Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Halloween


Witches and ghosts, pumpkins and bonfires, trick or treat.
The outward trappings of Halloween are easy to identify.

The Horror Tree is ready to ruin your holiday, with the truth!

Halloween has also been called All Hallows’ Eve, the eve of All Saints’ Day.
This supposedly Christian name, however, hides origins that are far from hallowed.

In fact, scholars say that Halloween’s roots go back to a time long before Christianity, the era when the ancient Celts inhabited Britain and Ireland. Using a lunar calendar, the Celts divided the year into two seasons—the dark winter months and the light summer months.
On the full moon nearest November 1, the Celts celebrated the festival of Samhain, meaning “Summer’s End.”



The festival of Samhain

It was believed that on the festival of Samhain, the veil between the human and the supernatural worlds was parted and spirits, both good and evil, roamed the earth.
The souls of the dead were thought to return to their homes, and families would put out food and drink for their ghostly visitors in hopes of appeasing them and warding off misfortune.


Thus, today when children dressed as ghosts or witches go from house to house demanding a Halloween treat or threatening a mischievous trick, they unwittingly perpetuate the ancient rituals of Samhain. Jean Markale comments in his book Halloween, histoire et traditions (Halloween—History and Traditions): “In receiving something in their hands, they establish, on a symbolic level that they do not understand, a brotherly exchange between the visible and the invisible worlds. That is why the Halloween masquerades . . . are in fact sacred ceremonies.”

Since people believed that the barriers between the physical and supernatural realms were down, they thought that humans were able to cross over into the spirit world with ease. Samhain was therefore a particularly auspicious time to unlock the secrets of the future.

Apples or hazelnuts, both viewed as products of sacred trees, were used to divine information concerning marriage, sickness, and death. For example, apples with identifying marks were placed in a tub of water. By seizing an apple using only the mouth, a young man or woman was supposed to be able to identify his or her future spouse. This divination practice survives today in the Halloween game of bobbing for apples.


Samhain was also characterized by drunken revelry and a casting aside of inhibitions. “Traditional values, if not flouted, were reversed,” states Markale. “What was forbidden was allowed, and what was allowed was forbidden.” Halloween still reflects this spirit today, which no doubt accounts to a great extent for its increasing popularity. Commenting on this, The Encyclopedia of Religion describes Halloween nowadays as “a time when adults can also cross cultural boundaries and shed their identities by indulging in an uninhibited evening of frivolity. Thus, the basic Celtic quality of the festival as an evening of annual escape from normal realities and expectations has remained into the twentieth century.”



A "Christian" mask

Following the potato famine in the 19th century, Irish immigrants took Halloween and its customs to the United States. From there it has returned to Europe in the past few years.
The growing popularity of Halloween, though, is not viewed favorably by all.
As notes the newspaper Le Monde, “Halloween, which coincides with All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day (November 1 and 2) and could even replace them, is making shopkeepers happy and panicking churchmen.”

Church representatives in France have expressed concern over the decline of these traditional Catholic holidays in favor of Halloween, seeing it as a sign of the “paganization of society.”
For Stanislas Lalanne, spokesman for France’s Conference of Catholic Bishops, Halloween ‘distorts the meaning of life and death.’
The bishop of Nice, Jean Bonfils, stated that “this festival and its rituals have nothing to do with our Mediterranean and Christian culture,” and he warned Catholics against “the most important festival of Satanists the world over.”

Carlo Maria Martini, cardinal of Milan, Italy, urged Italians not to abandon Catholic holidays, declaring that Halloween is “alien to our tradition, which has immense value and must be continued. All Souls’ Day is a celebration that belongs to our history. It is the moment in which hope for eternal life unfolds, a moment in which the Lord makes us understand that there is more to life than that on earth.”

Many sincere Catholics no doubt feel the same way.
Yet, is the distinction between Halloween and All Souls’ Day as clear-cut as these comments would lead us to believe?
What does a close examination of the roots of these Catholic holidays reveal?


The Catholic Encyclopedia defines All Saints’ Day as a feast to “honour all the saints, known and unknown.” At the end of the second century, so-called Christians began to honor those who had been martyred for their faith and, believing that they were already with Christ in heaven, prayed to them to intercede on their behalf.


A regular commemoration began when on May 13, 609 or 610 C.E., Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Pantheon—the Roman temple of all the gods—to Mary and all the martyrs. Markale comments: “The Roman gods left their place to the saints of the triumphant religion.”

