October 31: Halloween

The English word "Halloween" comes from the Scottish word "Allhallowmas" as an earlier name of "All Saint's Day" and "even" being "eve" is in the "evening before".

Christmas Eve is the evening before Christmas day.
New Year's Eve is the evening before New Years day.

The English word "hallow" comes from the Middle English word "halwe" ≈ "saint, holy thing" which comes from the Old English word "halga" ≈ "holy one, saint". It is related to the German word "Heilige" ≈ "saint".

It is widely believed that many Halloween traditions originated from ancient Celtic harvest festivals, particularly the Gaelic festival Samhain; that such festivals may have had pagan roots; and that Samhain itself was Christianized as Halloween by the early Church. (Wikipedia)

Winter: Turn the corner. Spring: New birth (life). Summer: Harvest (busy). Autumn: Death (dead).

A witch appears in the Bible in the story of the witch of Endor.

More: 1 Samuel 28:1-25: Saul and the witch of Endor

Who was Martin Luther?

"I have a dream" (no, not him).
"The just shall live by faith" (that's him).

Professor who had actual access to the scriptures (Latin Vulgate).
As a monk and professor of Theology at his Abby, Martin Luther visited Rome in 1510 when Michelangelo was busy creating magnificent works of art to decorate the palaces and cathedrals of Rome.

Luther's idealistic and Bible-based expectations of what he expected to see conflicted with the corruption and extravagance he saw in Rome.

Martin Luther (German priest, theologian, author and hymn-writer) was a German priest, theologian, author and hymn-writer. He is credited with the spark that started the Protestant Reformation. His 95 Theses were tacked to the wall on All Saint's Eve in 1517.

More: Martin Luther

Matthew 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. [kjv]


Martin Luther	Frederick III

A fundamental concept of information (and statistics) is that of what is known by who at a certain point in time.

Definition: Information is data that is recognized from a certain point of view (e.g., by an intelligent entity).
When Frederick III, Elector of Saxony, wanted to hide Martin Luther, he had him hid by others in one of his castles (without telling him where) so that he could say that he truthfully say that he did not know where he was. He could find out where Martin Luther was, but he did not actually know where Martin Luther was.

Was Martin Luther, as a "treasure", "found" and then "hid" in a "field" (the world)? In the historical interpretation, the parable of the treasure in a field fits with the time of the Reformation.

More: Algorithmic Information Theory

More: Matthew 13:44 KP5 Parable of the treasure in a field

More: Martin Luther

Job 5:3 I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation. [kjv]

εγω δε εωρακα αφρονας ριζαν βαλλοντας αλλ ευθεως εβρωθη αυτων η διαιτα [lxx]

The English word "diet" comes, through French, from the Latin word "diaeta" ≈ "diet, regimen" (Medieval "assembly") and which comes from the ancient Greek word "δίαιτα" ≈ "way of living, residence, health regimen" and related meanings.

What was the main food at the Diet of Worms in 1521? When Luther would not recant, the Pope declared Luther a heretic in the Edict of Worms. This was the famous "here I stand" declaration by Luther.

More: Martin Luther

More: Matthew 7:13-14 Strait talk about narrow and wide gates

The Romans called the Celts the Gauls. The area of Gaul's (Celts) in Asia Minor was called Galatia.

Paul wrote the letter to these Galatians.
Julius Caesar slaughtered hundreds of thousands of Gauls and wrote back glowing letters to Rome about his accomplishments.

Galatia, as in Paul's Letter to the Galatians (or Celts) were populated by Gauls/Celts.

Celts is pronounced with a hard "C" as in "K" as in "Kelts".
Celtics, as in the Boston Celtics basketball team, is pronounced with a soft "C" as in "S" as in "Seltics".

The pagan Halloween celebrations were in part to prepare for winter when not much food would be available.
The souls of the dead were also said to revisit their homes seeking hospitality. (Wikipedia)

Both the Bible and Greek mythology and other cultures make reference to the souls of the dead under or inside the earth.

2 Peter 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; [kjv]

ει γαρ ο θεος αγγελων αμαρτησαντων ουκ εφεισατο αλλα σειραις σειροις ζοφου ταρταρωσας παρεδωκεν εις κρισιν τετηρημενους τηρουμενους [gnt]

The Greek underworld consisted of several places watered by the streams of five rivers: Styx, Acheron, Cocytus, Phlegethon and Lethe.

The worst of these was "Tarturus" which is mentioned by Peter and translated in the KJV (King James Version) as "hell". Other places included the "Asphodel Meadows" and the "Elysium".

The American rock band "Styx" was formed in 1972.

