Halloween, the start of my favorite time of year, has an abundant, diverse, and interesting history.There are so many traditions and sayings that come from this history. And, she is correct that Christmas and Easter have their "beginnings" as pagan holidays. There has been a definite mingling of the pagan and Christian traditions in all three. I love Halloween and this time of year! And I will again be a "witch" as I attempt to scare the ones coming for my treats! I LOVE this time of year...if only there wasn't this ELECTION that is ruining it for me!

...how can we ever have a heated debate again if you agree with me on some issues?

Maybe, just maybe, after the election, many of us could possibly find a lot of common ground on things.

Our glasses really are half full, don't you think...

Agreed. I can't wait for the election to be over so we can all move on to conversation more congenial. Check out my post below on Witchcraft and Wicca. See....even a Republican minded individual can have some intelligence.

You made me laugh so hard. You know all about Halloween. That is why you are trying to make everything Christian seem wrong. We do live in the land of the free.

BTW I don't think my church or other Christian Churches would be afraid of you casting a spell on us. LOL! That is because you don't know much nor care to about the Bible. You can't cast a spell on a Christian.

As a fact you don't know about Halloween at all.

I choose to celebrate Fall Harvest Day, yeah that's what some of us call it. I give candy or a small toys to kids that come to my house that night. I just love the kids.

I would never let my child dress up as something that was evil. That is not what we celebrate. Some people this is the night of evil. That is a huge topic that is still going on today.

Why did you take such offense to a Pagan Holiday?

I always took my child to churches for our Fall Fun Day. You should try one, it's lots of fun for the entire family. I didn't see any witches there. We took my child's friends with us and they always wanted to go the following years.

Christmas and Easter would never be a Pagan holiday. A topic that you don't know anything about. Honestly, do you come up with these wacky things for attention. Do you get your ideas from BOO BOO?

"I would never let my child dress up as something that was evil. Some people this is the night of evil."

The costumes aren't evil.

Halloween is fun so unclench your biblical keister for a change.

You make Jesus cry.

Who has the right to determine what is a symbol of "evil"? Do any of us lowly humans have that right?

I thought that so called "pagan" religions really celebrated the earth and nature.

What are some of the thoughts from the blogger community?

Stop by the Church. I'll pick out the biggest pumpkin for you and it will be my treat!!

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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.

....but can we wear our witch costumes?

(btw - is this a trick to try and convert me with a magic pumpkin?)

I think there are certain areas of town where witch costumes, sheets, and masks are taboo!

I'll be in my cycling attire and that's really bad for this fat boy. As for the pumpkin thingy; well no, I think we already discussed that. My offer still stands though.
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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.

Finally, a conversation in which my area of expertise is relevant. That would be ancient cultures. As an art historian, one must be knowledgeable in many areas: art, history, anthropology, archeology, philosophy, AND theology (I also studied foreign language, cartography, and english lit.). For example, to study art of the Early Christian period or the Renaissance you must have a grasp on biblical text. To study any culture you must understand the economic and religous impacts that cause any culture to be and perform in the unique way that defines that culture.

Now, I must side with Mainstream in this arguement between fact and fallacy. She is absoulely correct in stating that many modern Christian holidays and practices are most definately rooted in paganism - more modernly called neopaganism or wicca. Skyspy is also correct in stating that wicca is an earth based theology which does not practice in casting evil spells. The wiccan rede is as such: Bide the witches law ye must,
In perfect love, in perfect trust.
Eight words the wiccan rede fulfill:
And harm ye none, do what ye will.
What ye send forth comes back to thee
So ever mind the rule of three.
Follow this with mind and heart,
Merry ye meet, and merry ye part.
This is the wiccan Law of Return much like the Christian premise of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you. Now to anyone who asks if I am wiccan let me go ahead and answer no. That is a process that takes a year and a day of study in herb craft, divination, etc.. I, like I've stated before, simply have many interests and enjoy studying such things - I like knowledge. I would be remiss if I did not add that in no way is satanism a part of the wiccan pantheon. Rather the universe is a balance of positive and negative forces much like taoism.

