Is Halloween an innocent, fun-filled event for girls and boys or a modern variation of a pagan celebration glorifying Satan that should be shunned by all Christians?
Local churches have wrestled with that question for years. Many simply ignore the holiday, neither encouraging or discouraging parishioners' participation in Halloween activities. Some denounce it. Others wonder what all the fuss is about.Now, an increasing number of Salt Lake-area churches are staging an alternative celebration, such as a "fall festival," to divert attention from Halloween's questionable origins and overtones.
The Calvary Chapel of Salt Lake City is asking members to "come glorify the Lord" on Oct. 31 when it holds a "Hallelujah Party." Kids can play carnival games for a dime and wear Halloween costumes, although no ghosts, witches, devils or monsters will be allowed.
"We've decided here at the church to shine Jesus Christ and lift him up that night instead of dwelling on the negative," said the Rev. Terry Long of Calvary Chapel. "We were looking for an alternative to the evil which is portrayed on Halloween traditionally."
Holladay Baptist Church is sponsoring a "Children's Fall Festival" on Halloween night. The Salt Lake City Foursquare Church will have a "Harvest Party" on Oct. 31 and the South Valley Evangelical Free Church will stage a "Fall Festival" that evening. Christ United Methodist Church is having a "Harvest Festival" Oct. 27, and St. James Episcopal Church will have a costume party the same night.
The LDS Church does not allow members to wear masks that cover the face into church buildings, but leaders of individual wards are left to decide whether church-sanctioned Halloween parties or activities are held.
"We definitely stress that we don't buy what Halloween's all about," said the Rev. Phil Foard of the South Valley Evangelical Free Church in South Jordan. "We believe it's Satan's holiday, and we're not rabid about that but we just want kids to have an alternative to Halloween."
Only the First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City actually uses the word "Halloween" in the title of its alternative event, a kids' carnival held Friday night. A portion of the proceeds will go to UNICEF.
The Valley Assembly of God, Mountain View Christian Assembly and the Tooele Assembly of God may be inviting controversy with their decisions to co-sponsor "Hell House," a house of horrors that dramatizes real-life events. The Abundant Christian Life Center of Arvada, Colo., drew public criticism for its "Hell House" last year but then sold the idea to dozens of other churches nationwide, including the three here.
Utah's "Hell House" is behind the Valley Assembly of God Church, 3818 W. 4700 South. Gory scenes inside include a simulated abortion, teen suicide, domestic violence and gang warfare. In Colorado, "Hell House" opponents charged that the religious version of a haunted house preached hatred and intolerance. Supporters said the scenes were necessary to reach sinners.
The Rev. Robert Smith of Valley Assembly of God said "Hell House" is part of his church's ministry. After paying $5 and going through the house, he said visitors will be asked to receive Christ as their savior.
"We're trying to emphasize hell's involvement in all of the domestic and social violence that is prominent in our society today," the Rev. Smith said. "Our emphasis is on those problems and what we feel is a cure, and that is a religious experience. We're trying to reach people who need to be reached."
Members of Salt Lake City's First Presbyterian Church will be so wrapped up in their weekend-long Scottish celebration that Halloween could come and go without much notice.
"I know there are individuals within our congregation who don't like any attention paid to Halloween because of its connection to being a pagan event, and then there are those who don't look at it as a pagan event but see it as a cultural thing," said Kathy Gullberg, the church's coordinator of ministries. "We have both sides of the spectrum here within our own congregation so, in some ways, having the Scottish Ceilidh (pronounced kay-lee) is nice so that we're all disinterested (in Halloween) and don't think about it."
Others find it easy to let Halloween come and go, and even enjoy it.
"We see it basically as a time for fun and a time when people can basically let their hair down and have some fun, dress up," said the Rev. Lee Shaw of St. James Episcopal in Midvale. "I think for some people it's easier to be concerned about so-called evil practices outside themselves than to look at what's inside their own life. It's easier to have devils on the outside than confront your own sense of brokenness and sin."