Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Haunted happenings.

We are right smack dab in the middle of my favorite part of the year. The leaves are falling, everything smells like burning leaves, and I have a constant urge for donuts. And pumpkin beer.

I think I will make this weekend an unofficial "all things weird and creepy" weekend.

Items on the agenda:

1. Many of you have heard me speak of my love for the Redford Theater. A beautiful building and a live organ. This Saturday evening, they are showing the classic "House of Wax" with Vincent Price. They will also have paranormal investigators talking about the theater. I am beyond excited for it.


2. Find a hell house. If you do not know what a hell house is, let me enlighten you.

Hell houses are haunted attractions typically run by American, fundamentalist Christian churches or parachurch groups. These depict sin, the torments of the damned in Hell, and usually conclude with a depiction of heaven. They are most typically operated in the days preceding Halloween, although they are not part of the holiday.

A hell house, like a conventional haunted-house attraction, is a space set aside in which actors attempt to frighten patrons with gruesome exhibits and scenes. The format is that the various scenes are presented as a series of short vignettes with a narrated guide. Unlike haunted houses, hell houses focus on occasions and effects of sin or the fate of unrepentant sinners in the afterlife. They are scheduled during the month of October to capitalize on the similarities between hell houses and haunted attractions.

The exhibits at a hell house often have a controversial tone and focus on sins that are also issues of concern to evangelicals in the United States. Hell houses frequently feature exhibits that depict sin and its consequences. Common examples include abortion, suicide, use of alcoholic beverages[citation needed] and other recreational drugs, adultery and pre-marital sex, occultism, homosexuality, and Satanic ritual abuse. Hell houses typically emphasize the belief that anyone who does not accept Christ as their personal savior is damned to Hell.

I have been interested in attending one of these for a couple of years now, but I can never find any in Michigan. I kind of would like to see the people running it, and see what it is like. The people watching would be incredible. I know I'd be willing to make a trip.

3. http://theshadowlands.net/places/michigan.htm is a great resource for haunted places here in our great state. A lot of it is hokey, but if you do a little digging, I am quite confident that you will find something that may interest you.

4. I plan on purchasing my Halloween costume, and for that, I will most likely hit up Halloween Bazaar. http://www.halloweenbazaar.com/

5. Sample different pumpkin beers. The Rochester Mills Brewing Company (which is a very short stumbling distance from my apartment) has New Holland Ichabod as their guest tap this month.

If any of these activities sound interesting to you, let me know. It's always more fun with a group!