Now, to discuss the transformation of sabbats into Christian holidays it is imperative to know the history and the transition between the fall of Rome and the rise of the Papacy as world powers. We all recognize that the Pontificate is the most powerful force in the world today, more powerful than any state government. The papal rise to power could not have endured had it not lessened its stringent ideas to incorporate those who remained tethered to the principles of pagan Rome.

The desire to revere capricious pagan gods survived the fall of Rome in 410 b.c. to Aleric and the renewal of Rome as a Christian Empire under Constantine. Christianity was still infiltrated by paganism on every front whether it be from pagan Romans or the multitude of "barbarian" tribes (Goths, Celts, Saxons, etc.) that now permeated the Empire.

Medieval men simply could not part with their gods like Thor, Hermes, Zeus, Saturn, and so forth. Idol worship filled a need that the church could not meet - one of tolerance, particularly sexual tolerance an area in which the papacy was quite rigid in its expectation of chastity and premise that sex was not for enjoyment but for procreation alone.

So, to invite more converts, the church had to realize that concessions had to be made. Christian churches were built on the foundations of pagan temples, patron saints replaced patron gods, and pagan holidays were expropriated by the church. Pentecost supplanted the holiday of Floralia. All Soul's Day replaced the festival for the dead (the wiccan holiday of Samhain). The feast of Isis (remember Egypt had long fallen under Roman controll with the deaths of Cleopatra and Marc Antony) was transformed into the Feast of the Nativity. Saturnalia became Christmas and the resurrection of Attis became Easter.

By this time no one really knew the exact day of Jesus' birth and his birthday was first observed by Roman Christians circa A.D. 336. Apparently at random, the Empire picked January 6 as the birthday of the savior, but was later moved to December 25 for reasons unknown. Now, for Easter, the early Christians celebrated Easter every Sunday but later linked Easter with the Passion in which in was scheduled on the Passover - Jewish feast celebrating the Exodus. Finally, circa A.D. 325, the First Council of Nicaea scheduled Easter to fall on the first Sunday after the full moon following the spring equinox. The vernal equinox is also a sabbat in the wiccan tradition, Ostara, in which spring flowers and other trinket gifts were gathered into baskets. The Saxon goddess Eastre - goddess of fertility - also had a festival amoung the pagans in which eggs (a symbol of fertility)were painted in spring colors and used in games during the festival. Rabbits were also seen as symbols of fertility - ever hear the saying "---- like rabbits".

Christmas is another holiday with pagan roots. December 21 - the winter solstice - is the wiccan or pagan holiday of Yule. In Roman times it was also referred to as Juvenillia (for juvenile) as it was a holiday that celebrated children. Gifts were given by the departing Holly King as he rides his solar sleigh pulled by the eight pagan sabbats personified as reindeer through the sky on Yule Eve. The Holly King was also called Old Nick by the pagan Norse, later becoming the christian Saint Nicholas.

In summary, should you allow your little ones to dress as witches for Halloween? That is your call as a parent, but truly a witch no more personifies evil than a black cat. The modern icon of the witch as an old hag is resultant of medieval hysteria in a world that sought superstition to explain what they could not understand. And, when you place presents under the tree this Christmas you are not embracing the Holly King - in your heart you are celebrating the birth of the Holy King. Come Easter, feel free to give your little angels a basket of treats from the Easter Bunny and know that you are celebrating the resurrection, not Ostara.

Now, to anyone who wishes to dress like a witch this Halloween, consider dressing in more traditional witch wear - skyclad (that would be nude).LOL

Merry we meet, Merry we part

An informative read... thank you for posting that!

You seem to have a very healthy grasp on the ancient and modern religions. Educating ourselves is the best way to break free of superstition and fear that still pervades our society.

I've enjoyed reading your posts.