JesusWeen? Not in this House!¿JesusWeen? ¡En esta casa no!
By: Keith
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They’re kidding, right? Right!? No. Sadly, I don’t think they are. I have to admit, though, I really like their website, and they seem to have competent social media marketing. But, back to the point! Here’s the idea: These folks have put together a campaign that promotes turning Halloween into JesusWeen. They want Christians to spend whatever money they would have spent on costumes and instead send that money to ministries that print Christian books and tracts (pamphlets that they give to you urging you to repent). In addition, they want all Christians to wear a plain white shirt on Halloween to symbolize righteousness. Being righteous, incidentally, is a lot like being super bitchin‘ or, if you live in Boston, wicked cool. Anyway, setting my not being a righteous dude aside, I’m not thrilled about the move. It’s my belief that Christians would be better off doing what Christians do (worshiping) than trying to stick their noses into a holiday wherein everyone else just wants to relax. There is, of course, freedom of speech. Thus, Christians can walk around in their white t-shirts all they want looking like dorks and passing out literature. I’m just saying it’s dumb and that intruding on Holidays doesn’t endear Christians (or any religion) to potential converts.
HH
I saw this photo this morning (the one on the right) and felt sad for the sorry sods who thought up “JesusWeen”. What is it with Christians taking over all our cherished pagan holidays? First it was Christmas and Easter. Now Halloween? If this JesusWeen thing catches on (not a snowball’s chance in hell) I wonder what they’ll be saying in a few hundred years about it. “JesusWeen has been taken over by corporations and is no longer celebrated as it was originally intended, a recognition of Jesus’ casting out demons! Outrage!” Tongue in cheek, folks. Tongue in Cheek!
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¿Están bromeando, verdad? ¿¡Verdad!? No. Tristemente, no creo que así sea. Pero tengo que admitir que, realmente me gusta su página de Internet y que ellos parecen tener una publicidad en el medio social competente. Pero, de vuelta al asunto. Esta es la idea: Estas personas han creado una campaña que promueve el convertir Halloween en JesusWeen. Ellos quieren que los cristianos usen el dinero que de otra manera se gastarían en disfraces en ministerios y en imprimir libros cristianos y panfletos (de los que reparten rogándote que te arrepientas). Además, ellos quieren que todos los cristianos se pongan una playera toda de blanco en Halloween para simbolizar virtud. Por cierto, el ser virtuoso es bastante parecido a ser súper padre o, dependiendo de dónde seas, súper chido. De todas maneras, poniendo el hecho de que no soy un tipo virtuoso de lado, no estoy muy emocionado acerca de este movimiento. Yo creo que los cristianos estarían mucho mejor haciendo lo que los cristianos hacen (adorar), en lugar de tratar de meterse con un día festivo en el que todo el resto del mundo solo quiere disfrutar tranquilamente. Existe, por supuesto, la libertad de expresión. Por lo tanto, los cristianos pueden andar como bobos vestidos con sus camisetas blancas y repartiendo literatura tanto como ellos quieran. Yo solo estoy diciendo que es estúpido y que entrometerse con los días festivos no hace de los cristianos (o cualquier otra religión) más apreciados por posibles conversos.
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Yo vi esta foto esta mañana (la que está a la derecha) y me dieron lástima los pobres soquetes que tuvieron la idea de “JesusWeen”. ¿Qué les pasa a los cristianos que quieren dominar todos nuestros días festivos paganos? Primero fue la Navidad y la Pascua. ¿Ahora también Halloween? Si este JesusWeen se pega (no en un millón de años) me pregunto qué estarán diciendo en unos cuantos cientos de años acerca de este. “¡JesusWeen ha sido dominado por las corporaciones y ya no es celebrado como fue originalmente creado, en reconocimiento de Jesús exorcizando demonios! ¡Qué atrocidad!” ¡Es broma, chavos! ¡Es en broma!
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JesusWeen has no ring or marketability what so ever. Now Hallelujah Night?? That’ll look better on a banner.
Now, Christians are supposed to “go throughout the world and spread the gospel” Mark 16:15 This is what this group is doing, of course it’s going to be looked at as retarded because it’s telling people they don’t agree with their celebrations of Halloween. They’re trying to find a niche, and more than likely it’s not going to work this way I believe (the name almost makes it seem like a joke). Sure they’ll get people to ask them what they’re doing, but there’s other ways to get the attention of the Halloweeners.
