For the lulz - HALLOWEEN AND Its HORRIBLE ROOTS Introduction

By popular demand, here follows the complete, unedited text of the flyer handed to me by the representatives of the Iglesia De Dios Church of God, as referenced in my last blog post.

Please note that all grammatical errors and formatting are exactly as appear in the pamphlet. I did not change anything.

 Enjoy!

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HALLOWEEN AND Its HORRIBLE ROOTS

Introduction

Many today have no ideal about the truths of Halloween.  For many it is just another National Holiday that is celebrated. An occasion for children & adults to

Dress up and portray characters of EVERY Kind. To display pumpkins aglow with candles, tell scart storyes. Dance around bonfires, and go door to door yelling "TRICK OR TREAR, or smell my feet, give me something good to Eat!", As we shall see Halloween and it's characteristics is not something that has arrived this Century. But has Diabolical Roots that reaches far back in history! Halloween is something a true child of God cannot participate in. Read 2nd Corinthians 6:14-18 as well as 1st Thessalonians 5:15-23 what is Halloween? All around the world on the 31st of October many children are turned out into the streets to parade door to door asking for candy. While in all reality, Halloween is a major satanic ritual day. A religious holiday, for the underworld. On this night world wide Satanist are performing sacrifices while true witches are in prayer circles summoning demonic personalities! According to the FDLE statistics on Halloween night, more missing persons reports are filled than at any other time of the year.

More bazaar murders are investigated that night than at any time of the year. Many have evidence of occult activities, ie. Grave robbing is a popular activity on that night. (Digging for Skulls) the police dread this night more than any other occasion of the year. How and where did it begin? We need to realize that everything in this world has a beginning and an end. The only thing that has never had a beginning and shall never have an ending is the God Which made haven and earth! (He has always been.)Therefore, it would do us well to know the history of those things that may come our way in our lives! As I endeavored to research the history of what we know now as Halloween. I was somewhat surprised to find that my search took me back to the period shortly after the flood!

In His book "The Worship of the Dead", J. Ganier suggests that celebrations can be traced back to the acnient destruction of the human race. Not celebrations of life but of suffering and Death! Read (Genesis 6:5,11,12) so we can see that wickedness abounded! The Jewish Encyclopedia says Nimrod was He who made all the people rebellious against God. Alexander Hislop (A Noted Writer), has written in detail of how Babylonian religion developed around the traditions of nimrod, his wife Smiramis, her child Tammuz. When Nimrod died his body was cut into four pieces, burnt, and sent to various parts of the world. The people of Babylon greatly mourned his Death! His wife proclaimed him now to be the "Sun God" (keep this in mind.) Therefore, Babylonian worship was carried on through mysterious symbols. Paganism was born! The Golden Calf was symbolic for Nimrod son! (What was made out of the jewelry of the Jews in the wilderness?) You got it a Golden Calf. The Dun god was symbolic for Numrod who later became Baal! Therefore, fire became his earthly representation. (Candles and bonfires were lit in his honor) (Keep this in mind.) Other forms of Nimrod; (Sun images, fish, trees, pillars, animals. Read: (Romans 1:21-26) Centuries later Paul gives a description. which perfectly fits the people of Babylon! The system of Idolatry spread from Babylon to other Nations, for it was from this location that men scattered over the face of the Earth (Genies 11:9) As they went from Babylon they took they're worship & various mystery symbold with them. So paganism and its Rituals were flourishing in the World. Note; from that time until the days of Christ the whole world was in spiritual darkness. With the exception of the Jews! Note; many people read the bible with tunnel vision and don't realize that there was life beyond the Middle East! The British Isles: Now we want to direct our attention to the region of the British Isles Scotland, Ireland. A time when the Roman Empire was in full rule. This was one of Satan's greatest strongholds. This certainly gives new meaning when Jesus said in 1st John 3:8 for this purpose was the Son of God manifested that I might destroy the works of the devil. Conclusion: What we know of the Druids comes from the recordings of Caesar and Roman Historians. Greek records from about 200BC and very early records found in Ireland in 47 AD the Romans finally conquered the Druids in England and outlawed human sacrifices. The Druids celebrated October 31st with many human sacrifices honoring the "Sun-god" (Nimrod) and Samhain ("Lord of the Dead")! They believed that sinful souls went to a place of torment and if Samhain were pleased with the sacrifices then he would release them! At the birth of our Natjion Historians tell us that the founding Fathers forbidder Halloween to be celebrated or observed by anyone! (Look at history records and read it for you.) And it was not celebrated until around the 1900's! Now our Nation has embraced this diabolical celebration whole-heartedly! In A USA today article it quoted Washington witch Bryan Sardan as saying, "They don't realize it but they are celebrating our Holiday with US...We like it!: But the True Child of God is not. My friend this is why we do not want you to have anything to do with Halloween! How about you have you touched the Unclean Thing?

