School district bans Halloween to accommodate ‘cultural beliefs’

a reply to: Annee

hm ok. i'm sure though, a group of people will come up with a term like the Athianigod religion.

But i know what the founders would say if they awoke from their slumber.

a reply to: awareness10

I'm curious what do you think Washington would have said about Halloween?

Do you think Jefferson agreed that it was a pagan holiday or a Christian one?

Did old Ben Franklin bob for apples?

Interesting link: History of Halloween

The existence of Hallowmas in the early American colonies depended on the religious fabric of each emerging colony. Whereas Maryland and Virginia were settled by Catholic and Church of England followers who imported Hallowmas symbols and feasts of the Old World, the Massachusetts Bay Colony, New Hampshire, and Connecticut were populated by rigid Puritans who viewed the Catholic and pagan overtones of Hallowmas as anathema to Puritan philosophy (Bannatyne 1990). Ironically, while the Puritans felt praying for the souls of the already predestined dead was redundant, they held a fascination of witchcraft and divination, and their witch-hunting zeal forever established one of Halloween’s most enduring symbols. In addition, Puritan New England practiced other remnants of Hallowmas such as fortune-telling games (predicting future spouses) and the celebration of Guy Fawkes Day (Rogers 2002).

The American Revolution created a society more tolerant of religious diversity and, consequently, Halloween celebrations became increasingly secular and centered in the community rather than churches (Bannatyne 1990).

All these holidays are just there so you buy more stuff you don't need, keep the wheels of consumerism turning. As if they need it. It was never a big thing in the uk until a few years ago, when the stores started selling costumes and plastic pumpkins and bags of sweets / candy in little bag size portions. Keep spending and buying crap seems to be the reason behind most events these days. Last year I felt guilty for eating all the designated candy that I was just handing out small change to little kids who hadn't even made an effort. It felt like I was being robbed out of guilt. Legalised begging

Inclusion means: Nobody has any fun.
There! Now we're all the same -
miserable.

a reply to: Gryphon66

I personally wouldn't have believed half anything they said as, most of what they did they did in private. Openly however they may have appeared 'shocked and awe'd' for public purposes. If they did come back saying 'what the hell are you doing' it's quite 'possible' they were angered by the fact that their evil plans were'nt going as planned nor as quickly? I really cannot say, can you?

originally posted by: Asktheanimals
Inclusion means: Nobody has any fun.
There! Now we're all the same -
miserable.

Sounds good to me.

They will be banning music next.

Why not have the opinion let those who enjoy it do it and those who don't ignore it. After all everyone has to know about Ramadam and whatever other celebrations are going on which is nothing to do with them? how come its all one way only? Someone needs their brain examining.

a reply to: awareness10

Athianigod religion.

Are you looking for the term antitheism.? It seems like you are, yet... religion is precisely what it's against.

The Founding Fathers were primarily deist, which is also classically anti-theistic. One thing we can be certain of is that they would abhor the violations of the separation of church and state occurring today.

Anyways. Don't mean to derail things too much.

Can someone please help me, I am terribly confused.

I THOUGHT America was supposed to be a melting pot of cultures and beliefs. Like a big 'ol pot luck of freedom.
That it was not only allowed but ok to openly and freely practice your religion and cultural practices here in America without fear of persecution. within reason. Not that Halloween is a religious practice (though have you seen how some people decorate?)

whats next
Valentine's Day - its not fair to single ppl
St. Patrick's Day - not everyone is Irish/ St. Pat was a jerk for chasing all the snakes out of Ireland (its anti pagan) (i'm reaching)
Easter - there is no way a dude came back to life/ *gasp* why would anyone celebrate sexuality/ fertile lands/ other stuff
Mother's Day - Not everyone is a mother/ or likes their mother
Father's Day- Not everyone is a father or likes their father
Thanksgiving - ( I personally can not think of a reason to ban this day, it is literally the best day of the entire year in my opinion and I refuse to even try to attach a negative meaning to it)
Christmas - Not everyone believes in christ/ ** Spoiler alert** Santa isn't real/ people are too greedy/ and turn into bigger Jerkfaces around this time of year

Maybe I'm stupid, or maybe I'm anti politically correct, BUT I just don't get it, WHHHYYYYYY!

a reply to: Squirlli

Valentine's Day - its not fair to single ppl

That I can get behind.



Just playing around

I detest trick or treat.
At best, it's begging, at worst, extortion.

I hang a notice on the door at Halloween saying no trick or treat.

Some of my friends bring their kids around, but thats a bit different to strangers and teens wearing bin bags.

Bonfire night is a different matter altogether and is one I'm happy to celebrate.

a reply to: SprocketUK

See you're happy to celebrate an attempt to blow up our parliament - Good man there.

Contrary to you I love halloween its an excuse for a damn good party and laugh - does it really matter that some kiddies get extra sweets which they love, my Grandaughter loves dressing up and enjoying it, she's only 5 and has photos for the last 3 years. I am pagan so its an important date for us, (although my granddaughter will choose her own beliefs when she is older).

originally posted by: grandmakdw
"MILFORD, Conn. – A Connecticut school district is banning Halloween in an effort to be inclusive.
Victoria Johannsen, a mother of a third-grader at Live Oaks School in Milford Public Schools, says she received a letter stating the school’s decision to no longer recognize Halloween “arose out of numerous incidents of children being excluded from activities due to religion, cultural beliefs, etc.,” the Connecticut Post reports.
The school is discontinuing a popular costume parade, banning students and staff from wearing costumes on the day and is rebranding Oct. 31st to be “fall themed.”
And if that’s not bad enough, Michelle Obama’s school lunch rules are impacting the lack of fun: “food is not an option” for classroom activities, according to the school’s letter."

