Aiyana Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 So my 12-year-old daughter is going to be a Greek goddess for Halloween (not sure which one). My husband doesn't like the idea, I know, but he didn't say anything about it until yesterday. My daughter had planned to trick or treat with a friend from church (whose mom is a good friend of mine), and the two wanted to be Greek goddesses together. Well, yesterday DD changes her Halloween plans, she's no longer going to hang out on Halloween with this friend. She tells us the matching goddess plan is over, because my friend won't allow her daughter to dress as a goddess because it's "ungodly". Then my husband says, "I agree." Now I know I should be thankful. My husband left it at that. He didn't ban DD from wearing the costume (she's DH's stepdaughter, but a few years back I can pretty much guarantee it would have been a huge marital fight). But it's really freaking annoying. I've had hope lately that my husband was starting to come to his senses about Christianity, but this put me in such a bad mood because I realized, nope, he isn't. A part of me wants to point out that our son has all kinds of Marvel Avengers stuff, and, hello? Who is one of the Avengers? THOR. But I don't really want to point it out, because I don't want Avengers to be taken from my son. Fuck. I want so badly for my husband to deconvert. It's so frustrating that my kids should be affected in ANY way by this nonsense. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted October 28, 2014 Super Moderator Share Posted October 28, 2014 People whose thinking is dominated by superstition are quite irritating. Sadly, such people have frequently managed to get books banned and oppressive laws written. Society as a whole is entirely too sympathetic to them. I remember the olden days when good Catholics couldn't eat meat on Fridays; the result was all public school cafeterias served fish sticks and mac 'n cheese on those days. I hate fish sticks and all the people who made me eat them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
♦ ficino ♦ Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 I hear you. When my nephew was in grade school, I got him for Christmas a book on Greek mythology, remembering how much I loved Greek myths as a kid. My sister, who is a fundamentalist, thought it was a good present. My brother in law, however, without telling me, told her that their son shouldn't keep that gift because it was glorifying paganism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
♦ Fuego ♦ Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 Sorry you have to deal with it as such a close range. Have you talked with the kids about this so they can start watching for it? Most people do not like to be controlled, and even less so by stupid superstitions (if they can see the stupid). Others gravitate towards the stupid because part of them thinks that by doing X they will get an advantage in life (luck or favor with the gods), and they don't want to give that up in case it might work or in case the gods might hurt them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator TheRedneckProfessor Posted October 28, 2014 Super Moderator Share Posted October 28, 2014 It may help to think about all the fundie assholes out there who don't even allow their kids to celebrate Halloween or go trick-or-treating on account of it being "ungodly". Not to say your situation doesn't suck; but it could suck worse. I grew up in a family like that. All the other kids came to school in their costumes and I just sat their in my plain clothes angry, frustrated, embarrassed, and confused. All the other kids came in the next day bragging about all the candy they got and what a great time they had trick-or-treating; I just sat their wondering what it must have been like. Hell, this past weekend was the first time in my life that I ever carved a jack-o-lantern. Be thankful that hubby hasn't dropped the axe on Halloween; that kind of shit lingers long after the child has grown up. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aiyana Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 Yeah, I think what this is all about, is I want so badly for my husband to be set free from all of it. I've felt lately like there were some signs that things might be moving it that direction, but I saw this as a setback, I guess. Also, my friend who said that the costume is ungodly is one of my more liberal friends. I would not have expected that from her, and I'm really disappointed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aiyana Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 RedneckProfessor, your story fucking breaks my heart. Nothing pisses me off more than children being made to think that something is wrong or "evil" with their innocent childlike fun. You carve the SHIT out of that jack-o-lantern. And ficino, same thing, with your nephew. So sad. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 I'm so sorry Aiyana. Yes, I think the deconversion process ends up being an ebb and flow situation. I don't know if he is deconverting or not. But what I notice in my own situation, is if there is personal struggle, they return to the god more quickly than if things are smooth, and then they can think. A lot of people have very reflexive attitudes about Halloween. