Since the fun of Halloween is approaching, I remembered how the church and its leaders tried to suck all the joy of dressing up as a character for the holiday. I am recalling many of my costume choices and the church leaders' reactions. A lot of my favorite costumes focused on characters from Star Wars.

I dressed up as the lovable wookie, Chewbacca. Mom painted my face and helped sew on yards of fake fur to make a the costume. I really looked like Barf from the parody Spaceballs, but this was years before that movie debuted. One of the brethren complained that I left the ward building a mess from the shedding of fur.

Another time I dressed up as Boba Fett (the rocket pack bounty hunter). I actually won runner up for my costume at my elementary's school's costume contest. My Mom made the whole costume from scratch, including a retractable yellow tinted shield within a helmet. I had a homemade rocket pack on my back as well.

The ward's scoutmaster took one look at my costume and made all kinds of faces. He said the rocket on my back was a weapon and it promoted violence. He also said that my helmet was really a mask and against church rules. He made me leave my costume items in the car in order to enter the building. My costume looked silly without the helmet and rocket pack.

My last dabble with a Star Wars character involved Darth Vader. I knew that I couldn't wear the Vader mask. I rigged an old tape recorder with a blinking red and yellow led light. I wore some tall riding boots from a surplus store. What caught me off-guard was my black cape. I got ambushed by the deacon's quorum adviser. I got a good lecture about why black clothing was the trademark of Stan and his power. Then he went on that when choosing a character to emulate for Halloween, mormons should only choose good people and not villains. He wrecked the evening.

I think I’ve posted this before, not sure. When I was probably a junior in high school, back in the late 60’s, my mother was a Young Women’s teacher/counselor…she may have been the president. She worked as a seamstress for a men’s clothing store in Murray UT. One year for Halloween, they were having a party at church and the woman who was her boss had a bunch of Halloween costumes and helped her with dress ups for herself and me. I don’t remember what I was but her costume was a Chinese style mans costume and about all I remember is that she wore a wig that had a long ponytail and she had a Chinese mans look. . She won the first prize in the costume contest that night and within about 30 minutes of that she came to me and said “I need to go home—will you take me?” We must have come together. On the way home she was upset and told me that the bishop had told her to go and change because she wasn’t allowed to dress as a man at church. So we went home and didn’t go back that night.

"Mormons don't wear masks"

Went to Halloween party and the branch president was dressed as a woman.

I was still trying to figure out what was wrong with wearing a mask.

notmo

“A warning: there is a dark side to spiritual things. In a moment of curiosity or reckless bravado some teenagers have been tempted to toy with Satan worship. Don’t you ever do that! Don’t associate with those who do! You have no idea of the danger! Leave it alone! And there are other foolish games and activities that are on that dark side. Leave them alone!”

"I do believe, in our day, when being anonymous is easier than ever, that there are important principles involved in not wearing a mask and being 'true to the faith … for which martyrs have perished.' One of your greatest protections against making bad choices is to not put on any mask of anonymity. If you ever find yourself wanting to do so, please know it is a serious sign of danger and one of the adversary’s tools to get you to do something you should not do."

Messy adds:
Funny how I felt so alone while stationed at the MTC in Provo. Sure, I had a name tag, but felt that my individuality and everything unique that made me feel like me had been taken away by the church. The church made me feel anonymous.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2019 02:06PM by messygoop.

One year a lady in our ward dressed as her husband at the ward halloween party. She had one of his hats, one of his work shirts with his name embroidered over the pocket, and a fake mustache.

I don't think anybody said anything to her face. But everybody was talking behind her back about how "inappropriate" it was to dress as a member of the opposite sex--ever. Why? Because "the bretheren" say so.

At the same party, an inactive woman showed up with her non-member boyfriend. I hadn't seen her at any church activity in years and it was his very first time. He wore one of those masks of the U.S. president. As soon as they walked in, a bunch of people rushed over and scoldingly told him he had to take it off: "no masks allowed!" He took off the mask, and then he and his girlfriend left a few minutes later. I never saw either of them at church again.

This whole issue boils down to MIND-CONTROL. period...

I have naturally wavy/curly hair when it grows out.

Last LDS trunk or treat I attended, I put on a fake mustache and told people I was "Mr Kotter."

For a few select friends, I revealed I was actually "Ron Jeremy"