Dear Religious Extremists: THIS is the True Story of Halloween

It seems we can no longer swing a dead cat in this country without hitting a religious extremist littering our public gathering places with poorly-written propaganda in an attempt to remind us any fun we may accidentally be having will send us immediately to the Flames of Hell.

Indeed, the family's most recent outing to the county playground was interrupted by a swath of these kind-hearted souls making a Sherman-esque march arm-in-arm across the fields, a ream of obnoxious orange flyers in tow.

I won't bother amusing you with the complete text of the pamphlet entitled "HALLOWEEN AND Its HORRIBLE ROOTS Introduction" delivered with such loving care by a representative of "Iglesia De Dios Church of God" (we can all-too-clearly see their grasp of the details through the redundant name), but suffice it to say the majority of the flyers hardly garnered a glance from most parents before joining the mulch at the foot of the curvy slide. To be honest, the vast majority of the paper has nothing to do with Halloween whatsoever. Yes, I managed to read it all, though it took every fiber of my being to endure the "lesson" which proclaimed that "Many today have no ideal (sic) about the truths of Halloween".

Well, I'm here to give you an ideal. Or an idea, whichever you prefer.

***

Halloween's roots are traced back to the Celtic festival called Samhain (SOW-in).

The Celts lived in pre-Roman Ireland, Britain, and parts of greater Northern Europe. On November 1st (of our calendar - the Celts used a lunar calendar) the Celtic Wheel of the Year turned. Samhain was the night prior - the day the old year died. On this day, the Celts believed the veil between this world and the "other side" thinned. This had several important effects. The otherworldly spirits, in all their omniscience, could aid in divination rituals. "Magic" was a daily fact of life for the Celts, and these predictions were no fortune cookie curiosities - they were an important source of drive and comfort, helping them get through the long winter. In addition to this, there were less-desirable spirits from the Otherworld that could cross over to meddle with the villagers and destroy crops. In order to dispel these angry spirits, the Celts would light sacred bonfires - usually two, as they would walk between them to cleanse their bodies and spirits of the bad energies of the past year - and wear costumes of animal skins and blue or black dye in order to look more like a spirit, and thus not attract attention. Crops and animals would often be cast into the fires as sacrifices to the Celtic deities in thanks for a bountiful harvest, and in hopes that the goddesses and gods would protect the remaining crops from the angry otherworld spirits. Other animals would be slaughtered, their bones cast into the fire, and the meat cooked in order to store for the winter. At the end of the night of festivities, they carried home coals of the sacred fire in hollowed-out turnips to light the new years' flame in the hearth that had been extinguished the night before.

Around the year 43 of the Common Era, Rome made it to the Celtic lands. In the 400 years that they ruled, many of the Celtic tribal festivals were merged with Roman festivals - both to appease the Roman citizens in apparent exile, and to somewhat mollify the conquered tribes. The two that concern us immediately are Feralia - the festival observing the passing of the souls of the dead, and the festival honouring Pomona, the goddess of fruit and trees (her symbol was the apple).

By the year 800, Christianity was taking influence. In this century Pope Boniface IV designated 1 November  a day to honour saints and martyrs. This was a deliberate attempt to replace the pagan tribal/Roman festival with a Church-sanctioned holiday. The festival was called in Middle English "Alholowmesse" or "All Hallows Day" or "All Saints' Day". The night before - the night of Samhain - became known as "All Hallows Eve" and eventually "Hallowe'en". 200 years later the Church would add "All Souls' Day" to the list, a festival on 2 Nov that was celebrated similarly to Samhain - with parades, fires, and costumes of saints, angels, and demons. The three festivals together became known as Hallowmas.

The modern tradition of Trick-or-Treating comes from the Christian English tradition of "a'souling", or handing out "Soul Cakes" on All Souls' Day. Poor citizens would knock on doors and beg for food, and these pastries would be given in exchange for the promise to pray for the souls of the homeowner's dead relatives. This was encouraged by the church as a replacement for the Celtic tradition of leaving out food, wine, and milk for spirits wandering between the worlds during Samhain.

