Halloween was a Catholic holiday intended for remembering all the holy saints. Halloween failed to replace Samhain, which is probably only traditionally practiced by a few isolated neopagan groups. Most of us do not experience a traditional Halloween or Samhain. Instead what we have is moronic Hollywood gore horror and loads of mass consumer junk. There is no mysticism and remberance in this day. Fix it or shun it.
The Neopagans need to get more authentic, and also more realistic. They should also be pushing for archaeology, as much of their faiths is still out their to be discovered. Writing came into these cultures way later. These are oral traditions that weren't written down til after the conversion to Christianity. More has survived through local folk lores, but much is still not known. There are patterns though of a special kind of religion originating from the early indo-europeans. Linguistic Anthropologists still have not come up with who the proto-Indo-Europeans were, what their language was, Discoveries of these early cultures could shed A LOT of light onto the religion and languages of these people. Very little is known about Druids also, yet every pre-teen girl thinks they can be one, or believe Wiccan is a very old tradition.
As for halloween, I think some of the spirit of the holiday survived it's conversion into a Christian event (all of their holidays have pagan origins anyway, fucking religious plagiarism). Though, businesses jumped right on it to make a quick buck, and it was castrated from the start and trivialized. If you want to talk about racism, you can discuss the modern interpretations of White holidays. Harvest festivals are turned into goofy horror stories. The holidays originally did have much to do with death, but had a more sane look at it, instead of trivializing it as you ignore everything you fear and wish to be babied about life, because you cannot handle it's harsh realities.
I think if people were more close to agriculture these days, they'd understand the reason for this twilight of seasons to be celebrated, and what it represents in a cosmic sense. They'd also be happier, live less stressful lifes, and most likely be smarter and healthier.
The isolation from agriculture, and the alienation from indigenous religions both largely contribute to meaningless and unhealthy lifestyles which not only destroy themselves but destroy their environment. Humans are no longer animals, but something closer to products (which they also turn natural resources, flora, and fauna into). They forgot what it is to be human, the sophistication, the innovation, the adaptability, the mystic experiences. And, although more sophisticated, still a beast, yet an educated beast who can drastically manipulate his surroundings.
Halloween became what it is by one religion adopting something from another. What it needs now is either a new religion, or a continuation of the old to bring it back to what it really is. Attention should also be put towards Yule, and other pagan holidays which were first Christianized, and then Commercialized. This reminds me of the caste system thread, as it seems Priests create religion, Warriors practice it truely and honestly (and in corrupted religions, spreads it with the sword.. pagan warriors would protect their religion but not go on missions of spreading it.) The merchants, take the religion and make it marketable, they spread it and make it popular. The common people take it like a product and slaves are devoted to religion, but are handicapped with stupidity.
oh and
Formulae ueteres exorsismorum et excommunicationum
Strigas et fictos lupos credere
Daemon pellem lupinam
In trunco quodam cauae
Arboris occultandum
Halloween, Halloween, Halloween, Halloween
Halloween, Halloween, Halloween, Halloween
Halloween, Halloween, Halloween, Halloween
Metamorphoses lycanthropie
Possunt inquam
Metamorphoses lycanthropie
Possunt inquam
...
Cause I remember
Halloween, Halloween, Halloween, Halloween
Halloween, Halloween, Halloween, Halloweentranslation I found on a dime-a-dozen lyric site:"Ancient formulas of exorcisms and excommunications
that witches and those made wolves believe
I am now the demon clothed in wolfskin
Having to hide in the hollow of a tree
I believe that they so can be changed."
The misfits, who often are perceived as merely horror movie inspired punk music, often touch on much deeper song material. Death Comes Ripping definately stands above most punk music in it's interpretation of death as something that is real and happens to us all, not a scary parody of a major part of our lives. It's inevitable and it is your fate that you die. A nihilist view of death.