Politicans attack Halloween as neopaganism and damaging to culture...

[danzig]

in Europe...bet you thought it was southern states in the US or something

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...=1130322023120

Sounds like some anal european politicans with nothing better to do. What exactly is wrong with it being an american cultural influence? Why is that bad? Alot of American cultural is European influenced so why is our contribution bad? I mean look at the description some of the officals used, sheesh its just a fun holiday and from the article European people themselves seem to enjoy it so why attack it? Halloween is no more about vandalism then soccer is about Europeans rioting. Are we heading in that direction that anything even remotely American influenced is 'bad'?

[Kanaric]

This is an example of stupid people.

Probably the same group that in the 80s tried someone for witchcraft and put them in jail.

[Torment]

It's never been done here in Holland (to a big extend, that is) and will probably never be done, since we already have our own holiday which is in the same direction (collecting candy and all that stuff). So basically, I couldn't care less what all those other countries'll do. It's fun, it's American and suprisingly enough it isn't too bad for your health, so that guy doesn't have a case. If he wants to complain about bad American influence, he oughta start a campaign against all those awfull MacDonalds' which seem to be popping up everywhere.

[Eric]

AUGH! This is bullcrap. So children running around in costumes is evil. God, this is almost as bad as that ******, Jack Thompson trying to get video games outlawed.

[wilpuri]

I feel that Halloween has been imported to act as a commercial incentive, more holidays on which spending on useless junk is compulsory. It feels odd to see Halloween commercials etc, but I've never seen anyone trick or treating here. I couldn't be bothered to get anal about it, but it does somehow seem out of place.

[danzig]

I feel that Halloween has been imported to act as a commercial incentive, more holidays on which spending on useless junk is compulsory. It feels odd to see Halloween commercials etc, but I've never seen anyone trick or treating here. I couldn't be bothered to get anal about it, but it does somehow seem out of place.

Well sure it has a big commerical part of it just like xmas does (atleast here in the US but I doubt its much different in Europe) but its just a fun holiday. Horror movie marathons, costumes etc its just a nonsense meaningless day of amusement no harm no foul. One day a year you can run around dressed as a pirate and not get bizarre stares!

[Tigran of Sasoun]

Ok what the politician said is true and i believe it. When i was in highschool halloween was just people gettting wasted doing drugs and fighting and starting fires and firefighters putting hundreds out in a few hour and lots and lots of drunk tanks.

Its stupid idea and i believe its some kind or is becoming somekind of neopaganism.

[MaximiIian]

Precisely what is wrong with getting jacked up on candy, getting in fights, startiong fires?
And what's so "wrong" and "damaging to society" about neopaganism?
I hate uptights. They need to die.

[wilpuri]

I hate uptights. They need to die.

Yeah, I mean be tolerant or die!

[Justinian]

Eric, please don't try to dodge the censor by adding a space, thank you.

As to the issue at hand - what? And it isn't even in the US? I think Halloween is a stupid holiday because it's just another excuse to sell a lot of candy and make kids blow up like balloons, but Satanic? Maybe once upon a time, but not anymore, commercialization has bled that out of it.

Besides, isn't Europe supposed to have "freedom of religion" too?

[MaximiIian]

Yeah, I mean be tolerant or die!

I'm usually quite openminded about people, the whole "I disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" thing...
...but uptight people just plain **** me off, same with goths and suicidals.

[First Crusader]

I think the protest against halloween is just part of the overall disgruntlement over American globalization.

Many people in Germany listen to American rock. How many still listen to Mozart?

[Abdul Alhazred]

how is hallowen a glorification of anything?
is a bit desperssing when politicans and church people see evil in everything and believe it would lead us to the horrible age of pangaism once again, wait whats so evil about paganism?

[Eric]

whats so evil about paganism?

Well, there are some forms of Paganism that practice human sacrifice. I heard that some ancient african civilazations sacrificied to their gods by placing a month old baby in a roaring fire then eating the ashen remains. Those sorts of paganism are evil but the sorts that hate human sacrifice like the Greek, Roman or Egyptians gods are perfectly. And they sometimes teach a good set a values: wisdom, courage, valour, gallantry, courteousness, etc etc

[Erik]

Well, there are some forms of Paganism that practice human sacrifice. I heard that some ancient african civilazations sacrificied to their gods by placing a month old baby in a roaring fire then eating the ashen remains.

I think you are talking about the Carthaginian religion.
The Romans claimed they sacrafised their own babies to their gods.
And some archeological digs in Tunesia seemed to confirm this.

But it turned out just a myth.
The Romans hated the Carthaginians so they spreaded these kinds of myths.
And the archeological remains are most likely just the remains of babies who were already dead.

[Abdul Alhazred]

\But it turned out just a myth.
\.

indeed much like most of the evils of paganism that were propaganda spread by the church in a attempt to aleanite pagans and force some to convert, it also gave the ability to generate in-humane praticise to pagans and heathens much like the roman propaganda machine made the christians out to be a bunch of incestues child killers though it wasn't true.

[The White Knight]

I think Halloween in Europe is pure commerce and has nothing to do with culture or whatsoever.

[the_mango55]

Halloween is awesome! I like it better than I did when I was a kid, Me and all my friends get dressed up in awesome costumes and go out to Frankin Street in Chapel Hill, NC, where there are 60 thousand other people in costumes. This year I have narrowed my costume selection down to either Fred Flintstone, (The women love the Filntsone, I have had women tell me they "would make my Bed Rock") or "Mr. Frat-Tastic" who is kind of like a superhero, but a frat guy.

But seriously, Halloween is all about fun, are people so obsessed with their culture that they are opposed to anything that may have originated elsewhere?

[Empyrean]

Every line criticizing the holiday mentions that it is an American custom. It's nice to see that merely being associated with American culture is an argument against something. Xenophobic smacktards.

[Greek Fire 19]

I knew it. Austrians. They're a bit crazy like that. Ignore them and they go away :wink:


Also, all you americans out there don't get too offended when people talk about 'unnecessary american culture' or whatever. It's not that (usually) they think there's anything particularly wrong with your culture, it's just a bunch of old people who see the culture of their own country quickly slipping away and being replaced by big 'international' holidays. America is the country they associate with globalisation and mass-marketing and they need someone to blame, so you get it.

Incidently the halloween festival is celtic in origin, as november 1st was the celtic new year, and the celts believed that on new years eve the boundaries between the physical world and the spirit world became blurred, so they banced around bonfires and dressed up.

So in the end it's a european holiday anyway.