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Surely it's obvious that some people don't want to celebrate Halloween in the 'American' way. But what's the problem if some people do? The Church are just being killjoys.
We want everyone to have an enjoyable time at Halloween, which is why we think that people need to consider the impact of their behaviour on their neighbours, and it is why we want supermarkets to take a responsible position in relation to the products that they promote for celebrating the event. We are certainly not being killjoys; we are reflecting real concerns that we pick up from school gates and staff rooms across the land.
Supermarkets are there to make money. They don't poke into the Church's business.
They are, but they also have to accept that their hugely influential position in the marketplace comes with responsibilities. 20 years ago, who would have imagine fair-trade and organic good resting alongside standard products in the main supermarkets. We're not trying to push for certain goods to be banned, but simply that a choice is available.
Why doesn't the Church say something positive rather than condemning young people?
We are not trying to label all young people as troublemakers. A very small percentage of the population can create a nuisance around Halloween within their local communities and this spoils the occasion for other people. But we can't forget that Trick or Treating is a dangerous pursuit, even for older teenagers, and that approaching households unknown to them is never a good idea.
What's more, we work with thousands upon thousands of children throughout the year in our church youth projects and schools, and are actively offering positive alternatives at this time of year for young people to get involved in (eg Nite-Lite).
Halloween is a pagan festival. What is all this 'reclaiming it for the Church' about?
Whilst no-one can deny that Halloween has pre-Christian roots, and that the original pagan event was assumed by the spread of Christianity, the fact is that since the eighth century All Saints' Day has fallen on 1st November and the word 'Halloween' derives from the term 'All Hallows' Eve'. Few would argue that Easter of Christmas, which similarly assumed old pagan festivals, should predominantly be celebrated as a pagan celebration in the UK today and marketed by retailers as such.
We believe that Halloween has the power to trivialise evil and can be portrayed as celebrating the triumph of evil over good - when in fact, as Christians, we hold that the opposite is true and that, in Christ, good conquers evil.
Is the devil real? Does the Church think that Halloween is dangerous to people's spiritual health?
There is a range of views in the Church on how serious the threat posed by Halloween is. But the Bible is clear that the promotion of occult practices is condemned by God and not simply trivialised. Christians have a wide range of views on what they mean by 'the devil' but the one thing they all agree on is the need to take the reality of evil very seriously. When you leave God behind you can be open to all kinds of darkness. Whether 'the devil' is a personal being or a symbol of evil isn't so important.
What matters is to fight against evil in whatever form it comes. The activities that people, especially young people, are encouraged to take part in at Halloween simply cannot be reconciled with walking closer with God. And the excessive fear of evil, which we believe is defeated by Christ's amazing death and resurrection, is instead promoted by the event. We can't allow children to develop a negative sense of their own vulnerability in a dangerous and dark world.
The Americanisation of Halloween is why the festival is getting so sinister
That would be a gross simplification. But the commercialisation of the event does not help promote alternative, more positive interpretations, which is the very reason we produced the book Better than Halloween and why we have raised the issue now, as supermarkets are already stocking their shelves with Halloween products.
What evidence have you got that Halloween elicits any so-called anti-social behaviour?
A large proportion of police constabularies in England and Wales have been forced to mount special operations around Halloween in a direct response to the actual and perceived threat of anti-social nuisance behaviour. The major charitable campaigning organisations for older people recognise the issue, and offer special advice at this time of year for people who are concerned about becoming victim to potentially intimidating behaviour.
The Challenge
We are concerned that the trend in celebrating Halloween, and the associated activities, is not just innocent fun and that retailers have a responsibility to offer a range of goods to help people mark the occasion.
Not everything about Halloween is evil or bad or wrong but there is a sinister dimension to the festival that people are becoming more concerned about.
There is a brighter positive alternative, through your local church/church school/group of parents/friends.
We want kids to have a great Halloween, and we want to spark a wider public debate about the nature of our way of celebrating the date.
20 years ago, who would have imagine fair-trade and organic good resting alongside standard products in the main supermarkets. We're not trying to push for certain goods to be banned, but simply that a choice is available.
Campaign support
This campaign is co-ordinated by the Communications Office of the Church of England-Diocese of Manchester. Graphics designed and produced by David Marshall and Julian Battye.
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