The change of date to November came under Pope Gregory III (731-741 C.E.), who dedicated a chapel in Rome to all the saints and ordered that they be honored on November 1.
Exactly why he did this is unknown.
But it may have been because such a holiday was already being celebrated on this date in England.
The Encyclopedia of Religion points out: “Samhain remained a popular festival among the Celtic people throughout the christianization of Great Britain.
The British church attempted to divert this interest in pagan customs by adding a Christian celebration to the calendar on the same date as Samhain. . . .
The medieval British commemoration of All Saints’ Day may have prompted the universal celebration of this feast throughout the Christian church.”

Markale points out the increasing influence of Irish monks throughout Europe at this time.
The New Catholic Encyclopedia also observes: “The Irish often assigned the first of the month to important feasts, and since November 1 was also the beginning of the Celtic winter, it would have been a likely date for a feast of all the saints.” Finally, in 835 C.E., Pope Gregory IV made this festival universal.

As for All Souls’ Day, on which prayers are recited in order to help souls in purgatory attain heavenly bliss, this holiday was fixed on November 2 during the 11th century by the monks of Cluny, France.
While All Souls’ Day is ostensibly a Catholic holiday, it is clear that confusion existed in the minds of ordinary folk.
The New Catholic Encyclopedia notes that “throughout the Middle Ages it was popular belief that the souls in purgatory could appear on this day as will-o’-the-wisps, witches, toads, etc.”

Unable to uproot pagan beliefs from the hearts of its flock, the church simply hid them behind a “Christian” mask.
Highlighting this fact, The Encyclopedia of Religion says: “The Christian festival, the Feast of All Saints, commemorates the known and unknown saints of the Christian religion just as Samhain had acknowledged and paid tribute to the Celtic deities.”



What is the truth?

Just how concerned should you be about the dark past of Halloween and similar celebrations?
After all, in most people’s minds, Halloween is little more than a time to dress up and have fun.
But would you not agree that it is important for parents to make sure that whatever recreation their children pursue is wholesome and not harmful?

A school inspector from France with more than 20 years of experience in teaching was asked about the influence of Halloween on young children.
He commented: “I am worried that going from house to house threatening adults in order to obtain sweets can have long-term negative consequences on children. It can foster a selfish and egocentric personality. They learn that by exerting pressure, by demanding with threats, by making others afraid, they can obtain what they want.” Parents must therefore ask themselves, ‘What “lessons” will my children learn from celebrating this holiday?’


Not surprisingly, many families find that giving in to childish demands for treats and costumes can be an expensive undertaking.
“Halloween . . . is not a holiday,” observes Robert Rochefort, general director of France’s Research Center for the Study and Observation of Living Conditions, “it is event marketing.” Halloween fills a shopping lull prior to Christmas. In other words, it is just one more thing pressuring people to spend money.

I have noticed it is a very popular holiday even for Christians!
The Bible thus condemns the whole idea of putting a Christian mask on a pagan practice!

While it is true that the vast majority of those who celebrate Halloween would claim to spurn Satanic practices, we should, nevertheless, be aware that historically this holiday has close connections with the occult.

I only showed you one aspect of the lies of halloween, the lies and mask of the catholics. But there are so many more things you should know.
So see you next year for more!


Friday, October 26, 2012

Baby Blue


Who doesn`t love a cute baby with beautiful blue eye`s.

But not all the babies are so cute.

As there are many versions of the Bloody Mary legend, there are also some variations.
Like Candyman, Lady In White and Baby Blue.

To play Baby Blue, you have to go into the bathroom on your own, turn of the lights and close the door.
Look into the mirror with your arms like holding a baby. Repeat the words "Baby Blue, Blue Baby' 13 times.

If you make no mistake you will feel the weight of a baby in your arms. You will have the feeling that you are
really holding a baby. The baby will get heavier as it grows larger and larger.
You will suddenly feel scratching on your arms. New born baby`s have sharp nails.
And you will feel them scratching your arms.


Before the baby is getting too heavy, you must drop the invisible baby into the toilet and flush it two times.
Then you have to run out the bathroom as soon as possible.

If you don`t do it fast enough, a hideous woman will appear in the mirror. She will yell "Give me back my baby!" and screams so load the mirror will break. If you are still holding the baby, the baby will scratch you until it hits an artery so you bleed to death.
Or the woman kills you when you are still in the bathroom.


The story

A group of young girls found out about the baby blue story and decided to try it out.
When the girls were alone at night they pushed one of her friends in the bathroom.
She did not belieft it would worked so she turned out the lights and locked the door behind her0
She put out her arms and started chanting the phrase; `Blue baby, baby blue...`


As longer she was singing her arms felt heavier and heavier.
She really started to have the feeling a baby was in her arms.
And felt some light scratching on her arms.
She was so scared she did not know what to do.
She frose up and stood there holding the invicible baby as it grew heavier.
Suddenly she saw something horrible in the mirror and she screamed!

