As people who seek to find hidden meanings and inclusive understanding, the usual approach toward holidays and holy days of other denominations is one of curiosity and interest- curiosity, maybe even an appreciation of the tradition and the beliefs involved, but rarely is it a full acceptance and a rightful adoption into our own calendar of meaningful events.

The day of All Soul’s November 2nd, is different. As Universalists, we have full rights to this day, and I feel that it should be celebrated yearly as a reminder of one of our foundational theological ideas, and as an opportunity to check and affirm the timeless connections of church history and the personal connections with both loss and life that every human being shares.

Originally, All Soul’s Day is a late- comer- being instituted after both All Hallows and All Saints were in full observation. This weekend is a rare event; we have all of them over a weekend and can attune ourselves more closely with their greater meaning for us.

Briefly, in church history there is the pattern of adopting indigenous holidays and making them ” Christian.” All Hallows Eve was a time when the dead came alive and their spirits walked the earth for the last time before being sent up to heaven or being condemned to Hell. It was a time for ghostly visitations, and when the energies and impulses toward good and evil became manifested in people and the culture.

The Church, seeing this as a pagan revelry celebrating the harvest and the mischief of merry-ma king, transformed it into a night where there was a battle of good and evil and the night before all the Saints- all the blessed faithful would ascend to heaven to be with God. This more pious approach became a Holy Day of Obligation- a time when everyone was to go to church and pray for the souls of the faithfully departed, that they might rest in peace, and that their entry into heaven would be assured.

However, that practice became modified and exclusive. It became a day for honoring those appointed and officially recognized by the Church as saints, with the sinners still having to worry about going to Hell. Then the prayers began to focus on releasing people from Purgatory- that in-between place that was the place of judgment of eternal salvation versus eternal damnation.

What was then instituted was another day to follow, and that day would be for the rest of us; and a day when all the faithfully departed, would gain entry into the everlasting mercy and peace known as heaven. That became All Soul’s day.

For Universalists, who following from their careful Bible study and an appraisal of Western theology, concluded that if God were as good as these orthodox priests and ministers claim, then why would there be such fear and grief over death?; Why would there be a question about salvation, and where one’s soul goes after death? If God is good, and a God that is love, there is nothing to fear for any or all of us, whether they are strong believers and even the most adamant of unbelievers, all of us will still go to heaven…

Why even the Devil himself will be saved in the end! ( Al Pacino included!!!)

Universalists reinterpreted All Soul’s as a day that affirms the goodness of God, the defeat of the teachings on damnation, and as a time in the history of a community when those who have departed this earthly life are remembered with respect and compassion. All Soul’s, for we religious liberals, is an occasion when we begin to evaluate the past and appraise the future; when a community comes together to live with both memory and hope.

The Devil and his Friend

One day, the Devil went out for a walk with his friend…. They saw a man ahead of them stop, stoop down and pick up something from the ground…

” What did the man find?”, asked the friend. The Devil said, ” Oh, he found a piece of the Truth.” “Doesn’t that disturb you?”, asked the friend…

“No” said the Devil- “I just will let him make a religious doctrine out of it”

A religious belief is only a signpost pointing towards the truth. When you cling to the signpost you are prevented from moving ahead to the goal. When you believe that you have the whole truth, there is no incentive to find out more or expand your understanding of truth that comes in from all directions.

Origins and History

The exact origin of the superstition is certainly unknown, though it has appeared in print at least as early as 1420 in England, wher the observance itself is said to have originated, though there are some reports place its origins even earlier, into the 1200′s. Today, ithas spread to most English speaking countries of the world, although like all folklore, determining distribution is difficult.  This superstitution appears to be related to the broader belief in the rabbit or hare as being a “lucky” animal…. (as exhibited in the dubious? practicve of carrying around a rabbit’s foot for luck… )

Some adherents believe that it represents a jump into the future, and being able to move ahead with one’s life and in moving, make quick steps towards one’s sense of happiness and sense of a fully lived life…

As with most folktales, which has always been spread most rapidly through word of mouth, there are numerous variant versions of this “rabbit, rabbit” superstitution- in some cases, specific to a cetain time period of region. There are hundreds of viariations, some of the most common of which include:

1) White Rabbits On The First of Every Month: In some parts of lancashire and tha djacent counties, it is unwise to shoot a black rabbit. This is because they were once believed to be ancestral spirits that came back in that form. In Somerset, white rabbits were thought to be witches. That anyone really believes this now is improbable; nevertheless, white rabbits are not popular as children’s pets and they are usually left severely alone, and are not shot!

