Halloween: Trick or Treat?

Well, its nearly Halloween, and I often wonder if we really understand what the effect it has on the young.

In an article called “The Truth About Popular Celebrations”, written in 2001, a school inspector from France with more than 20 years of experience in teaching was asked about the influence of Halloween on young children.

He commented:

I am worried that going from house to house threatening adults in order to obtain sweets can have long-term negative consequences on children. It can foster a selfish and egocentric personality. They learn that by exerting pressure, by demanding with threats, by making others afraid, they can obtain what they want

Not surprisingly, many families, mine included, find that giving in to childish demands for treats and costumes can be an expensive undertaking.

Robert Rochefort, general director of France’s Research Center for the Study and Observation of Living Conditions observes

Halloween . . . is not a holiday, it is event marketing. Halloween fills a shopping lull prior to Christmas.

Commercialism has embraced it, making it one more thing pressuring people to spend money—money that in many cases they cannot afford to spend.

For instance, halloweenstats.com points out that Halloween costumes and props are becoming a big part of the holiday.  The number of specialty stores are increasing each year with the popularity of the event.  Props are also becoming more elaborate as technology progresses. Tends to support the Rochefort’s view don’t you think?

The newspaper Le Monde stated

Halloween, which coincides with All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day (November 1 and 2) and could even replace them, is making shopkeepers happy and panicking churchmen

Church representatives in Europe have expressed concern over the decline of these traditional Catholic holidays in favor of Halloween, seeing it as a sign of the “paganization of society.”

Spokesman for France’s Conference of Catholic Bishops, Stanislas Lalanne said

Halloween ‘distorts the meaning of life and death.’

The bishop of Nice, Jean Bonfils, stated 

this festival and its rituals have nothing to do with our Mediterranean and Christian culture [and is] the most important festival of Satanists the world over

Interestingly, it could also dangerous for children.

 As far back as 1971 it was reported that, on Halloween, children throughout the United States were going about threatening residents with a trick if not treated. Often they were accompanied by their parents. Some view this as teaching extortion to children, while others view it as an innocent pastime. There were however reports from all over the country of razor blades, needles, pins and drugs being put in some of the candy and fruit given such children.

Of course, we need to be tolerant of those that do not celebrate the custom when knocking on our neighbours doors.

For instance, Islam teaches that virtually all Halloween traditions are based either in ancient pagan culture, or in Christianity. From an Islamic point of view, they all are forms of idolatry.