. That fairytale wore thin a long time ago!

Posted by Barry | 29.10.08, 09:32 GMT

What has anyone got against some young nippers with a Dracula or Werewolf mask on and decked out in some fancy dress outfit,going out trick or treating and watching the fireworks with their parents and friends?
It's called having a bit of fun for goodness sake-just in case you're not up to speed on these matters (and many of these religious types aren't-personally,i'd rather "hang-out" in Satan's armpit than spend time in their company).
When I see and hear the rubbish spoken by some Christians i'am glad not to be a part of their so-called congregation.

Posted by William | 28.10.08, 21:50 GMT

To Weev

I'm merely stating that this revernd is not the head of the church of Ireland so were does he get the idea he can ban a global celebration?

Posted by Flim | 28.10.08, 16:44 GMT

Barry, Sorry, but GOD IS REAL, so is SATAN, but if you DON'T believe this NOW, you will seconds AFTER you die and are left to be TORMENTED in the ETERNAL flames of hell. Then you will remember this posting FOR ETERNITY

Posted by CannuckCol | 28.10.08, 15:43 GMT