Fear and Loathing
Spooky season is almost over. On Thursday little trick or treaters will be out and about with their parents and friends frolicking happily along as neighbors give out copious amounts of teeth rotting and blood sugar spiking candy. I love Halloween. Maybe it is because I am an October baby, but there is something about being scared that I crave. I mean fear as in the unknown, not jumping off bridges, planes, or mountains. I love horror, suspense, thrillers, and sci-fi movies. I watch them year round! Fear is a natural, God-given response to the world.
Believe it or not, many do not like Halloween. Of course, you believe this because you have seen it with your own eyes. As a child of the 1980’s I can tell you many in my hometown were full of fear. The picture above is the quintessential mid-late 80’s costume. Plastic mixed with…plastic (and that is not the scary part). As we went trick or treating in the 80’s, we were also told to be very afraid. “Watch out for razor blades in apples! People are trying to hurt kids this year.” The kids would respond, “We are not looking for apples any way.” Then it was, “well, they may have slipped some drugs in your candy. Make sure the wrapper is not been messed with!” The kids response, “Huh?” Finally, the REAL big, bad fear: “Satanist are looking for blonde hair, blue eyed children and Halloween is when they kidnap the most kids. Make sure you are covering your hair.” Wow! What a thing to tell children.
It was the Satanic Panic of the 1980’s. Yes, those were different times. Again fear is a part of being a human. Fear is what helped our ancestors survive in the form of fight or flight. Fear reminds us that we are not invincible in this world. Fear unlocks things inside we thought we did not have.
The point is fear is necessary for us moderns as a form of catharsis. We no longer need to run from the big, bad predators or the local tribes/government/violent group. Our fears turn inward and we become anxious, overwhelmed beings because we do not know what to do with it. Catharsis is one way to release our fears, but I would argue faith is the opposite of fear. Fear lives in panic and hopelessness whereas faith gives us security and comfort. That does not mean we no longer fear. There are still things that go bump in the night, but we must learn to unlock our fears so that nothing can stand in the way of the work that God’s dynamic Spirit is doing in the world. Fear may stop us from going places we normally would not, but faith gives us the courage to walk in those places.
My friends, enjoy your Halloween. Laugh and smile at the children, enjoy some fun with neighbors, and try to trick or treat one another this Thursday.
Zac