Halloween

Michelle C. Nogales

Message 9224 · 7 Oct 1997 05:37:32 · Fixed-width font · Whole thread

On Fri, 3 Oct 1997 05:21:54 -0400 The_Healys <Xxx_Xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx>
writes:

>I also take issue that Halloween is not European. The two great
>Satanic feasts are Halloween (the Eve of All Hallows) and Walpurgis
>(May Day Eve) when witches and warlocks gathered in great Sabbats
>and the Lord of Misrule ruled.
>
>Jim Healy
>Perth, Scotland
>
>--
>The_Healys <Xxx_Xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx>

Thank you for bringing up the pre-American historicity of the
holiday now most commonly celebrated as Halloween. One wee correction:
Samhain ( All Hallows ) and Walpurgis are Pagan holidays, not Satanic.
They not only predate America, they predate the arrival of Christianity
in Europe. Satan is a Christian concept, not shared by Pagans. I've
never knowingly met a Satanist, so I don't know whether they consider
themselves Pagans or not; but I've met many Pagans and not one of those
is a Satanist.
Sorry if I seem off-topic, but that's a common misconception,
especially prevalent this time of year. Now, for something completely
different...
Happy dancing,
Michelle Nogales
San Francisco