Halloween decorations in yard

[Jefferson]

Our tenants often decorate the front steps and such for the season, with pumpkins and this is very typical for our area. If a guest were to get their dander up from that, too bad.
.
We do not decorate the guest suite with anything seasonal, political or religious. That is the space they have rented, and they have no reasonable cause to take offense if anything on the street is not to their taste.

[muddy]

@Annet3176

Sigh. Pretending you know all about someone because you know their faith is just wrong.

Not sure I understand your response. I certainly wasn’t grouping all Christians together, if that’s what you took away from my post. In fact, I said the opposite- that some Christians would find a big Christmas display offensive, because they believe it to be a purely religious holiday and are offended by the commercialism.

I have Christian friends who are some of the most tolerant people I know and certainly don’t try to foist their beliefs on others.

But Jehovah’s Witnesses knocking on my door on a Saturday morning wanting to talk to me about God is intrusive and disrespectful.

But obviously someone who is a guest in one’s home shouldn’t be trying to dictate how a host chooses to decorate their own home.

[aelilya]

This is interesting. I’m a follower of Jesus (a Christian) but as a child was raised JW. I’m a strong lover of people, like Jesus, so if I share my experience walking with him w/ people in my life it’s because I care about them AND I respect them (& I should as I appreciate the same respect shown back to me vs, say, making fun or being derogatory). We each choose our own way and I respect people’s choices.

I immediately thought JW because when I was one, they took issue w/ most holidays but Halloween and Christmas were biggies and because they affiliate Halloween w/ evil spirits, etc I can see it causing conflict for them. And the pamphlets are also a dead giveaway. I don’t agree with their belief system & say “thanks but no thanks” because just like the rest of us want for what we believe (or don’t), I try to show respect.

That’s being said, I agree you should do what you want. It’s your place and they can rent it or not. I’ve never thought to disclose religious holiday decor but it’s a good idea - maybe include in your pics - would be cute to show your seasonal looks.

I choose to stay neutral with my decor except a single door wreath change, mostly seasonal, as I recognize not everyone believes as I do and I want everyone who stays to feel comfortable. But if I were renting someone’s place, commonplace decor for US traditional holidays would be delightful if done tastefully.

[muddy]

Bo Burnham - From perspective of God (subtitulado al Español)

[JJD]

@Annet3176

Sigh. Pretending you know all about someone because you know their faith is just wrong. Christianity goes from liberal & accepting to conservative, fundamentalist

I didn’t say anything about Christians, neither did OP, he just said religion. I am sorry, but I don’t understand your response. Why is the assumption that they were Christian?

[JJD]

@muddy

@Annet3176

Sigh. Pretending you know all about someone because you know their faith is just wrong.

Not sure I understand your response. I certainly wasn’t grouping all Christians together, if that’s what you took away from my post.

Me either. I didn’t say anything at all about Christians. I did not assume it was one religion or another, the OP just said “religion”, so it was just somebody “religious”. Not all religions are Christian. So confused.

[RiverRock]

@muddy

finding a bible in every hotel drawer across America offends you, but you’ve never requested that they be removed.

Lol, we have had that conversation here before. What’s creepier is the gideons who stock the bibles thinking its ok to stand in front of elementary schools and hand them out without permission from anyone.

RR

[KKC]

@Annet3176

Pretending you know all about someone because you know their faith

I took these comments to refer specifically to the people who tell you they are so offended by Halloween decor that they have to chutzpah to tell a homeowner that they won’t stay in their rental if they don’t remove the already installed decor. Those people and those like them think their way is the only way (John 14:6 is the only verse they believe in too).

Some of us who are highly critical of certain kinds of Christians know them very well because we spent all our formative years being tormented by their narrowminded, judgmental and pointedly unloving ways in our families, our schools, our churches and our social groups like Girl Scouts.

[JJD]

@KKC

I took these comments to refer specifically to the people who tell you they are so offended by Halloween decor that they have to chutzpah to tell a homeowner that they won’t stay in their rental if they don’t remove the already installed decor.

Yes, that is all I was saying. @Annet3176 , ironically, just assumed that I was referring to Christians. Personally, I know self-centered, demanding people of many different faiths. There are at least 6 different religious faiths who hate on Halloween. What I can say about Christians is that they tend to think it’s all about them, sorry.

[KKC]

@JJD

Christians is that they tend to think it’s all about them,

I wonder if that’s only American Christians?