As Europeans immigrated to the Americas, their Hallowmas traditions blended with the Native American harvest traditions, and the result was a community-based celebration of the Autumn season and the harvest. Families and communities would get together for "play parties" where they would sing, play games, and tell stories of relatives passed on. Many would tell ghost stories, tell "fortunes" using smoke, mirrors, and swinging thread on a string, play pranks and make mischief of all kinds. The influx of English and Irish immigrants in the early 19th century brought traditions of costume-wearing and a'souling to the colonial parties.

In the mid-18th century, a move was made to make Halloween more about children and community than mischief-making and ghost stories. Newspapers encouraged parents to do away with anything ghoulish or frightening, and festivities focused on parties with fun games and festive costumes.

After losing most of its superstitious and religious overtones, Halloween spread as a secular community holiday, and by the 1940s trick-or-treating was revived as a child's game, as this was an inexpensive way for the entire community to participate in the festivities.

***

I'm sure this comes as a shock to the Iglesia De Dios Church of God, who claims that Halloween is a Satanic holiday that has something to do with the Babylonian god Nimrod's body being cut into pieces and shipped around the world, Samhain is a god of the underworld who stole the souls of the dead and demanded blood in exchange, and collectives of pagans are laughing their diabolical heads off that they have the whole of Christian America tricked into celebrating their day of human sacrifices and grave-robbing.

Perian Elvellon Dilthen

My little halfling elf-friend.

October is without a doubt my favourite month. Even Florida is almost TOLERABLE this time of year - the air cools, there's a persistent aroma of well-seasoned wood burning in fireplaces and backyard pits around the neighborhood. It's cool enough to stand being outside for more than five minutes without risking third-degree burns and heatstroke, yet shoes are still optional. And the best part of all: Hallowe'en! Who couldn't love a day in which you can be, quite literally, anyone and anything your heart desires!? Hallowe'en is one day of the year dedicated to fun and frivolity - without the awful pseudo-sentimentality of Christmas!

This year, E is old enough to have a bit of fun! Of course, he's not old enough yet to tell ME what he wants to be, so this year it's all about what Mama wants! And Mama wanted to be Galadriel, Lady of Rivendell, this year, so E gets to be... a Hobbit!

This was my first major sewing project. I can't really consider the T-Shirt surgeries "major"... they were just too easy. The one dress I made for myself was pretty simple, in retrospect. It seemed much harder because that's what I used to learn how to use my machine.

Digress.

The handmade portions of this costume are the waistcoat, the trousers (both made from fabric I received in a huge batch of quilting scraps and sundry via Freecycle [Thanks, Ann!]), and the cloak, made from the leftovers of the aforementioned halter dress. The leaf pin (which I ADORE) was found at the local Goodwill thrift store.

E's favourite part? No hat, no shoes! And Mama lets him play in the dirt. ^_^

Chicken Stuffing Casserole

A hit all around! The whole dish was gone before I finished writing down the recipe. No seconds for Mama. *sigh* Next time, I'll make a double batch.

--2 chicken leg quarters

Boil in water until falling off the bone, then remove from water, skin, bone, and chop. RESERVE THE BROTH - you'll use it to make the stuffing.

--1 16 oz package frozen chopped broccoli - rinsed and drained.

--7 oz sliced mushrooms, rinsed and chopped

--1 can Campbell's cream of chicken soup

--1/2 cup (give or take) sour cream

Mix it all together and spread into the bottom of a 13x9 in pan.

Prepare:

--1 box Stove Top cornbread stuffing, using the water you boiled the chicken in INSTEAD of water and margarine.

Spread stuffing on top of casserole, sprinkle with a little extra broth, then bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Viola!

$5 Dinner - Part the First

I *love* One-Skillet meals, and I particularly love them when they cost less than a footlong sub at your local sandwich peddler.

This was dinner a couple of nights ago :

1 half-pound (1/2 inch thick) sirloin tip steak ($1.47 on sale! w00t!)

1 onion

1 tomato (All I had, otherwise, I probably would have used two.)

2 cloves garlic

1/2 - 1 teaspoon of thyme and/or Italian seasoning (I used both)

1 lb Rotelle, Farfalle, or other fun-shaped pasta - we are cooking for toddlers!, cooked.

Oil and your favourite vinegar(s) (I used red wine and balsamic)

Roughly chop onion, tomato, and garlic, and throw them all in the blender with spices and a little oil and vinegar. We're looking for a thick sauce-like consistency.

Chuck the steak onto your favourite well-seasoned big skillet for about a minute on either side, then slice it into about 1/2 in strips. Put the meat back in the skillet, and pour the sauce on top, and let it simmer for a couple minutes.

Mix in the cooked pasta, and heat through.

SERVE!

This was a big hit with E. I think he likes garlic as much as I do!