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongWayAround Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 I feel lucky that our kids are grown and I don't have to deal with those sorts of scenarios with my christian wife but I definitely feel for you and can sympathize. I, too, really wish my spouse would deconvert but I am not getting my hopes up at all. There are moments when I think she sees a glimpse of reality but then shortly after that she will say something that confirms she is still deep in the xtian forest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slave2six Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 Halloween, whose pagan origins can be traced to the Celtic festival of Samhain, celebrated in ancient England and Ireland to mark the beginning of the Celtic new year wherein the souls of the dead were supposed to revisit their homes on Samhain eve, and witches, goblins, black cats, and ghosts were said to roam abroad. Celebrating that is OK but dressing as a goddess is not? Yeah, that makes perfect sense to me. ----------------- Does your husband or your friend celebrate All Saints Day? ($20 virtual says "No.") 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aiyana Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 Halloween, whose pagan origins can be traced to the Celtic festival of Samhain, celebrated in ancient England and Ireland to mark the beginning of the Celtic new year wherein the souls of the dead were supposed to revisit their homes on Samhain eve, and witches, goblins, black cats, and ghosts were said to roam abroad. Celebrating that is OK but dressing as a goddess is not? Yeah, that makes perfect sense to me. ----------------- Does your husband or your friend celebrate All Saints Day? ($20 virtual says "No.") But there's a "Harvest Party" at church donchaknow? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RipVanWinkle Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 Aiyana: I have the same situation with my wife. She wants our grandchild to learn about jesus and the Xtian god and to go to a Christian school. I can't win that dispute because my daughter (the child's mother) is with her mother on this. But the good news is that neither my wife nor her mother is a fundamentalist. So I find it best to pick my battles. I don't believe my wife will buy in to fundamentalism. Nor my daughter. The good news that none of them believe they will go to will go to hell. Of course they believe I will.That's the cross they have to bear. Unfortunately. But that's their choice. Otherwise, they get on well. But I do understand your frustration. My advice is just to hang in there. It's better than faking Xtianity. Good look. bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
passerina Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 I sympathize, Aiyana. This will be my kids first Halloween trick or treating and we are concealing it from the grandparents, ha. My siblings and friends and I all knew Halloween was satan's day. We gave out kids bible lessons on Halloween. Fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deva Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 My parents let me dress up as a gypsy. I was 7. That was before they started being fundys, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellinas Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 A couple of years ago the neighbours held a "hallelujah" party on Hallowe'en - dressing up permitted provided it was nothing to do with ghouls, the dead etc. Rather seemed to miss the point, to be honest. The reaction of your husband is pretty much what I would expect - you've softened him up, but he's still hanging on. He may never deconvert - just keep chipping away at his intolerance of non-christian ideas and practices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discern Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 My parents pulled me out of school when my classroom was putting up halloween decorations haha We weren't allowed to dress up. We just had a little party at the church to celebration Satan Jesus. I came home from school once, excited that we were watching Jason and the Argonauts in class. My parents didn't like that..."Greek myths are demonic, why do you like those stories for?" One class assignment was to choose an egyptian god and draw it. I asked my parents what I should do, since I knew they were false gods. After a serious discussion at home, it was decided that I could go ahead and draw it. "We don't agree with it, but just do it and get it out of the way." Fundamentalist childhoods are a real trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilith666 Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Oh, Christ. The deities are literary characters. No one (or very few) has believed in them for a long, long time. These people need to calm their tits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Not only that, but apparently in Greek times, many in the upper classes did not believe in the deities as anything other than mythology and ceremony for the masses. Priests even put on shows, making idols cry and such, and knew it was a big show. I'm curious, though I'll probably never find out, how many high rollers in the evangelical community even believe what they claim. Maybe they live it, think it's good for 'Murica, don't have any so-called sins, can spout the dogma with a straight face, maybe even cry at the right times, but don't actually buy it. Inquiring minds want to know, but perhaps never shall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
francesco Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 for christians who think it's ungodly because it's pagan their christmas is originated from pagan their easter is also originated from pagan their church is also originated from pagan their priest/pastor is also originated from pagan their sacred object (cross, communion table, etc) is originated from pagan the irony is strong with his one 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Furball Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 Funny how paul in acts mocks the athenians for being too superstitious yet that's exactly what the bible instills in people-superstition. The divine boogeyman if you will get you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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