"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 :(

She may well have done. I certainly haven't seen every single thread today, and I've been around a fair bit.

Years ago, when I was just just a youngie,,Halloween was sometimes mentioned, but nobody seemed to do anything about it in the UK. Most of us youngies,were mainly just waiting for bonfire night a bit later. bonfires etc, without all this health and safety stuff also.

It makes me cringe seeing all this commercial crap selling for halloween, although I should not be bothered really at my age.

But,must say,, it is a trite rubbishy that you can't do halloween things in some schools if you wish to.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3410687-Halloween-and-catholic-school-What-is-the-deal

This teacher can feel what she likes but at the end of the day it's not right for her to tell the kids that.

Mexico is a Catholic country. Tell the HT to look at what they do on Día de los Muertos there.

The HT is being an ass.

Is this, by any chance, an Opus Dei school?

I hope I don’t mind me posting - I would certainly speak to the head in terms of how you feel and there reaction.

I’ll be as succinct as I can

TRY NOT TO FALL ASLEEP 😳😳😳🤪

The ancient Britain celebrated their rituals and festivities and in keeping with the evangelising nature of Christianity and the Early Church - the invaders combined local practise of the native country with the feast/ specific day with the church accordingly- Rightly or wrongly that’s what occurred when the missionaries arrived.

The celebrations around Halloween are ancient and if you are Pagan/ Celtic it is of great significance.

The world Halloween is by definition a Christian term because it is aversion of All Hallows’ Eve - the Eve before the solemnity of All Saints - Hallowed meaning Holy - think the first line of the Our Father Hallowed be thy name.

As Christians regardless of denomination anything to do with the occult and the devil in terms of celebration is religiously forbidden.

However as you can see culture plays a huge part so many of the Celtic cultures Irish/ Scottish would have had a history or celebrating the Samhain/ Pagan festivities and those traditions stayed despite the Catholicity of those countries.

In England many Cof E schools and Catholic schools will be anti devil and occult aspect of Halloween because it’s religiously forbidden.

However you can see that culturally the Americanisation has played its part.

Many Catholics/ Christians do carve pumpkins, etc.

The ‘Light Parties’ have been developed by the Fundamental Christians to ward of the evil of Halloween so to speak.

Across the denominations of Christianity you have many on the Protestant side who are very anti catholic and see Catholics as devil worshipers/ idol worshipers etc and that they are not true Christians! 🤦‍♀️ bare with me🙉

I suspect had the reformation not occurred the element of Samhain / trick or treating would have continued in England more but anything that looked Catholic - looked pagan was stripped in this country until relatively recently within the 19the century - whole other discussion 🙈

We had an All Saints Party because as practising Catholics it is All Hallows’ Tide - It is 3 days- All Hallows’ Eve, All Saints Day and All Souls- which many non Catholic Christians frown upon 🤦‍♀️

The mainline Protestant churches will not do this so hence why bells/ candles and smells are somehow seen as - spooky and oops dare I say - evil- boo- 👀Catholic 🤣

My Kids have dressed as Saints and had a disco and party etc, tomorrow is mass and more celebrations

All Souls is the day we light candles for the dead and we will be at church. Many catholic countries you will see them light candles at the grave yards - my lovely fundamental Christian neighbour said - oh yes in my home town you look out the window and see rows and rows of candles in graveyards - spooky crazy rubbish- 👀🧟‍♂️then she went “ oops sorry”” 🤣 I was like MEH you lot rejected it - it gives us lot Catholics - great comfort.
Can you see as Christians we can’t even agree 🤷‍♀️💁‍♀️🤷‍♀️

religious denominations appear to do things differently and then you have secular society who just want a big party and lost of fun and it becomes combined - 🤣🤣

For example - Mexican Day of the Dead - Christianity invades and merges with the native culture-

The reason why I don’t want my children dressing up as the devil and witches or evil spirits is because I don’t like it and I feel that by mocking the dead/ devil it’s limiting or making light of what for me is a real entity within our faith.
I also know even if I was not Catholic I wouldn’t do trick or treating because I spend all year telling my kids don’t take sweets from strangers.

HAVE YOU ALL FALLEN ASLEEP YET????

So you can see that a label of being part of a religious faith or culture/ country doesn’t equate to - knowledgable or tolerance - people should try and learn and respect each other.

