People are fine with being disrespectful to Christians

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At a church playgroup. The people who run it are very devout Christians. I am taken aback, by the number of parents, who thought it was appropriate to bring their kids to the church dressed for Halloween. Kids are dressed as witches, goblins, skeletons, creepy pumpkins etc..
The church holds a light party every year on Halloween and is very clear that they do not endorse Halloween.

I think you are jumping to conclusions OP. Maybe some Christians disapprove of Halloween but I would hardly call it 'disrespectful' to celebrate this secular festival without assuming people would have a problem with it.

The things I think are disrespectful to Christians is using the nane Jesus as an expletive, and using churches as a pretty backdrop for celebrating life events despite not giving any attention whatsoever to the Christian message. But I don't kick up a fuss about it because the main message of love and joy and liberty that is the most important thing to know from the gospels is much more difficult to communicate when being sour-faced and disapproving of stuff that is part of modern culture, so better to just let it go and focus on what is important.

I think it is disrespectful as a Light party is clearly anti the Halloween sentiment. Light parties are clearly promoted in that way.

Please don’t assume I DON’T wear my gimp outfit to church.

Halloween as a festival dates back to the ancient celts. If your uptight church doesn't like it maybe stop trying to appropriate it into something else and just ignore it?

@Coldilox Considering how disrespectful the Christian church can be,

How do you come to that conclusion?

Surely if the object is to spread a Christian message of light, then those who run the light party would just be pleased that people turned up, rather than being concerned about what they wore. In fact it's likely those demonic little rascals are their target market.

Are the organisers annoyed or are you just offended on their behalf?

It was a playgroup. I think the OP is mentioning the Light Party to highlight the church don't like Goth Christmas.

Why are you comparing a two year old going to playgroup in a pumpkin costume to someone dressing as a gimp for the Sunday service?

I tend to think that any god that would be seriously offended by a two year old in a pumpkin costume must be a pretty feeble one.

Are you really equating this with toddlers dressed as pumpkins and witches? 😄

Where the ‘very devout Christian’s’ who run the group actually offended? Or are just just being all offended on their behalf??

Because I’m a Christian, don’t ‘do’ halloween, but don’t get offended by people whose beliefs and values don’t align with my own.

Jesus welcomed, met and ate with the non-believers and sinners - maybe the ‘devout Christian’s’ are following his lead and are perfectly content to meet and welcome any and all into their church without judgement.

It’s called tolerance.

Not all denominations of christianity have a problem with it .

My mum's religious and she sees this as a pagan holiday and thinks it has no role in church. So she argues against the church holding an alternative party on the same day as Halloween. Personally, I think you can call it what you like, but parents and children will just see it as a safe alternative to trick or treating.

I hear nothing but concern from Christian groups about the lack of young people attending church or church led events and wondering how or what they can do to increase footfall from this demographic. Well, if such Christian groups don't 'endorse' little kids dressing like a pumpkin or dressing as a witch (which don't even exist) then perhaps such groups have their answer. It's Halloween, they are kids dressing up and having FUN! Is fun banned there?

I am over 50 and was not aware, until recently, that Halloween offended Christians! To me, all religions originated from pagan beliefs and it's a fine line between what is and isn't Christian. Much Halloween activity is harmless fun in the same way that Father Christmas has pagan origins and nothing to do with Christianity, but I'll be isn't frowned on by Churches.
52% of the UK don't identify with any religion.

What an ignorant post.

I'd imagine if they weren't one of the most judgemental, whiny, victim-mentality group of people on the planet it wouldn't be as accepted.

And I'm a Christian.

Case in point. They held a children's party on Halloween. Children came dressed in Halloween outfits. And yet this is apparently some grave attack on Christian people?

Hilarious, and enough to put anyone off JESUS.

Yes,but the ancient celts didn't celebrate it the same way as most people do now.

Would you say that to a lady in a bikini entering a mosque?
Think about what you are saying. You are entering someone’s place of worship!

A church near me (CofE) holds a Light Party. The advertising says "fancy dress but no witches/Halloween costumes please".
However I doubt they turn away a little kid who does turn up in one of those pink/black/sparkly witches outfits that the supermarket sells.
Churches and Halloween is often confusing - some not having anything to do with it at all, some combining it with a bit of Day of The Dead, some happy to do pumpkins and spiders but not witches...it all depends on the type of church.
All the church playgroup has to do is next year make it more clear that they don't want any witches etc.
A lot of people who attend church playgroups attend because it's a local community playgroup not because it's a 'church' thing.
They probably really didn't realise and didn't mean to offend anyone.

I imagine they just weren't aware of the churches stance on Halloween. They probably weren't aware that the church holds a light party or if they are , don't understand the significance of it. Lots of churches don't shun halloween. Our church playgroup is having a Halloween party. I am a Christian and wouldn't be offended.

But Halloween is part Christian? You've got the 3 consecutive linked days of Halloween, All Saint's Day and All Soul's Day. If it's a community playgroup and not just for church members then it's unreasonable for you to expect everyone to understand your specific theological positions, particularly if they are quite niche.

True, but these things evolve.

To hold a special event on halloween and expect kids etc to not treat it as a halloween party is, at best, laughably naive. It would be like having a party on christmas day and getting annoyed if anyone turned up wearing a santa hat.

It’s only really evangelical fundamentalist churches that have a problem with children dressing up for Halloween so the parents probably didn’t realise that there would be a problem. Dressing up as a pumpkin or witch isn’t really the same as some sort of Satanic ritual. I think it’s more disrespectful when people refer to “your magic man in the sky “ etc.

I happen not to like Halloween for many reasons. But clearly what you describe is not disrespectful at all.