I haven’t eaten at Chipotle for years. Similarly, I haven’t had a Margarita in years, even though I think they’re tasty. So I’m not boycotting Chipotle, it’s just that I have no interest in what they offer. I want to be perfectly clear, though: it’s not because I think they’re satanic.
This is the time of year when born-again, fundamentalist Christians are straining to find reasons to hate (something they’re so good at), and their latest reason to shriek while they wait for the seasonal Starbucks cups to come out is Chipotle’s Hallowe’en advertising gimmick. They’re selling Margaritas with a Ouija board hook!
It’s demonic, you know.
The Chipotle controversy reflects a much larger cultural shift.
Tarot readings are increasingly presented as tools for self-discovery. Astrology promises insight into relationships and destiny. Psychic consultations offer supposed contact with deceased loved ones. Spirit guides are promoted in some wellness circles as sources of wisdom.
What previous generations of Christians recognized as occult practices are now frequently repackaged as empowerment, entertainment, or spiritual exploration.
And the marketing is inviting. There is nothing particularly frightening about colorful tarot cards, a fashionable psychic influencer, or a Ouija board appearing in a humorous commercial.
That is precisely why discernment is necessary.
Christians need not believe every Halloween decoration is demonic or that watching a fictional supernatural story constitutes occult participation. There is a meaningful distinction between portraying something and deliberately practicing it.
But when society treats divination, spirit communication, and supernatural guidance as recreational activities, Christians should recognize the danger.
The concern is not simply that people become comfortable with occult imagery. It’s that they may eventually become comfortable with the practices themselves.
Gosh. Atheists must be the godliest, purest, saintliest people on Earth, because we also don’t practice Tarot readings, astrology, or psychic consultations, and we think spirit guides are bunk. I’m not tempted by Chipotle or its Margaritas.
Besides, we have a Qdoba in the student union (no alcohol) and a good Mexican restaurant in town (with a bar and genuine Margaritas made on site.)
My beef with astrologers is that they spend all their time poring over books & tables (old style) or using an app (new style?), instead of GOING OUT AT NIGHT AND LOOKING AT THE SKY.
There’s a lot of beauty and awesome majesty to this Universe, if only one looks.
And every couple of years, Mars gets big and bright, which might foretell a war, because humans are just like that.
Astrology is still bunk, nonetheless.
@Snarki, #1
Not to mention that most of those charts and tables they’re referencing are woefully out of date any no longer make sense.
when society treats divination, spirit communication, and supernatural guidance as recreational activities, Christians should recognize the danger
Christians are against those things? Must be stop liking what I like
What about haruspicy and is there a vegetarian version?
I assume that “now” is a particularly unfortunate typo here…
It is that time of year again.
The fundie xian War on Halloween.
Fundie xians don’t have holidays, they have Wars on Holidays.
They have had some minor successes with their War on Halloween.
Halloween itself is as popular as ever and probably even more so.
It is one of my favorite holidays and after a long absence, I’ve started going to Halloween parties again. I’ve already picked out one for this year.
Our local public school kids aren’t so lucky.
The fundies made enough noise that the schools ended their Halloween parties and events, by claiming they are religious and Pagan. The school district said OK, and they also ended all the Xmas parties, claiming that Xmas is a religious xian holiday.
So now Halloween is a Harvest festival and Xmas is a Winter Holiday festival. They can have a decorated tree as long as it is a Holiday tree and not a Xmas tree.
There are a lot of problems with the fundie version of xianity.
When you take a step back and look at them, after all the hate, lies, and hypocrisy, they are also just very boring.
They haven’t had an original or worthwhile thought in centuries.
They have a point here, just not the one they think they have.
They should recognize that there is no danger.
Satan, demons, and evil spirits don’t exist and have nothing to do with astrology or Yoga anyway.
There are however, huge dangers with fundie xianity.
Child sexual abuse in fundie xian churches and households is very high and frequently covered up and tolerated.
They are frequently racists and the religion itself is more of a cover for white racist Fascism.
The three main sacraments of fundie xianity are hate, lies, and hypocrisy.