Come sail away

2 Peter 2:4

All

KJV: For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

Greek: ει γαρ ο θεος αγγελων αμαρτησαντων ουκ εφεισατο αλλα σειραις σειροις ζοφου ταρταρωσας παρεδωκεν εις κρισιν τετηρημενους τηρουμενους

*G5020 *1 ταρταρόω (tar-tar-o'-o) : from Tartaros (the deepest abyss of Hades); to incarcerate in eternal torment:--cast down to hell.

Usage

All

ταρταρωσας

2 Peter 2:4 ... that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains ...

Many of these activities were related to divination of the future.

apple bobbing
nut roasting
mirror-gazing
dream interpretation
future prediction

Throughout Ireland and Britain, the household festivities included rituals and games intended to foretell one's future, especially regarding death and marriage. Apples and nuts were often used in these divination rituals. They included apple bobbing, nut roasting, scrying or mirror-gazing, pouring molten lead or egg whites into water, dream interpretation, and others. (Wikipedia)

Some Christians historically abstained from meat on All Hallows' Eve, a tradition reflected in the eating of certain vegetarian foods on this vigil day, including apples, potato pancakes, and soul cakes. (Wikipedia)

On route home after a night's drinking, Jack encounters the Devil and tricks him into climbing a tree. A quick-thinking Jack etches the sign of the cross into the bark, thus trapping the Devil. Jack strikes a bargain that Satan can never claim his soul. After a life of sin, drink, and mendacity, Jack is refused entry to heaven when he dies. Keeping his promise, the Devil refuses to let Jack into hell and throws a live coal straight from the fires of hell at him. It was a cold night, so Jack places the coal in a hollowed out turnip to stop it from going out, since which time Jack and his lantern have been roaming looking for a place to rest. (Wikipedia)

Part of the origin of the Halloween tradition reminds one of the country bluegrass song "The devil went down to Georgia" made famous by the Charlie Daniels Band, released May 21, 1979.

Of course, it is ironic that being temped by the prospect of a golden fiddle may mean that the devil has already won.

Saying (of snakes, etc.): Heads I win. Tails you lose.

Here is a summary if the "things" with which Jesus was tempted by the devil.

wealth - stones to bread
health - not be hurt
power - rule kingdoms

More: Matthew 4:1-11 Examining evil temptations

More: Minding the tail of the sky

This was about two months after the Three Mile Island nuclear accident (March 28, 1979). In information systems, TMI = Too Much Information.

The then-new SP-UM church organ was installed (March 19, 1979).

More: SPUM: Organ history/trivia

Pumpkins from the New World were better suited for carving than turnips.

The orange color of the pumpkins and the greenish stems helped provide some of the traditional Halloween colors.

Jonah 4:7 But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered. [kjv]

και προσεταξεν ο θεος σκωληκι εωθινη τη επαυριον και επαταξεν την κολοκυνθαν και απεξηρανθη [lxx]

The ancient Greek word "κολοκύνθη" ≈ "gourd" (4 times in Jonah) from "κόλον" ≈ "intestine, food, fodder".
The vine-like nature of the plant appears like an "intestine" or "part" that is "cut off" and from which the "gourd" is removed. The Latin word "hedera" ≈ "ivy". The Latin word "percussit" ≈ "smote" and is the source of the English word "percussion". The modern Greek word "κολοκυθιά" (ko-lo-kee-thee-A) ≈ "squash, pumpkin"

Orange pumpkins came from the New World (Western Hemisphere).

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The famous German author and poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe first published the color wheel in 1810 (in German, English edition in 1840) called the Theory of Colors. In German, "Zur Farbenlehre".
Many holidays have opposite colors on the Goethe color wheel.

Christmas: red and green
Easter: purple and yellow
Halloween: orange and green (not quite opposite)
Blue and orange (any takers)

More: Colors and color models

	RGB (Red Green Blue) additive model light added to black/screen black + red + green+ blue = white
	CMYK (Cyan Magenta Yellow Black) subtractive model pigments subtracted from white/paper white - cyan - magenta- yellow = black

Two simple models (there are others), useful for depicting digital ideas, are the RGB and CMYK color models. Each model is correct. One way may be easier to work with for certain purposes.

More: Duality principles

More: Colors and color models

Halloween candy and "Trick or Treat" time is a traditional part of Halloween.

Klein Chocolate Company was incorporated 1914. By 1922, 200 people were employed making 250,000 chocolate bars a day. A lot of local milk was used. The plant was sold to M&M Mars in 1970.
What became American Heritage Chocolate in 2013 was started in 2003 by M&M Mars and expanded over time.

DVD: It's the great pumpkin, Charlie Brown

The Charlie Brown special "It's the great pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (1966) tended to get everyone ready for the start of the Christmas season (and the Thanksgiving special too).

[costumes and parties]

More: Giving thanks at Thanksgiving

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