Writers' Block since 2003.

Writing has always been important to me. Taking the time to put pen to paper was one of the few things that kept me sane during my adolescence. Within my stories - some realistic, some completely fantastic - I could escape to a world where things simply made more sense. Bad guys were bad guys, good guys were good, and the invariably angry, confused, motherless heroine had plenty of people along the sidelines, fighting to correct the injustice done to her throughout her life. This escape became such a necessity throughout my high school years that I became known for carrying my small worn, soft leather briefcase stuffed with three or four equally tattered marbled Composition books and pens in several styles and colours. The "Extension of [my] Arm", I believe my Dramatic Arts teacher called it.

Eventually, Senior Projects came around. At that point my parents had just informed me there was no chance they would support my attending college, and with those hopes crushed, I found myself lost. The immediate difficulty was the Project, of course. How could I possibly torture myself studying the career paths of a history teacher, when there was no way I would be able to become one without a college degree? Well, I was spending so much time involved in my "own world" that I focused my senior project on the profession of "Fantasy Novelist". Now the time I spent sketching character profiles, detailing the map of Aravest, drafting deities and calendars and cultural festivals for my characters to attend all amounted to 60% of my yearly grade in two classes. My book, "The Sorrow of Calameth" (Calameth being the Elf-God who carved the hills of the world with his Dagger of Power) was cut short at 115 pages, as I was forced to draft SOME ending in order to have a bound copy available to the Judges of the project. I hated the end. I swore the day I printed it that I would go back and show Austeth Windhorse and Derdriu Ravendale some true justice.

Soon after graduation, I fell to the judgement of the cult I once called my home church, and by their bidding I destroyed Aravest - my beautiful planet. The maps, the gods, the calendar, the drawings I worked so hard on... but the book itself I gave to a friend for safe-keeping. Someday I hope to get it back, though this girl and I haven't spoken much at all since school ended.

Since, I have escaped the church, my so-called-family, and all those things that drove me to create Aravest and its people. Still, I miss the hours spent writing letters to Austeth Windhorse by candlelight, in the persona of Amnestia Moonwhisper, on tanned paper with my old scratch pens, and sealing them with drops of wax. I miss escaping - as Derdriu Ravendale - to the Temple of The Lady Moon, staring over the Sacred Lake in meditation as the stars glittered in the sky and over the rippling waters. The characters I have created recently are much stronger than those women: Culatre, another priestess, but one who chose to leave station and security instead of giving up the child she carried to the Gods. Qolqo'tar, the son of Culatre, a vast and powerful Dark Elf seeking adventure in distraction from the revenge he wishes to seek against the Priests that disfigured his mother when she refused to conform.

Characters I can create, yes. Small anecdotes and scenes mere moments long... but the hours of creation have gone from me for a long time.

Perhaps, just perhaps, a change of scenery? Surely internal conflict is not the only thing that can drive me to write? Am I doomed to this writers' block as long as I have a happy life?

Aravest is gone, this I know. Her characters will not return (all but my beloved Austeth have been killed). I have begun a new land, whose name has not yet come to me. The inspiration of this place was (don't laugh) algae growth I viewed from the tower at Lettuce Lake Park. I took pictures, and layered them atop each other in Photoshop, and it is serving to be a most useful planet! I have borrowed two place names from Aravest - the twin cities Qas'arr and Qer'aran - because I don't feel they were explored enough in "Sorrow". And I am still hoping beyond hope that Austeth can return to my writings.

Now, all I need is a plot.

See my new planet here

My Best Friend

That is all.

Chocolate Strawberry Pancakes

I was unsure what to submit as my first blog post, but lo and behold, E delivers.

I hope this blog will be at least mildly entertaining to someone - though it is truly set up as a release for me. I've never been good at keeping a diary, but with the sudden loss of a social site I am a longtime member of, I had to turn somewhere. Here I am!

This morning, after waking early to pick J up from the shop and realizing I was too wired to go back to bed, I decided it was a good morning for pancakes.

Then, it was a good morning for CHOCOLATE CHIP pancakes - because I'm really a five year old trapped in a grownup's body. Bisquick (yep, I cheat. Pancakes are NOT my forté) eggs, milk, chocolate chips. I set the bowl on E's high chair tray and let him stir the mix a little. Like a little chef, he stirs, lifts the spoon, tastes it, then starts throwing in the strawberries I had previously used to pacify him.

At first, I thought "Oh, no!" but then, Mom-brain kicked in. Aww... my little man's helping. So what if the pancakes are kinda mushy in places? these are E's pancakes.

And he rather loved them. ^_^