Haunted houses , teens and church

[lovedbyHim]

I’m not talking monsters, cobwebs and screams. This is a very gory, 80 “character” haunted house complete with the smell of freshly dug graves, burnt flesh and rotting corpses. And a nightly dismemberment scene.

I don’t go to this type of haunted house for several reasons. I feel it is mocking death and ignoring our gift of life. I feel even stronger that someone, somewhere, has died in a horrific way and their last momments were spent like this and it is in no way funny! They left a family that will know it forever.

The people interviewed who work there say “there is immense power in knowing someone is terrified of you.” :

Our parish youth group is going and having a scary movie night, (I’m sure it’s not going to be a viewing of “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken”) and then going to the haunted house. Does anyone see a problem with a Catholic church promoting this? I feel with all the bad things in the secular world, our church/parish is where our family can point to as an example. Now I can no longer feel that way.

What are your opinions?

 

[thechrismyster]

i love haunted houses and i enjoy halloween. It sounds like it would be a hauntingly fun time. I’d go.

 

[Karin]

I’m not talking monsters, cobwebs and screams. This is a very gory, 80 “character” haunted house complete with the smell of freshly dug graves, burnt flesh and rotting corpses. And a nightly dismemberment scene.

I don’t go to this type of haunted house for several reasons. I feel it is mocking death and ignoring our gift of life. I feel even stronger that someone, somewhere, has died in a horrific way and their last momments were spent like this and it is in no way funny! They left a family that will know it forever.

The people interviewed who work there say “there is immense power in knowing someone is terrified of you.” :

Our parish youth group is going and having a scary movie night, (I’m sure it’s not going to be a viewing of “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken”) and then going to the haunted house. Does anyone see a problem with a Catholic church promoting this? I feel with all the bad things in the secular world, our church/parish is where our family can point to as an example. Now I can no longer feel that way.

What are your opinions?

OH…sounds great…where is it I want to go

 

[MamaSue]

No way! No how! This kind of thing is just way over the line of “fun”!

Dismemberment? Torture? Burnt Flesh?

Let us remember the marters! I have a feeling that they didn’t have a…

hauntingly fun time

I’m all for innocent fun like you said with cobwebs, sheet ghosts and such but imitating “evil” is inviting evil. Those with a weak faith and an active immagination can get into trouble.
Satan has a field day with stuff like this.

I’d talk to father and ask if he knows what this “haunted house” is all about.

 

[sullivan1213]

My perspective on Halloween is this:
The enemy’s greatest power over us is fear. The more afraid we are of evil, the greater his power over us. It’s always seemed to me that entertainment of this type plays on these very fears and increases the enemy’s power. It may not be that way for some people but I think it’s true in my case.
Don’t get me wrong, I like a good horror movie once in a while (I thouught “The Grudge” was great) but from a theological standpoint I think that entertainment of this type can, in very subtle ways, undermine our faith in God while, at the same time, increasing our fear of the enemy.
What do you all think?

God bless,

Sullivan1213

 

[vluvski]

I do not see graphic shows or the like because I can never get rid of the image it puts in my head. As others have said, I get a kick out of silly, spooky dark mazes with cobwebs and such, but I tend to agree that there is a point where you can cross the line.

 

[aboverubies]

My perspective on Halloween is this:
The enemy’s greatest power over us is fear. The more afraid we are of evil, the greater his power over us. It’s always seemed to me that entertainment of this type plays on these very fears and increases the enemy’s power. It may not be that way for some people but I think it’s true in my case.
Don’t get me wrong, I like a good horror movie once in a while (I thouught “The Grudge” was great) but from a theological standpoint I think that entertainment of this type can, in very subtle ways, undermine our faith in God while, at the same time, increasing our fear of the enemy.
What do you all think?

God bless,

Sullivan1213

I generally steer clear of horror movies but I worked up the courage to see “The Exorcism of Emily Rose.” It did increase my fear of the enemy but it increased my faith in our great God far more. Never has a movie made me more glad to be a Catholic than this one! Our priest went to the cinema to see it and said afterwards he got lots of respectful looks and nods!

