We don’t have time to mess around with this topic – but just because it is Halloween doesn’t mean we ought to dress (undress?) like a porn star. The truth is that Halloween has been taken over by commercialized sex more than any other holiday. What a shame! It is part and parcel of a culture that is stewing in a porn-injected understanding of sexuality and the human person. In many ways, other people are only pieces of meat for public display in modern culture.

Nobody should participate in this side of Halloween. Now, I am not saying that we should reject Halloween all-together, rather I am suggesting that we need to start to think about it now in order to plan on how we might redeem the good in it.

But, first, let us look at the bad, by way of introducing a few costumes.

I remember dressing up as a kid as a robot, superman, cowboy, etc. I also remember some ghosts, princesses, etc. But, I certainly don’t remember the tawdry outfits that we have today. Think of Halloween as a kid. What did you dress up as? Well, you could probably put the word “sexy” before that costume idea and if you google it, come up with several options. Seriously, who dresses as a “sexy” kid’s cartoon character and thinks that is just okey-dokey (if you think there is something sexy about Dora The Explorer, then there is really something wrong inside)? This means that both men and women have some work to do.

WOMEN STAND UP FOR YOURSELVES. Who do you think designs all these “sexy” and “adult” costumes? It certainly isn’t your neighborhood feminist, religious sister, or anyone else who respects women. It is someone who wants to use your beauty to incite lust in others. This not only is scandalous and sinful, but it is just downright evil. Pornography is the depiction of human sexuality with the intent to incite lust. If that is the case, don’t treat your body like a walking porn video by dressing in something that shows too little of who you truly are by showing too much of your beautiful body!

MEN AREN’T OFF THE HOOK EITHER. You don’t need to wear anything offensive or sexy either. The most offensive costumes I have seen were actually for men. Men do not need to parade themselves as objects of sex or evil either. Nor should they encourage women to dress up like prostitutes or porn stars.

Think of it this way – what spiritual being would want men and women displaying themselves for others in bars, streets, and parties?
Hint – it ain’t anybody in Heaven…

Even small children’s costumes have been sexualized (but as a father of four girls, you won’t find any of them dressing up like tiny strippers, which they DO have).

There are some who say that Christians should not partake in anything that has to do with Halloween, because of it’s association with evil, the devil, and the occult. While we certainly shouldn’t have anything to do with those things, we need not throw the baby out with the bathwater. There are some good things about Halloween as expressed in these Catholic articles, which can be redeemed:

• It is Time For Catholics To Embrace Halloween
• How Halloween Can Be Redeemed
• Surprise: Halloween’s Not a Pagan Festival After All

With this all in mind, I make the following suggestions if you are going to participate in Halloween:

• Wear a modest and appropriate costume if you dress up. Nothing “sexy”. Make it fun or creative.
• Learn the truth behind Halloween and share it with others.
• Don’t forget to celebrate All Souls and All Saints with even more gusto.
• If you have kids, teach them about the Catholic roots of the days surrounding Halloween, dress them appropriately as well, keep them safe, and don’t expose them to the occult practices that sometimes surround Halloween.
• Avoid the grotesque, terror, and horror of Halloween.
• Pray for the souls in Purgatory and with the Saints in Heaven.
• Don’t let kids trick-or-treat without adults, late, or in unknown/dangerous places.
• Don’t watch horror movies or dabble in “games” that have occult origins, such as Tarot cards or the Ouija board.
• Have fun, be creative and don’t let the culture define your Halloween.

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