Holiday question from a "Fundie"

[emmiedahl]

Day of the Dead is a totally different vibe from Halloween though. It is a celebration and a chance to visit and honor those who have passed away. Halloween is more about grosser the better and being scary - not that there is anything wrong with that, just a very different purpose.

I've never seen a Halloween celebration grosser than the Day of the Dead celebrations I have been to. And Halloween began with the exact same purpose; it remains a celebration for most people, although the Catholic/religious significance has been removed.

[emmiedahl]

I appreciate everyone's thoughts on this matter of the gory halloween decor.

I didn't live next door to this display... But suppose I did. Suppose my next door neighbor had chopped feet hanging from their porch. What would be the best course of action if this display was causing problems/ nightmares for

My kids. I can't avoid it- its next door. Would i be able to ask the neighbor to remove that part of the display?

I don't mind halloween decor until they reach horror movie/blood-gore-guts level. one of my friends drove past a guillotine display. Very bloody. This kind of decor is what I would he concerned about.

I live in a tiny apartment, with my neighbor's door about ten feet from mine. And yet my kids and I still would have to go out of our way to see what is on my neighbor's porch, and we certainly could avoid looking if it disturbed us.

Look. You're just looking for an excuse to bitch about teh eebil heathens. It's obvious. Take it to 7xsunday where someone might care.

[CynicMom]

I think she was asking what the difference is between a potentially obscene Halloween decoration by a neighbor and a religious display put up by city hall. Lots of people, myself included, would object to scenario #2 but not #1. The reasons:

-some cities put up religious displays of one religion (Christianity) only. This violates the establishment clause.

-a neighbor's display represents what one household believes. A city hall display represents the views of the city. This is an argument by popularity in favor of Christianity.

My city displays several messages throughout the year. They put out messages like "don't drink and drive", "celebrate Halloween safely", "hooray for books", "go local sports team" and similar. A nativity scene during one holiday is a similar message: a message about how residents are supposed to celebrate the season.

I bet this is what she was really getting at.

[Mama Mia]

emmidahl -- I'm curious, where have you seen gross Day of the Dead celebrations ? The ones I see are always really sweet, they have the sugar skulls of course, but otherwise it is just about having an alter and visiting with people who have passed away and sharing their favorite foods etc... I've never seen any severed parts or any of that. I'm just wondering if they are done differently in different regions.

I agree the trick or treat and party part of Halloween is a celebration, just the spin seems a little different- with being scared and monsters and haunted houses and all of that.

[clibbyjo]

I am more offended my people showing my kids pictures of REAL dead fetuses without my permisson when I drive through a public place. I guess you are ok with showing your children those but fake stuff for fun is no go? I only have a 3 foot gargoyle,a string of prayer flags and a couple of gnomes out all year. Anyone who is scared of that stuff can kindly stay off my property as I don't think I want to know you.

[ladypuglover]

emmidahl -- I'm curious, where have you seen gross Day of the Dead celebrations ? The ones I see are always really sweet, they have the sugar skulls of course, but otherwise it is just about having an alter and visiting with people who have passed away and sharing their favorite foods etc... I've never seen any severed parts or any of that. I'm just wondering if they are done differently in different regions.

I agree the trick or treat and party part of Halloween is a celebration, just the spin seems a little different- with being scared and monsters and haunted houses and all of that.

I know you're not asking me but I remember some South American tribe/people who would dig up their dead for the day and would redress them and party well into the night with dead grandma. I think that is pretty gross and of course now I have to go look for these people on google.

[Mama Mia]

Digging up the relatives would definitely qualify as gross ! Yikes !

[ladypuglover]

Found one site but it is N. Korea that does it.

http://myfunkyfuneral.com/triviaplaces.php

This site looks so cool. I love leaarning other's customs and if it involves the strange, even better.

[VodouDoll]

Found one site but it is N. Korea that does it.

http://myfunkyfuneral.com/triviaplaces.php

This site looks so cool. I love leaarning other's customs and if it involves the strange, even better.

Madagascar too. They dance with their dead relatives.