Now that marketers have finished cashing in on the Back to School season, they have turned their economic sights on Halloween. In recent years it has received greater attention due to its exploding prospects for revenue generation. Although Halloween or rather Hallowed Eve, the day before All Saint’s Day (a religious celebration for those of Catholic faith), was supposed to be a sacred preparation in advance of the day to celebrate all saints. Centuries ago worshippers of Satan and the dark realm seized upon the date to as a counterweight to the Church’s veneration of saints to venerate Satan and all his works as well as practice witchcraft. In recent times market forces capitalizing on what was the domain of children have expanded the ‘holiday’ to include adults to increase to prospects for making money.
Madison Avenue has introduced an increased sexuality to Halloween visible in the costumes. Looking scary is not as popular as looking sexy and it is not uncommon to see a grade school child dressed as a French Maid. These maid costumes promote a sensuality which is completely removed from reality of the hard unappreciated work that maids in practical uniforms do, but those practical uniforms won’t cut for Halloween.
Hollywood does it share to contribute to Halloween by releasing a number of horror films in October. Horror films are Hollywood favorites because they are cheap to produce and guaranteed to attract an audience interested in the macabre and programmed to be so at this time of year. Yet for all of the folks seeking a scare this time of year, they would do well to consider Revelations 20:12:
And I saw the dead both great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what they had done (ESV).
In a scene that rivals any zombie film or Hollywood fright feature, we read about a true “dawn of the dead,” but the dead do not terrorize the living. They stand in terror. The dead must stand before the throne of God and account for their life. Every graveyard, accident site, battlefield, and anywhere else the dead are resting open to answer the call for the final judgment. God acting in His full power through Jesus Christ His son will assign the eternal fate of every individual: Everlasting life for those who are saved in Christ and eternal judgment for those who have rejected God’s grace. This is the summary of Revelations 20:12. This prophetic display of power should scare the hell out of folks. It should compel Christians to share the Gospel message with a greater sense of urgency and drive those who don’t know God’s salvation in Jesus to seriously consider their eternal prospects. Folks who seem to be the mood for a scare this season, ask them if they heard about how it all ends. That should be scary enough.
Stay Prayed Up,
Rev. Rodrick Burton
1 comment:
I have a general question. If we speak against halloween and the meaning of it are we just as guilty as believers when we change it from trick or treat and give it what I call church approvals names but yet we still pass out candy and all of that stuff with the kids still in costume
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