I’m sure I’m guilty of being judgy too- must remember to go to confession but last Sunday managed to get my comfy seat at church and didn’t want to loose it 🤪🤪 then had to dash to the tea and coffee queue - Catholic’s they’re so over indulgent’ said other fundamentalist neighbour 😜 but then I got her back by saying - “ how are your plans for your Advent Fasting”

Anyway I will quietly run away now and hide as the crazy religious nut 😱 who prays that through her faith she can share and enlighten and also atone in some small way for the great evil the established church though it’s secrecy has caused and will try and have 5 min sleep before baby wakes up

HAPPY HALLOWEEN 💕💕💕

Oh Happy Samhain - my mum is Hindu next week it’s Diwali - must try and dig out my Dias oh wait I’ll re use the All Saints Lights 🙂

I am actually wondering if it is true at all. Halloween has mainly been celebrated by Catholics, in recent centuries, and the church hasn't really shown any interest. Plus, calling things evil seems a bit evangelical.

Certainly they wouldn't be treating it with the same respect as Hannukah, but the school would be wholly unrepresentative of its supposed faith by calling it evil.

It dues literally mean all hallows Eve and was traditionally thought to be the night the spirits roamed the earth and therefore some schools steer clear of it

All Hallows, AKA All Saints Day is an RC holy day, haloween only exists because of the RC church.

Samain happens to fall on the same day and, as paganism, is a religeon, is another religeous holiday (a modern construct of Holy Day). In some p[arts of the world the two have become more combined eg in Mexico.

OP

The school is discriminating against you and your children due to religeon. This is ilegal.

If the school only acknowledged RC holidays then they would have a point that they as an RC school don't celebrate other fath's holidays but as they clearly do you should contact the HT.

Sashh aren’t you contradicting yourself, the Head said nothing about a pagan festival as you’ve just clarified. He was speaking of the celebration of Halloween by Christians. I think he was wrong, but I also think the OP is looking for offence

Ask mumsnet to check me out

I've been here a long time. Since my son was born in 2004 in fact, albeit under an original account.

Why would I make this up?

MN is so untrusting.

The HT isn't approachable at all. She also banned dressing up for World Book Day and Own Clothes day as they are 'distracting to learning ' 🙄

She's really not an easy woman to talk to and we have bumped heads on a few issues and the way she has dealt with a few issues

Also as for the name change. I change my name on here roughly every 2 weeks because I have family on here and some times I find myself over sharing details or forgetting that the internet is quite traceable.

I know it sounds 'unlikely' that a HT would be so rude and abrupt but she really is.

She reminds me of a slightly softer version of Miss Trunchbull

Having said that, she has turned the school around in many positive ways so she isn't all bad.

She just needs etiquette lessons

And another thing....I am REALLY sick of my sexuality being used as a red flag for being a troll. This is the reason I name change so much.
Because as soon as people read any threads that relate to my relationship I get raised eyebrows.

Because lesbians obviously aren't real. We are all just want fodder for perverts. God forbid we post about our lives like straight couples do.

And I didn't see the thread about Catholicism and Halloween

And besides this is something directly that happened to me.

There's a million threads about Homebirths too but would someone get slated for starting one about their personal experience within that subject?

Morning rant over

Just some of my many namechanges over time

And yes I will be changing this one again today because once again this user name is troll tainted

I think it would be good for you to offer some insight into your religion to the school. If they teach about other faiths then why not paganism. I will add thought that for the vast majority of people they make no connection between paganism and Halloween- it’s just an opportunity to eat sweets and mess about. Just like Christmas isn’t connected to Jesus for most people. Pumpkins and harribo don’t really have anything to do with paganism.

Carnving pumpkins originated in Ireland to ward off bad spirits and some say the lighting of the candle in the head presents illumination. Also pumpkins are a veg that would be readily available at autumn harvest time so would have traditionally been on many offering alters.

But yeah Haribo and just nice to eat.

Having said that look at Christmas in relation to catholics.

The TRUE meaning is the birth of Christ.

Things like candy canes, stockings, Christmas lists, mince pies, reindeer are all modern day consumer add ons. Yet the school still tolerates them. They understand that although there is a true meaning to Christmas there is a lot of fun and nonsense that comes along with it.

Same with Halloween. Just because there is a lot of silliness and lights and games doesn't mean that for many of us there is a special religious festival tied up under there in all the modern shenanigans.

All Hallows, AKA All Saints Day is an RC holy day, haloween only exists because of the RC church

It genuinely mystifies me how many Christians don't seem to understand Halloween is a christian thing.

And then they bang on about Christmas (which is a longstanding pagan festival with Christian rebranding) being celebrated by non-christians.

I suppose a lot of people are ignorant of history, but you'd think the history of your own religion would be notable.

Thought it was turnips in Ireland - not pumpkins?

Apologies. Yes turnips and potatoes to ward off Stingy Jack developing onto pumpkins

I remember carving turnips as a kid though when mum couldn't find pumpkins 😂

Carving turnips was shite - the chance of slashing an artery was very high. Pumpkins are a massive improvement.

It was always on the cheap. I was always a witch.

Some of those plastic glow in the dark fingers with bright red nail polish, a bin bag, a £1 witches hat and for some reason, gum cutting plastic vampire teeth.