Hanna Banana

When you see a walking 6 foot banana at prayer meeting, well you know it is Halloween at church.

In the last few years, many churches have had a love-hate relationship with Halloween. Some think even acknowledging the holiday is somehow a betrayal of the Kingadom. Frankly, I have never understood such silliness. Every age places (we hope) the church in an antagonist culture with all kinds of influences. One needs to decide which issues are worth engaging and which are just meaningless cultural observances.

When I was growing up, Halloween was that way. Some teachers thought it important we know the roots of Halloween but most of us just knew it as a time when we got a costume, and went out and got lots and lots of candy from strangers. What could possibly be wrong with that?

I know times changed. The culture became more dark and broken. One of those areas was in the area of the dark side of mythology and gross misunderstandings of the power of evil. Another was in the danger of going door to door and accepting things from strangers.

So, some church folks began to think of Halloween as a celebration of the demonic and of evil. Others felt our society was fundamentally unsafe. I guess I never bought that view.

From that vantage point came the idea of alternative celebrations at local churches completely stripped of all the "stuff" that was seen as undermining the Christian message. Some of my friends and staff wanted to do that, and I would say, "As long as you don't forget the candy. Candy is inherently neutral in the culture wars. And as long as it's free, and as long as kids can get more than they need to eat in one sitting. They really need to get enough candy to make them sick if they eat it in one setting."

Of course, everyone would look at me--again--and wonder.

The fact is, kids need to have the Halloween experience. They need to see their world as a rather safe place in which to be. They need to see their neighbors as safe people to turn to, and if they are not, who is not and why are they not. They need to see the world as "kid friendly" and generous to children. And, unless there are serious health concerns, children need occasionally to be showered with candy. Candy is a wonderful comfort food which affirms the potential goodness of life.

So, bring on the giant banana--as long as it is followed by a bite sized Snicker's bar.