Donny's Ramblings

Donny, I have a problem with celebrating Haloween. That right, ME. All the little kids get candy and not me. It just isn’t fair. What right does this paganistic holiday have to single me out?! What Right!? And what right do these people have that when, I plant a cherry bomb in there mail box they have to call the police!? It is Trick or Treat right? Did I miss something?!BLAH!Ron

Ron,If you’re not a parent of a small child, borrow a kid and steal some of his candy.I sneak my favorites out of Caden’s bag when he’s not looking. Shhh… don’t tell anyone.- Donny -

Hey that’s a great idea… I’ve got a couple sister-in-laws… I’ll take them out tonight… And the candy will be mine!lol, I’m a dork.Ron

just some clarification, will you be washing that big toe first??????

Brad,No! It will not be washed! In fact, I think I’ll go walk the Sacramento River Trail first, to get my feet nice and sweaty.

By the way,Blogger has been messing up big time lately. Sometimes it only partially publishes a page I write, or a comment left by a reader. That, in turn, sometimes screws up the entire page.

Hi Donny, you might be interested to know that I just posted on precisely this subject. I grew up in a Pentecostal household as well.

Yeah, I get what you’re saying. I realized late last week that I just want my kids to be able to dress up and get fat on candy once a year. IS THAT SO WRONG!?!?

Jeff,Its only wrong if you don’t have any candy Jeff, pure and simple.-Ron

My wife and I have the candy out.I just heard your interview on XXXChurch.com. I really love the ministry those guys do there. Your testimony has touched my heart. My God richly bless you, my brother.

Halloween is so much fun! What child can resist a day where you can dress up in a costume, knock on stranger’s doors, and be rewarded with candy?! I think of it as simply a fun Fall festivity. I do try to stay away from the ‘dark’ types of decorations/costumes here at home (sometimes Cary and I disagree about that a little! We have fun going out as princesses, superheroes, etc., and decorating with smiley pumpkins and scarecrows.Have fun tonight! Maybe we’ll run into you out trick-or-treating!

Internet Monk has a podcast today (Halloween 2006) in which he states that this “anti-Halloween cottage industry” is a fairly-recent development (as in the last 30 years). He names Mike “Satan Seller” Warnke (exposed as a fraud 15 years ago) as the one responsible “for wrecking Halloween”.

Anonymous,Even as a non believer I still enjoyed Mike Warnke’s tapes. It was a sad deal to find out that “some” of his stories were stretched for entertainment reasons. I wish that not to be the case because he was/is a very talented and inspiring story teller. -John

John,Take a look at that “blogs I read” section over there on the right. You’re #1, baby! Number freakin’ 1 !!

It was interesting to meet you at church Sunday. I am the music guy. I just wanted to show my support and comment here. Our worship team had a very productive conversation in the green room about porn and what our kids are exposed to and a bunch of pretty vunerable stuff. Thanks for putting up with us invading your table! Just meeting you was an encouragement.BTW–I just got back from Halloween trick or treat stuff with my kids. They are great. What a great way to meet neighbors, too.

At least it’s an oppertunity to hand out some tracts.

Donny man, first I apologise.. for causing agitation to your posts, but I have to state my case~I [think] I understand your point with Halloween; But [and hey, maybe you allready know this],”It came from an ancient druid custom set up for human sacrifices; Druids offered children in sacrifices. They believed that only “the fruit of the body” offered to Satan was for the “sin of the soul.”The trick or treat custom was created by the druids. When they went to a home and demanded a child or virgin for sacrifice, the victim was the druid’s treat. In exchange, they would leave a jack o lantern with a lighted candle made of human fat to prevent those inside from being killed by demons that night.when someone unforunate could’nt meet the demands of the druids, then it was time for the trick. A symbolic hex was drawn on the front door, and that night Satan or his demons would kill someone in that home.That is an ancient custom right? Not what our halloween is about~But, Haloween opens the door to Satanism. Read “Lucifer Dethroned” and Blood on the Doorposts” by William and Sharon Schnoebelen.The children mutilated and murdered every Haloween are no accident, but carefully planned sacrifices to Satan, carried out by those who serve and worship him.”-©1986 by Jack T. Chick LLCI can get you other linear material, here are some relevant excerpts:This is from Lieutenant Colonel Michael Aquino, a leader in Anton LaVey’s Church of Satan and said to be LaVey’s “second-in-command” before he broke off to begin his own satanic order “The Temple of Set”In an interview with Oprah, he said:”leading Satanists like to hide the fact that they are truly worshipping Satan so it is that they seek to deny that Satanists sacrifice humans including children. The truth of the matter is that Aleister Crowley, whom Aquino acknowledges, had an incredible influence on Aquino and the Temple of Set, not only taught his followers to engage in child sacrifice but admitted to sacrificing scores of children himself.”Aquino then tried to make the false claim that Satanists don’t really sacrifice children, when a law enforcement officer spoke up and stated:”To say that there are no bodies and that these [Satanists] are not committing crimes is the farthest from the truth…in every case that I’ve investigated, now extending over 200, I have found this particular book [The Satanic Bible].”LaVey stated: “We perform human sacrifices, by proxy you might say―the destruction of human beings who would, let’s say, create an antagonistic situation toward us―in the form of curse and hexes, not in actual blood rituals because certainly the destruction of a human being physically is illegal.”- but they still do it anyways…My point in Halloween – 1 Corinthians 10:23 “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.”Rgrds~

