[GUIDE] Origins of Halloween

[The Amazing Jabels]

Kuriyaki

The Amazing Jabels

Kuriyaki

Lol It is, which makes me laugh, but also gets me angry. It's also, funnily enough, what makes them humiliated--when I point this out, cite sources, and dare them to open an actual history book and not just read Christian literature.

Christian literature? You'd be suprised hw many fundamentalist Christians haven't even read the Bible.

I was talking about other literature. Where I live there is actually an entire library dedicated to teaching Christians Christian science--ie, teaching them how God had a role in everthing scientific. While I respect their beliefs, it stikes me as a bit over kill.

Westboro Baptist Church. Now THAT is overkill.  

[rmcdra]

True there are some groups and particular Christians that take their scriptures too literally.

I do have to question though, did Christians really steal Samhain? I ask this because there is greatly different religious significances of the holidays. Samhain has already been extensively discussed but the feast of All Hallows' Eve and All Hallows' Day has not. The holiday is basically a celebration of the saints (people confirmed to be or at least believed to be in Heaven). This feast was first document of this holiday was in the 4th century and initially it was to remember the Martyrs. Eventually by the beginning of the 5th century it became a celebration of all saints, not just the martyrs. It was initial celebrated sometime during spring but by the beginning of the 8th century it was celebrated specifically on Nov 1, with Oct 31 being the eve of All Saints' day for Rome as a local feast and then by the beginning of the 9th century to all of Christianity.

Now Christianity was first introduced to the British Isles around the beginning of 6th century. Here's the question. If Christianity stole Samhain, what purpose would they have to steal it because conversion seems to be out of the question here, since it had three centuries to establish itself in this location before changing the date of this holiday and not all pagans or heathens celebrated Samhain? Also is not Samhain based on a lunar calender so fixing Samhain's date to Oct 31-Nov. seems a little self-defeating?

Now I do not deny that there are cultural and secular practices that have pagan roots that are associated with Halloween but those practices are not universal to all Christians that celebrate Halloween or required to celebrate Halloween and All Saints' Day.