My father in law passes out tracts with candy, some may throw it away when they see it, but there could be the one person that reads it and goes, “Hey, this makes sense.” And that person could be the one that ministers to hundreds. So to a Christian, even if one person is saved, they’re doing God’s work.
Eric: I guess that’s true. That’s exactly how Christians see it. And, I think that’s part of the reason there’s such conflict between christians (or any religion that proselytizes) and non-believers. Christians don’t mind annoying 99 people if they can get one convert. The 99 people who are annoyed, however, go on to write blog posts like mine. Isn’t freedom of religion (or non religion) great!? I wouldn’t ever take away people’s right to bug me so I say all of this knowing life is all about telling each other we’re wrong and having a beer afterwards.
Thanks for the comment, Eric.
JesusWeen– hmm…. What would Jesus do? Would he be handing out tracts and spamming Facebook with messages about KoolAid and mini Snickers bars over at his one bedroom condo? Maybe he would dress up as someone?
I think I’ve seen this called HarvestFest or some other generic holiday name for this time of year. Now I think that is okay– perhaps more wholesome than rotting your teeth out from the candy makers that push this event.
Dennis: Most people do Halloween for the dress up. I’m not sure I know many people who would complain if the candy part was eliminated. I think halloween should be as scary as possible — monsters, ghouls and such. I think we ought to go around scaring the hell out of each other because that’s a lot more fun than wearing a white t-shirt and falsely claiming piety. Neil and Alan don’t really care about the candy. For them Halloween is all about dressing up. Most kids are like that.
JesusWeen, they can’t be serious. Sounds like a Christian Ween cover band. Like you said, if they were serious they would have came up with a better name. I’d modify Eric’s suggestion and go with Halloweleuja.
If this group is collecting money for printing books about love and not hate, and not using the money for little militant groups, where’s the harm? If they want to put on a plain white shirt, and not a KKK robe, or a swastika, or any other hate group symbol, I’m good with it. They’re following the Bible in separating themselves from the world, while spreading the word.
Honestly, Halloween is about candy. If it weren’t, you wouldn’t have so many teens coming to your door in half-hearted costumes wanting it. Why? Because it’s free, and all they have to do is rip a shirt and put some fake blood on themselves.
Last year in my neighborhood, (a neighborhood I had just moved to), literally had people driving in vans, and falling out of it, like clowns from a little car, to trick or treat. It wasn’t to show me their great costumes, I can tell you that first hand. It was all about how much candy they could get. For what? For FREEEEE. And yes, there were adults with their pillowcases wanting a free hand out as well. I wouldn’t mind one of those pamphlets to put in their bags, LOL, but I’m not there this year, so I don’t have to deal with the greedy hoards.
Mel: We have an annual parade here in Boulder. It’s called the Munchkin Masquerade. Kids go to downtown in their costumes and just mix around with each other. Most of the businesses give out little pieces of candy, but there are so many people on Pearl Street that NOBODY cares about the candy. They just go to show off their costumes. Likewise, while I do get random teenagers showing up at my door wanting candy, I completely disagree that the most kids care much about the candy. Kids under 10 here REALLY get into the spirit with their costumes. I would also argue that doing anything because the bible tells you to is a legitimate excuse for doing it. I might as well write a book telling people to do crazy stuff. If they started believing it they could simply say “well, the book of Keith told me to do it. So be more tolerant, man!” See? That’s silly, right? You’re right though, they aren’t hurting anybody — they’re just being obnoxious. Much like scientologists. Not really harmful, but really really obnoxious.
There are a lot of people that are obnoxious, but if they’re not breaking any laws, or trying to destroy our free will, then, yeah, I guess we must tolerate them. By the way, there is a book out there that claims there isn’t a difference between good and evil. As I recall the author is Neale, not Keith.
I’m really surprised to hear the kids in Boulder are more interested in costumes. This is a good thing. I don’t know any kid that thinks Halloween is about costumes over candy. Even kids that don’t particularly care for candy, (there are a few), tell me that Halloween is all about the candy.
My first thought was that it could be a celebration of when Mary quit breastfeeding Jesus. Just finished weaning my youngest, so that’s where my head is right now.
Good grief…Nothing like having my Christian faith set back a hundred years.