solem,I’ve got to say I disagree with you. Halloween is the eve of all saints day. Halloween’s evil predicament is no more fact than fiction. True enough there are a few nuts out there that think the devil comes out on Halloween. And for those pagan religions that believed that the actual date was farther into November.Also, I would have to be tortured before I ever gave out a tract.Tracts are so ridiculous. Really, lets think about this. John chapter 4, Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well… Does he give her a tract? No!If you truly want to witness to someone, throw that BS out the window and do as Jesus did there in chapter 4. Be kind, courteous, loving… Best develop a friendship.And when you feel the spirit ready you, tell ‘em.Don’t just give random people a tract that they will laugh at, throw away, and make it harder for the next person to come and actually witness to them. Heck, its better to say “Jesus loves you” or “God Bless You” than it is for someone to read it off a lifeless tract. At least when saying something like that, people have a chance to respond even in the oddest of manner (IE “I don’t believe in God”).-Ron

Solem,Nothing personal, but being afraid of everything will never get you anywhere. Very few non-Christians will be attracted to a form of beliefs that requires them to shun certain days because of what people did long ago.Personally, I don’t care the origins of this holiday or that. None of that matters in the least. What matters is why you and I celebrate. Most Christians don’t seem to realize what power they truly have. WE have power here on this earth. It was given to us. We’re in control. And so, we decide why we celebrate. There is no reason to cower.

Donny, for that response I will give you a Dr. Pepper the next time I see you. Right on! Donny, I am glad that you have a sense of identity in Christ and I don’t mean that as a “Christianese” phrase, but that truly is where we get our identity and place in this world. I agree with you that we are in a place of authority and represent Heaven here on earth. In the spirit of Kris Vallotton, “Let me propose to you” that the issue is that most Christians don’t know who they are. They act more like a royal pain in the ass than a royal priesthood and many have believed so many false doctrines that have been taught to try to justify a life without power that have, in fact, made most Christians feel powerless. Fearing everything comes from a misplaced sense of identity. As for me and my wife, we are seated with Christ in heavenly places and the last time I checked the Bible said that He is seated at the right had of the Father. That sounds like a pretty good position to have to me. I honor you and your perspective, Donny. I know that many Christians come to this blog to “help” you, but what some have to realize is that you have a perspective of someone who have recently come from the world on men into the world of heaven on earth and because of that you have a great deal that we who, in many cases, don’t have a clue really need to here. Blog on, brother, blog on!Neaner neaner neanerJohn RitrovatoP.S. For anyone offended at the “paid in the ass” comment I will say that maybe you are offended because you relate to what I said.

Anonymous, ["Be kind, courteous, loving... Best develop a friendship.And when you feel the spirit ready you, tell 'em."]How many people have come to you, and asked about they can also get the ‘halo’ around your head, and glowing ‘aura’ that shines because of your Christlike example?Unfortunately, way to many Christians feel they need to build a firm relationship, before they are on the proper footing to witness.Tracts are an excellent means of circulating the gospel. Also, great tools to initiate witnessing.My point on Halloween is just that I dont think Christians ought to participate, because of the celebrations’ satanic stench. Even if we are just going out for candy or w/e.It’s like, should Christians go and march down the streets during gay pride days? A little more obviously, no.Donny>> I would need more explanation of the scared bit.Christians, like someone said, have no reason to be scared. Fear is not from God. we can “do all things through Christ which strengthens [us]“”Very few non-Christians will be attracted to a form of beliefs that requires them to shun certain days because of what people did long ago.”That sounds allmost like unbeievers will be turned off from Christianity, because Christianity is a close minded, unaccepting religeon that states ‘Jesus is the only way.’When the Holy Spirit compells someone, and opens their eyes, those kinds of things are of of no consequence.Of the Christians, God has alrleady “chosen us in him before the foundation of the world” (Eph 1:4)Even better is:”So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.” (Romans 9:16)What that all means is; God has chosen us to be saved, before the foundation of the world; it is not by anyone’s works, but of God’s mercy and grace.Sort of simmilar in thought though, is that we Christians are obligated to be Christlike examples. The phoney Christians in the church, cause so many problems, because unbelievers can look at them, with distaste, for their worldly lives, and say that Chritians are no different than the world.We are to be salt.

John & Jennifer Hunt,Even as a non believer I still enjoyed Mike Warnke’s tapes. It was a sad deal to find out that “some” of his stories were stretched for entertainment reasons.It was a lot more than just “stretched”; apparently Warnke fabricated most of his past, plus played Jim Bakker with the money that came in.The Cornerstone investigation/article was later expanded into the book Selling Satan, by Mike Hertenstein & John Trott. It’s pretty grim reading.

Re tracts:Tracts were invented by a Catholic missionary priest (now St Alphonsus Liguori) over a century ago. St Alphonsus was doing missionary work in an area that was hostile to the Church; tracts allowed inquirers and converts to be catechised without risking being seen talking to a priest.

Catholocism is’nt Christianity, and I’m not sure if you mean tracts are good or bad.. but as Joseph said,Genesis 50:20: “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”

“Yeah, Satan is not real and Satanism is just a joke, nothing to see here, move along (and hope your kids don’t get into it.”Choosing ignorance over the “few nuts” who actually look around. Eph 6:12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”I’m with the apostle Paul and Solem on this one. In fact, I don’t believe that the Devil comes out on halloween, I believe that he comes out every night. 1Pet 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”Not from the bible, but classic anyways: “Woe to you, Oh Earth and Sea, for the Devil sends thebeast with wrath, because he knows the time is short” – Iron MaidenGavin RogersII Peter 3:11