 

[leonie]

Ever since I read The Story of an Exorcist, I’ve taken these types of entertainment much more seriously.

I wish our Catholic youth groups would avoid these types of places.

 

[Veritas41]

I’m not talking monsters, cobwebs and screams. This is a very gory, 80 “character” haunted house complete with the smell of freshly dug graves, burnt flesh and rotting corpses. And a nightly dismemberment scene.

I don’t go to this type of haunted house for several reasons. I feel it is mocking death and ignoring our gift of life. I feel even stronger that someone, somewhere, has died in a horrific way and their last momments were spent like this and it is in no way funny! They left a family that will know it forever.

What are your opinions?

I agree with you – that is disgusting.

 

[plh]

Our parish is having a parish-wide All Saints Day with everyone invited to dress as a saint (even if you are 90!). We will also have a Catholic singer who has traveled the country and overseas. Good food goes along with this! There are alternatives to the evil stuff.

 

[CathCentrist]

Sounds to be in “bad taste” but being gulity of bad taste doesnt immediatly equal sin. Personally, I’d like an in between haunted house effect. A combo of the cheesy stuff, with a tad of realism, but no foul smells for me please.

 

[Suz21]

My perspective on Halloween is this:
The enemy’s greatest power over us is fear. The more afraid we are of evil, the greater his power over us. It’s always seemed to me that entertainment of this type plays on these very fears and increases the enemy’s power. It may not be that way for some people but I think it’s true in my case.
Don’t get me wrong, I like a good horror movie once in a while (I thouught “The Grudge” was great) but from a theological standpoint I think that entertainment of this type can, in very subtle ways, undermine our faith in God while, at the same time, increasing our fear of the enemy.
What do you all think?

God bless,

Sullivan1213

I agree with Sullivan. Also I think many of us have a kind of fascination for horror. And when we feed that fascination, our souls suffer. Because horror and fear are definitely not of God.

 

[THutch04]

You can count me as one of those people who have been to places like that (I went to Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia last year). Knowing that it’s a real place does make the experience very different. It’s an unusual experience…

 

[lovedbyHim]

You can count me as one of those people who have been to places like that (I went to Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia last year). Knowing that it’s a real place does make the experience very different. It’s an unusual experience…

I’m confused… what was the experience you’re speaking of? A haunted house or prison? How would a visit to a prison (I am assuming visit, of course ) be related to this post?

 

[maria29]

Eastern state penn. is a old prision that has been closed but is made into a haunted house at halloween

TO the person who went, was it worth the money? WE went to the fields of terror last year and it was absolutely a waste of money…I love haunted hay rides

 

[cmom]

Sounds really intense and might not be suitable for all but the real the horror - addicted types.
Find a tame version. My catholic church ran a haunted house for over 10 years, and raised thousands for charity - the whole church helped out. The ladies baked cookies and manned the pumpkin patch, the men built it, and the young ran it.
I currently run a haunted house and do both adult tours to scare and kiddie-tours where the actors introduce themselves and show how everything works.

 

[littleone]

There is a saying it is not what goes in that counts but what comes out of the mouth that a person will be juged by. And what generally comes out of the mouth (in fun) after visiting these settings is not good. No matter what way you see this it is not good. I can tell you some very sad situations.

I have been doing youth work for 30 odd years, and would not unless under strict instructions about how satin will try its best to sway people especially youth, into serving it through seeing this kind of adventure that seems quite fun.
Youth especially who are very gullible and are led by thrill seeking adventures into situations that will lead them into satanic rites are at risk.
As far as the church is concerned for their youth we are advised that the church will take a dim view of any leader leading the youth into such visits. We are followers of Jesus Christ NOT satin

I agree with this quote below. I saw the film and it is not funny as some here might think it is. Just think of the amount of people who become possessed through different games ( not mentioning any).
I* generally steer clear of horror movies but I worked up the courage to see “The Exorcism of Emily Rose.” It did increase my fear of the enemy but it increased my faith in our great God far more. Never has a movie made me more glad to be a Catholic than this one! Our priest went to the cinema to see it and said afterwards he got lots of respectful looks and nods!*