Her friends heard the scream and they tried to open the bathroom door, but it was locked.
The young girls tried to open the door but it didn`t worked.

The girl in the bathroom was screaming and screaming.

So the girls ran to the neighborgs house to get help.




The neighbour broke open the door and they found the girl lying dead on the floor. Her eyes had been scratched out.
They tried to move her body but they could not move her because something large and invisible was pinning her to the gound.


What is the truth?


When you look to legends like Bloody Mary, there is always a back-story too support the legend.
But this legend has no back-story at all.
We have no information about the baby or the woman.

Like in the Bloody Mary legend, it will mess with your mind.
Interesting is the way you hold an "invisible" baby. When you hold that position with your arms for a long time, your arms will get tired and you will have the feeling you are holding something that is getting heavier.

However, these kind of legends have one thing in common.
You are summoning a demon.

You invite a demon to your house, and this is not something to play with.



Here are some interesting comments of people about this legend;
"my mate tryed this i closed the door so he was on his own in the bathroom and when he came out he his eyes where red i screamed when seeing in it he was shakeing crazy and the mirror was broken he had to get his eyes done so people i say don`t play this game ever"

"My friend tried that and she was also scared out of her writs, but she lived. That all happened 2 years ago. But she still has two scratches on her left arm...."

"I played this at my friends house... This one actually worked Candyman is fake and Mary never works but after i did this one there were distinct fingernail marks in my arm where I was holding the baby. Not scratches but the shape of fingernails. Stayed there for like 12 hours."


Friday, October 19, 2012

Zombiefest And Zombiewalk Antwerp


On 31 October 2012 zombies will walk the earth!

Belgian_Black & Belgian Zombie Foundation present Zombie Fest & Zombie Walk in Antwerp.

The event starts with a Zombie Fest.
Shopping stands, games, workshops, Zombie karaoke and more.

Then a Zombie Walk trough Antwerp.
A photo-shoot and too end the event, an after-party!

The Horror Tree will be there! And will film and take photographs for a nice documentary.

It will only cost 2 euro, so you are all welcome too join the horde!
More Information see http://zombiewalk.be/.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

The Exploding Indian


During an autopsy in Brussels, two coroners were working on the body of an Indian man.

One of the coroner was smoking a cigar during the autopsy.
But when the medical examiner planted his knife in the belly of the Indian man, a foreign gas came free.

When the coroner came closer to the body, the Indian man explode!

The gases were from a pesticide to kill cockroaches. 
The court is still looking out of the man took the poison himself or got killed by someone.



What is the truth?


The story was published in a Belgium newspaper on 17 November 2001.

This story should be true.

However, after some recherche, I could not find the actual story.
So no hard evidence here.




Is it scientific possible?

Yes.
There was an similar accident in Texas, USA 

Family members who gather at a Texas funeral home to mourn the death of 38-year-old Robert Cavazos Jr. reeled in horror when the dead man’s corpse suddenly exploded.

The force of the blast ripped open Cavazos’ cement-lined coffin and filled the funeral home in Raymondville, Texas with “a horrendous, foul oder,”
The lawyer said Cavazos’ body exploded because it was not embalmed and gases formed within the corpse as the decomposition process occurred.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

The Wesker & Son Human Butchery


To promote the horror third-person shooter video game Resident Evil 6 being released, Capcom created a killer PR stunt by turning the Smithfield Meat Market in East London into a Resident Evil themed human butchery shop named Wesker & Son, which also acted as a pop-up art installation.

Once at the Wesker & Son butchery, members of the public will be invited to sample and purchase a dizzying array of edible human limbs including hands, feet and a human head, which will be available to buy directly from the shop.





As well as these specially created products, people will be able to buy ‘Peppered Human & Lemon Sausages’ and ‘J’avo Caught Human Thigh Steaks’ along with some specially made pots of Red Herb and Green Herb.

Do not worry this isn't actually human meat, it's animal meat with makeup.




The stall's produce is the work of food artist, Sharon Baker, with help from food businesses, Tongue N Cheek and Homemade Hampers.

All the proceeds from the sale of the meat will be donated to the Limbless Association, which provides information and support to the limb-loss community.

If pretending to be a cannibal and drinking cocktails from specimen bags isn't your thing, Capcom is also planning a set of lectures at St. Bartholomew's Hospital Pathology Museum.
The lectures, spread across two days, explain the themes of Resident Evil 6 and how they relate to the real world.

A great warmup for the game Resident Evil 6!

Monday, October 1, 2012

October Scary Picdump


Enjoy your monthly scary picdump with a special horror drawing dump from the artist Orion12212012!




















































For more of his amazing work check his Deviant!
http://orion12212012.deviantart.com/