Well, I suppose we should have seen this coming.
After all Halloween has several religious basis.
1. Christian (All Saints Day) - must be banned for that connection for sure
2. Pagan religious holiday
(Yes, there are modern Pagans who are still active)

Satanists and Wiccans for the most part have declared
Halloween a Christian and Pagan based religious
holiday.

Yep, we must be inclusive and fair to all,
all religious holidays must be banned from
all public arenas.

That is the modern politically correct way!

Multiculturalism and diversity are subverisve weapons used to weaken and disunite a country

The purpose of immigration is designed to water down national pride and national identity.

Why? firstly its part of Agenda 21 to reduce the living standards of the masses in first world countries to reduce 'unsustainable consumption' of xyz, in such countries and secondly, to weaken the the first world countries concerned.

Why weaken them? A country with racial, religious and cultural differences inevitability experiences those sorts of internal conflicts. This weakens and waters down national identity and national pride because the people start to care less about the country as they focus more on their own lives and keeping their head above water.

A country with a singular cultural, religious and racial identity has a lot of pride in that identity. Such country is united, has a strong sense of it own ideity and proud of who and what they are, their way of life and their values.

Such a country will fight much harder to repel those who would take it over using cultural, economic, financial, diplomatic and other silent and loud weapons. Japan is one such nation.

There is however, one small but very powerful country in the mid east that advocates multiculturalism for every other country but they themselves will have nothing to do with it.

1 guess only which country that is.

originally posted by: Shiloh7
a reply to: SprocketUK

See you're happy to celebrate an attempt to blow up our parliament - Good man there.

Contrary to you I love halloween its an excuse for a damn good party and laugh - does it really matter that some kiddies get extra sweets which they love, my Grandaughter loves dressing up and enjoying it, she's only 5 and has photos for the last 3 years. I am pagan so its an important date for us, (although my granddaughter will choose her own beliefs when she is older).

It's actually celebrating the fact that a plot to blow up Parliament failed
Big fire, an effigy burning, whizzes and bangs and sausages done on the barbecue...what more could a guy want?


I really don't see how the crass commercial form of Halloween has anything to do with Paganism.
In much the same way as buying an XBox at Christmas has noting to do with Christianity.

I love parties and stuff, but rows of dodgy costumes and pumpkins that won't get eaten in Asda just leave me cold.

All that said, it's an American festival, as much as Thanksgiving is and I find it mad that anyone in the US would even consider banning it.

a reply to: SprocketUK

Agreed. I look at it through the idea that life is hard and an important part is celebrating the good parts. I am determined, despite over the years seeing the commercialism of some of our festivals develop into multimillion buck affairs, to thoroughly enjoy the spirit of the occasion. A huge part of the fun I must admit is making things for the celebration, the cooking, brewing and whatever things are needed etc. With a carpenter and other skills in the family, I suspect we are poor buyers, except for materials for a lot of commercial profit makers aspirations.

Its kind of strange in that when a kid it was the church selling its effigies and holy paraphernalia that dominated - now some dink in an office sees the profit so its almost as though what's changed, except the supplier, scale of advertising and variety.. Must keep people in jobs though.

originally posted by: Lucid Lunacy
a reply to: awareness10

Athianigod religion.

Are you looking for the term antitheism.? It seems like you are, yet... religion is precisely what it's against.

I was trying to make the point by quickly come up with a new cult name for atheists against god/religion as there are so many that keep popping up such as the flying spagetti religion which is a bit ridiculous. I find all of it ridiculous though, as it stifles human growth.

originally posted by: awareness10
a reply to: Gryphon66

I personally wouldn't have believed half anything they said as, most of what they did they did in private. Openly however they may have appeared 'shocked and awe'd' for public purposes. If they did come back saying 'what the hell are you doing' it's quite 'possible' they were angered by the fact that their evil plans were'nt going as planned nor as quickly? I really cannot say, can you?

Well, I admit, that took an expected turn ...

No I cannot. I didn't cite the Founders as involved in the situation though.

Are you saying that their "evil plans" involved things like the Constitution? Freedom, etc.?

a reply to: Squirlli

Being free to practice religion doesn't mean that Schools (as government entities) can force religion or establish religion.

Freedom of religion in the US, again, has two parts. Some folks conveniently forget that, no matter how many times they're reminded.

a reply to: Squirlli

Thanksgiving .... Think of the Native Americans. Now they actually have a reason to rise up and start complaining. I bet they are not very thankful that disgruntled Western Europeans invaded their territory.

a reply to: Gryphon66

Who can fully know the plans they had, that was the point of my post to you. But if you still believe you live in a democratic society and that America is a country rather than a corporation, and that everything that was done to make America believe it was free in order to inject what we see running amuck now everywhere via you name it, then all i can say is good luck to you.