"Halloween is evil"

[Mooehey]

AIBU to be pissed off at my kids head teacher.

They go to a Catholic school because there are no other schools in the area that aren't in special measures. I went to the same school and apart from religion it's a good school.

My kids haven't been baptised and the school know this.

Even though it's a Catholic school there are Muslim kids, Jewish kids etc...

When it's a Muslim festival the kids come home with homework about Eid and Dwali.

Near Christmas they learn about hannuka.

They learn about all different religions.

But the head teacher told the kids they weren't to talk about Halloween because it's evil.

This was said in an assembly. Confirmed by 2 of my kids seperatly.

AIBU to think Halloween isn't evil. It's a Pagan festival and it should be respected the same as any other?

I am pagan and am really annoyed at what she said. We celebrate Samhain big time, not only with modern tradition such as trick or treating (no different to the modern mass market g of Christmas....that doesn't get banned!) And we also celebrate more traditionally with offerings and rituals.

I'm sad that my children 'aren't allowed' to tell their friends at school about our traditions or the fun things we have done this evening.

Would a Muslim child be told that their religion is evil? I seriously doubt it.

I just feel sad and have no where else to rant I guess :(

None of my Catholic relatives have any problem with Halloween, btw. Never have had. I think it's a few batshit zealots in schools who come out with this nonsense. But as OP points out, calling an ancient, well-established cultural and religious festival "evil" is completely out of order and shouldn't be tolerated.

"Its about raising the dead"

It's about the end of Harvest and the beginning of winter. It's about giving thanks to loved ones who have passed and offering up gifts for them.

Halloween is not about raising the dead and evil spirits. I feel you have watched far too many movies and TV, MrsJayy.

Thank you @mooehey

HALLOWEEN IS NO MORE ABOUT RAISNG THE DEAD THAN CATHOLICS EATING SACRAMENTAL BREAD IS ZOMBIE CANNABALISM.

Why can people forgive the body and blood of Christ being blessed and consumed in the name of Christ but they can't deal with some candles being lit in the name of a Goddess?

Because its a catholic school.

My daughters CofE school wouldn’t celebrate it they used to encourage light parties but also didn’t say anything against it I felt they had reached a good compromise.

I’m sure someone has said this already but I’m pretty sure Dwali is a Hindu festival. Not Muslim, as implied in your first post.

And, erm, don’t respond with “yeah, whatever ..” if you’re whingeing in about ‘beliefs’ being respected.

Apologies if I'm not up to speed on religious festivals but regardless I wouldn't be disrespectful to anyone celebrating any of them.

Cross post

Why would I reply with 'yeah, whatever'

How strange to assume my reaction would be negative

I don't understand people saying 'well it's a Catholic school'

It is, but they manage to respect every other religious festival, why should Paganisms special nights be singled out as 'evil' When the Catholic school manages to be respectful and informative about every other festival? If they can do it for them why not us?

I’m Catholic, this morning I went to yoga and joined in with all the chants and this evening I went trick or treating. Tomorrow I’ll light a candle and say a prayer for my recently deceased Nonna...there’s good bits in all religions. Your DCs head teacher really needs some diversity training.

I hope you had a lovely Samhain.

I said it's a Catholic school in response to your question about why they have no problem with the body and blood being blessed but not the lighting of pagan candles.

My boys catholic school are having a Halloween party! She sounds a bit mean :(

Halloween is about raising thedead and evil spirits

Ffs educate yourself its nothing lf the sort.

OP, I think it's not that a particular religion is fanatically anti Halloween, just that particular individual twat.

Perhaps ask the Head whether they have a policy against the celebration of Pagan festivals particularly.

I would email.ht asking why they think its 'evil'. Probably her/his ignorance. I would be asking why other beliefs were ok but yours arent.

Its the usual "I dont know anything about it but.." syndrome.

I want to email but I'm already the only lesbian parent in school and I don't know if I can deal with the 'oh she's a witch too' sort of bullshit. The families there are lovely, as are most of the staff but there are a few judgemental, older generation staff who can be quite cold if you aren't the Church attending type.

Which is upsetting because I always get very involved in tgings suvh as bakesales and fundraising.

That isn't a mainstream catholic view of Halloween

I wouldnt give a fig what some closed minded gits think.
Why should they be able to tell.your kids they are evil out of ignorance?
You are supporting the school least they can do is support your beliefs too.

Diwali Tec are celebrations of light, whereas Halloween is about darkness.
Samhain is when the harvest is in, the cold and dark is in front of you and I suppose it was a way of facing the hard part of the year.

I wonder if Imbolc was the festival that took off would there be as much opposition to it?
Though I've never come across opposition to Halloween in real life.

You're not being unreasonable, but it's par for the course really - there are plenty of poorly informed idiots out there (and, indeed, there's a few in here too!).

Oh come on we all know why the Catholic Church hates Pagans and bans Halloween. Catholicism violently subsumed Paganism in its early years, its terrified that it is now rearing is head again. The church has to many skeletons in is closet (apologies for the pun), and it cant risk explaining all the historical monstrosities it committed against Pagans/Wiccans/Witches etc.

The catholic plate is currently full covering up dealing with all the paedophile priests.