What Are Your Plans For Halloween?

Anyone already have a costume in mind, some movies they'll watch, some fiction they'll read or some games they'll play? Any special parties or activities you're looking forward to?

These days I feel like I don't have the time and energy to throw myself into Halloween, and can summon just enough energy to help my boys Trick or Treat. The last few years I've told myself I'd watch something scary or play a horror-themed board game or do a little horror themed game session or live stream. But so far it hasn't happened.

Before kids we used to have other young adults over to play a game of "Zombies" or watch a favorite horror movie.

Don't you know Christians shouldn't go trick or treating? Because it gives kids candy and if kids eat too much candy they become the spawns of the devil so it's evil EVIL I say.

Ok joking aside I was thinking about trying a 13 hour stream of the Haunted Mansion ps2 game but having a hard time getting my ps2 to work with my Game capture hardware so if I can fix the problem then I might do that

Rickster wrote: having a hard time getting my ps2 to work with my Game capture hardware so if I can fix the problem then I might do that

You're using the Roxio HD, right? Shoot me an e-mail if you want to compare troubleshooting notes. I had similar trouble. That was ultimately the reason I started looking for a replacement, since I like and still play PS2 quite a bit.

Nothing too crazy planned.
I'm releasing some horror themed stories on the Untold Podcast.
And the Sunday before Halloween (not a church holiday) I'm preaching a first-person sermon... from the perspective of the man possessed by Legion.

Nathan James Norman wrote: I'm preaching a first-person sermon... from the perspective of the man possessed by Legion.

After the service will you be serving Deviled Ham?

Rickster wrote:

After the service will you be serving Deviled Ham?

Hahaha!!! We should!

Nathan James Norman wrote: I'm preaching a first-person sermon... from the perspective of the man possessed by Legion.

Dude that sounds really interesting! Remind me, which other figures have you featured in that format on a Sunday morning?

Thank you.

Off the top of my head:

Darius (Daniel and the Lion's Den)
Jonathan (1 Sam 14)
Abinadab (Jesse's second son... David and Goliath)
Abraham (The Sacrifice of Isaac)
Centurion present at the crucifixion
Peter (the denial and restoration)
Paul (the road to Damascus)
King Herod
A Shepherd (the birth of Christ)
Old Simeon (the birth/presentation of Christ)
Thomas (the doubting Thomas scene)
Barabbas

I have one on Elijah vs. the prophets of Baal coming in November (very R Rated)
And I believe I'll be a Magi for this Christmas.

When done right, these are extremely effective and emotional sermons.
I've also been flabbergasted that people actually get scarred of Goliath, or the Philistines, etc.. I've had people tell me they almost had to leave because it was too intense. And usually the really intense stuff comes right from the text.
All of this to say: the Bible contains some of the best crafted stories ever. It is literature that captivates the emotions of human experience very well.

Wow, very cool!

Nathan James Norman wrote:
I have one on Elijah vs. the prophets of Baal coming in November (very R Rated)

R, huh? You going topless for this or cutting an eye out or something? How many F-bombs are you allocated if you warn your congregation of the rating in advance?

Paeter wrote:

R, huh? You going topless for this or cutting an eye out or something? How many F-bombs are you allocated if you warn your congregation of the rating in advance?

Heh. Nothing like that... but here's what makes it R (and the congregation will be warned well in advanced with alternative to the service).

Baal worship proliferated largely because of its religious requirements. Baal was the god of the storm and thus, the god of crops. Baal worshipers believed if they needed rain to help their crops, the only way to do so was to entice Baal into ejaculating upon the earth (yes... they thought this was rain... and yes... ewwwwwwwww).

In order to get Baal to do this, they staged massive orgies. The sexual deviance and physical abuse that happened at these things was incredible. They believed it needed to rise to this level in order to arouse this false god.

Naturally the resulting children were often sacrificed to Baal.

So, no f-bombs, no actual nudity, or physical portrayals of violence. But I think the description rises to an R rating

For Halloween, I'll be waiting until November 1 and buying a lot of half-priced candy.

mikel.withers wrote:For Halloween, I'll be waiting until November 1 and buying a lot of half-priced candy.

Bing! Winner!

mikel.withers wrote:For Halloween, I'll be waiting until November 1 and buying a lot of half-priced candy.

Whenever someone talks about Halloween candy this comes to my mind

[quote="Nathan James Norman"]

Paeter wrote:
Baal worship proliferated largely because of its religious requirements. Baal was the god of the storm and thus, the god of crops. Baal worshipers believed if they needed rain to help their crops, the only way to do so was to entice Baal into ejaculating upon the earth (yes... they thought this was rain... and yes... ewwwwwwwww).

So, no f-bombs, no actual nudity, or physical portrayals of violence. But I think the description rises to an R rating

Oh my gosh yes! When I first read that in a historical commentary I thought I HAD to be misunderstanding something. Nasty!

Wow, have fun! What's the alternative? Watching Superbook and Flying House in the nursery? (Three cheers for Christian anime! They get geek entertainment either way they go!)

mikel.withers wrote:For Halloween, I'll be waiting until November 1 and buying a lot of half-priced candy.

Your discipline is impressive. I try to disguise it a little by attempting to master the art of buying JUST enough candy so that I barely open the bag of stuff I like (the cheap candy is given out first for most of the evening) before the night runs out of kids.

A holiday season tradition for me post-thanksgiving is opening the window at night (when it's FINALLY cool enough to do so in AZ), light a candle and eat leftover Halloween candy while playing video games in my office. Good times are coming!

Rickster wrote:

mikel.withers wrote:For Halloween, I'll be waiting until November 1 and buying a lot of half-priced candy.

Whenever someone talks about Halloween candy this comes to my mind

Dude that's awesome. Snick-a-loaf! A new holiday tradition!

Paeter wrote:

Oh my gosh yes! When I first read that in a historical commentary I thought I HAD to be misunderstanding something. Nasty!

Wow, have fun! What's the alternative? Watching Superbook and Flying House in the nursery? (Three cheers for Christian anime! They get geek entertainment either way they go!)

I've actually been amazed at how many commentaries shy away from the details: "Baal worship involved sexual practices and was really, really, bad and made God really, really mad."

I think superbook might be a kick-awesome alternative!

As a Dutch person who hasn't grown up in a culture that celebrates Halloween, I find its symbolism not very enticing, and the home decorations downright ugly. All those skulls, spiders, ravens, monsters, tied to a All Hallow's Eve, not my cup of tea. And even from an esthetical perspective definitely not something I would adorn myself or my house with.

But of course I can only look at it as a cultural outsider.

ComiKate wrote:As a Dutch person who hasn't grown up in a culture that celebrates Halloween, I find its symbolism not very enticing, and the home decorations downright ugly. All those skulls, spiders, ravens, monsters, tied to a All Hallow's Eve, not my cup of tea. And even from an esthetical perspective definitely not something I would adorn myself or my house with.

But of course I can only look at it as a cultural outsider.

That's us crazy American's for you. Hmm. That suddenly makes me wonder, do the Japanese celebrate Halloween? They invented Cosplay, right? Or is that from America?