[JJD]

@KKC

only American Christians?

I don’t think so. Not in my experience. We can blame a lot of things on the US, but not the myopic self-importance of some religious folk. It is not only Christians in America and it is not only the Christians that are in America. Many religions have the tenet that its members are the chosen or correct or special people. It is an inherent problem with some religions (not only Christianity).

[Kdhf]

Absolutely- they can cancel their booking when they pull up to the house and get no refund. Gawd I am so bloody sick of people like this.

[muddy]

@JJD

Many religions have the tenet that its members are the chosen or correct or special people. I

I grew up in a Jewish household, although my parents weren’t at all religious. My mom was actually an atheist and I never asked my dad what he believed, but they saw Judaism as cultural, not just religious, which to a large extent is true. They’d go to synagogue maybe twice a year on high holy days to please my grandparents.

But they sent me to Saturday school one year to learn Jewish history where I was taught that Jews were God’s “chosen people”. I was like what??? I thought that was absurd, even at whatever I was, about 10 or 12 years old.

One thing about Judaism, though, is that it’s actually against the Jewish religion to prosthelytize. So that’s why you don’t see or hear of Jews trying to convert anyone or leaving religious pamphlets around.

[KKC]

@muddy

actually against the Jewish religion to prosthelytize (sic)

That’s the upside to believing that God chooses you rather than you choose God.

The former also makes a lot more sense for a an omniscient and omnipotent deity.

[JohnF]

@KKC

omnipotent

I had a really good naughty step worthy joke I was about to post, then I read yours again

JF

[KKC]

Dang, now I’m intrigued.

[casailinglady]

@Christine_Shirtcliff

They must be really confused when they see my buddha statue in the garden and the gargoyle in the hall.

Just tell them you’re covering all the bases - gargoyles and buddahs are both guardians for good against evil.

@Vandyne

After the request to remove the Halloween decorations they then started trying to “save my soul” and began trying to quote bible versus to me and hand my a bunch of pamphlets. I j

Oh wow. Just. Wow.

@jaquo

I would think though, with COVID lurking, anything to do with death could mean more than simply decorations to some guests.

I’ve spoken to three people in the last week who have recently lost close relatives/parents/siblings to Covid. I would take down the graveyard at this point.

@Annet3176

Sigh. Pretending you know all about someone because you know their faith is just wrong. Christianity goes from liberal & accepting to conservative, fundamentalist. A range of the fundamentalism to some level of liberalism is common in most religions.

Thank you. As a practicing Catholic, many people judge me (irony alert) for my faith yet know nothing about what I actually believe and how I was raised. A friend recently told me “So, this new Pope isn’t liberal enough for you?” when I stated changes I’d like to see.

@Annet3176

I like tacky. I freely admit it plus I know when things are tacky.

I love tacky and whimsy. Your pig is brilliant. Just brilliant. I never knew Hogfather could be so cute!

@Jefferson

We do not decorate the guest suite with anything seasonal, political or religious. That is the space they have rented, and they have no reasonable cause to take offense if anything on the street is not to their taste.

This. Guest suite is about the beach, ocean, and sandpipers.

@JJD

Why is the assumption that they were Christian?

See above where OP discussed pamphlets and saving their souls.

[KKC]

@casailinglady

I would take down the graveyard at this point.

This is an interesting thought. I have skeletons and a day of the dead sugar skull. In much of the world such skulls and skeletons have a different symbolism. Also in most of the world they don’t have graveyards and headstones. Covid at 700k is horrible but it seems the principle (no ghoulish decor) would be in play all the time.

[casailinglady]

@KKC

have skeletons and a day of the dead sugar skull. In much of the world such skulls and skeletons have a different symbolism.

I’ve spent a lot of time in Mexico and lived in San Diego so I agree - Day of the Dead has a different meaning. Plus there is a different mentality in how death is viewed.

IDK I don’t have all the answers, I just know what I would do. Metal scarecrow in the front yard.

[KKC]

The decor I like best is very “natural.” Skeletons, bats, spiders, fall colors, pumpkins. It’s not scary to me, it’s a different kind of beautiful. I love Halloween decor and used to love to dress up, do makeup that was sometimes creepy. I can’t really control how others feel about it and don’t feel particularly responsible for something this widespread. It would be different if I were directing it towards the bereaved.

Some of my get ups:

My front decor