Scotty Williams

Halloween is a day that is surrounded by much debate. Here are three helpful tips for those, and especially Christians, not joining the festivities.

1. Don’t Explain

Growing up in a Baptist home that did not celebrate Halloween, I was always asked why I had no costume and did not go trick-or-treating. The answer I was told to give was that I was a Christian and could not take part in celebrations that honored the devil. Though I wished to offend no one I often came off as condescending, and it brought a lot of unnecessary trouble with others. A better answer would have been, “My family just doesn’t celebrate”, and to leave it there plain and simple without the extra trappings. I learned this from non-religious friends who did not celebrate Halloween, and most people would respond with an “OK” and move on.

You do not need to explain your non-observance. Just keep things plain and simple, and most people will respect you.

2. Don’t Promote Fear

Sometimes non-observance is equated with negativity, and those who sit out are wrongly deemed as spoiling the fun. The congregation that I attended growing up encouraged its members to be “Halloween killjoys”, and to point out its dangers that others might get saved. One danger was bad people poisoning candy, a concern that came in response to the death of Timothy O’Bryan in 1974. His father killed him with cyanide laced pixy stick, and since then numerous scary urban legends have come about. While explaining my non-observance I would share these horrid myths, and take the joy from classmates who were only trying to have fun.

Of course, one should always err on the side of caution with Halloween, or any other holiday, but this can done without stoking people’s fears. A better thing to do would be wishing the observant a good day, and actively promoting joy. For example, there are people who do not give out candy, but give nice greetings to trick-or-treaters that come to their door. There are also non-observers who volunteer to check candy, and show that the well-being of children in their community is a top priority.

You do not need to promote fear. Just wish people a good day while showing kindness and care.

3. Don’t Limit Yourself

In addition to Halloween, October 31st has many other celebrations from India’s National Unity Day to National Knock Knock Joke Day. For us Protestants October 31st is Reformation Day, where we remember the birth of our tradition through Martin Luther’s 95 Theses. On this day we a hosts of joyful traditions that we keep, and there are even parties with food, games, and carving pumpkins with Luther’s seal. My point is that there are many other fun things to observe besides Halloween, and they are not made up alternatives like “Hallelujah Night” for disgruntled Christian kids.

You do not need to limit yourself to sitting out and/or feeling left out. Just celebrate the other things that make October 31st so wonderful.

I hope that these three tips are helpful, and for the nonobservant I wish you a joyful October 31st as you stay home or do something else. And for those who are observant I wish you a Happy Halloween and safety as you trick-or-treat and enjoy the festivities.

According to some Church traditions, the Devil hates blackberries. Why? Because they remind him that he has lost.

War in Heaven

In its final book, Revelation, the Bible tells the story of a woman who faces an angry dragon that wants to eat her child. She flees to the wilderness where she hides for many days, and while laying low the dragon makes a full assault on heaven. With an army of rebel angels he aims to take the throne of God, but is stopped by Michael the Archangel and flung down to earth. After this, some Christians believe that he landed on a thorny blackberry bush, and was so enraged that he cursed, burned, stamped, spat, and even peed on it.

Whether or not the bush story happened, it has led to a feast called Michaelmas, and customs that have shaped the faith of countless people for centuries. Some believe that after the feast all blackberries become poisonous, and will bring curses and bad luck for anyone who eats them.

Growing up in a Baptist Church I was unaware of Michaelmas, but after learning of it as an adult I began to observe it. This year I am making a pie that is traditionally eaten on this day , and yes it will contain the infamous berries that made the Devil rage. To be clear, I am less prone to believe extra-biblical legends, but this story still conveys a message that I think is very important.

What was most humiliating for Satan was that life on earth continued.

Shame on Earth

Though evil is a harsh reality that should not be taken lightly, it does not have the final word or determine our destiny. Furthermore, we don’t just have a dream of evil being defeated someday. In truth, it has already happened and perhaps its presence on earth is a sign of this. Like the dragon in Revelation, evil has been beaten and expelled from heaven, and here below it rages among us deeply humiliated. And what brings it shame is not the extraordinary and miraculous, but common things like blackberries that we find in daily life.

Despite their delicious fruit, blackberry bushes are considered a noxious weed. They are often an invasive plant that grows rapidly in forests and parks. Last summer, while biking around the Bodensee with my family, I was amazed by the prevalence of them everywhere we went. I was also grateful for the abundance of them, I love blackberries, and I happily ate my fill. In short, I found a delight in the common and the ordinary, and this is what brings evil shame as it works around our world.

Looking back to legend after his fall from heaven, what was most humiliating for Satan was that life on earth continued. It didn’t matter how much he cursed, burned, stomped, spat, or peed. The plant that welcomed his arrival with thorns continued to grow and thrive as we do.

Our role is not to get the better of or shame the Devil.

Reminding the Devil

Our lives are not just a string of suffering and grief. They are a mix of brokenness and beauty where every pain is matched with a joy. And that joy is available to us each day in common things, which invite us to celebrate that the forces of against are vanquished. Yes, we will and should grieve when evil comes, but we can also laugh with the knowledge that it is a beaten enemy.

There are many messages that Michaelmas gives, but its most important message is that our role is not to get the better of or shame the Devil.  Our role is to remind him that he has been defeated, and we do so by living with an enjoyment of the common and the ordinary. Today I will remind the Devil by savoring a delicious pie, and recall the story that it symbolizes with gratitude and gladness.