         The luck bringing custom found all over Great Britiain is to say ” Rabbits” or “White Rabbits”once or three times on the first day of every month. it must be said early in the morning, before any other word has been uttered, otherwise the charm loses its force.. In some districts, it is considered to be necessary to say “Hares” or “Black Rabbits” when going to bed on the night before, as well as “Rabbits or White Rabbits” in the morning! IF, however, the speaker becomes muddled, and says ” Black Rabbits” on arising, bad luck will follow! The looked for result of all this variously given as general good luck during the ensuing four weeks, or the receipt of a gift within a few days.”

2) the converse is true! saying “Rabbit” ( or even dreamionmg of rabbits?) will bring you bad luck!

3) Being the first one to say to someone, “Rabbit, Rabbit!” will bring you good luck. Once someone has says”rabbit, rabbit” to you, then you are no longer permitted to repeat it to anyone,thus having bad luck for that month. 

4) Instead of saying, “rabbit, rabbit” saying just”rabbits, or rabbits,  and some will extend this to saying, “rabbits, rabbits, rabbits” which has some of the ealiest historical references.

5) The earliest referenced usuage may be to saying “rabbits” three times before going to sleep the last night of the month, then saying “hares” three times upon awakening, though just two years later, it was recorded as three “rabbits” in the morning, and no hares at all!

6) Using the night of the New Moon (traditionally the first day of the lunar month) instead of the first night of the calendar month.

7) Another version is to say “bunny,bunny hop, hop”

Saying “black rabbits?” the night before, and “white rabbits?” in the morning in a questioning way…

9) Believing that the effect will be stronger if done during the month of one’s birth.

10) Referring to the first of every month as “Rabbit Day”

11) There are various ways to counter the effect of forgetting to say the “rabbit” word, so that you can counteract the promise of regular or bad luck during the month… Thye first is to say it backwards, “tibbar, tibbar” before you fall asleep or some accounts will offer the rememy of saying, “Moose, Moose” upon waking up on the second day of the month!

12) A different but related practice of saying “Happy Rabbits day” to someone in order to bring them good luck.

I would add that while the rabbit may or may not have luck ascribed to its name, it certainly is a symbol of vitality, fertility, energy, and resourcefulnesss- all things that can make any month a more favorittable experience… Besides, it is a delightful excuse to contact dear friends, right?)

Dear Dr. Laura;

Thank you so much about educating people regarding God’s Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share this knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states that it is an abomination… End of debate!

However, I need some advice from you, regarding some other elements of God’s laws and how best to follow them…

10 leviticus 25:44 states that i can possess slaves, both male and female, provided that they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims this passage refers to Mexicans, but not to Canadians. Would you clrify? Why can’t I own Canadians?

2) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

3) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman whiole she is in her period of Menstruation- she is unclean or so says Lev. 15:19-24. The problem is: How can I tell?
I have tried asking women I meet, but they take offense at my questions…

4) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know that it creates a pleasing oder for the Lord Lev.1:9 The problem is my neighbors. They claim that the oder is not pleasing to them! Should I smite them?

5) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states that he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it?

6) A friend of mine feels that eating shellfish is an abomination Lev. 11:10 but that it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I do not agree. Can you settle this? Are there degrees of abomination?

7) Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20 or is there some wiggle room here?

Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is extremely forbidden by Lev. 19:27 How should they die?

9) I know from Lev. 11: 6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

10) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in one field, as does his wife wearing two garments made of different thread ( cotton/poly blend) He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary to go through all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone him? Lev. 24: 10-16 Coulddn’t we just burn them to death at a private family party, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? Lev. 20:14
I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I am confident you can help.

Your adoring fan,
James M. Kauffman Ed.D Professor Emeritus Dept of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education University of Virginia

The Elephant and The Rat
There once was a rat who always saw the worse in people; he was suspicious, haughty, and self-righteous: he was quick to accuse, find fault, and believe that people were really out to get him….
Well, one day this pleasant fellow was at the community swimming hole. There in the hole was an elephant, relaxing and enjoying himself.
Going into the locker room, the rat looked around, and being upset, marched over to the swimming hole, he commanded that the elephant to come out!
The elephant, not knowing what was the problem, asked him why…
The rat just insisted, and stomped his foot. He yelled at the elephant to come out, and then I’ll tell you why … The elephant refused… and the rat continued to fuss and fume…. finally, out of compassion and not wanting the poor little rat to be so upset…. the elephant decided to end his swim, and see what the rat wanted….
When he reached the bank , he walked over to the rat and asked, ” Why did you want me to come out of the water ? ” The rat replied, “I just wanted to see if you were the one who took my swimming trunks!!!”

The moral of this story: An elephant could sooner fit into the swimming trunks of a rat, than could God fit into any preconceived ideas of who and what God is, should be, or where it is that God could be found.

As central part of my approach to transpersonal counseling, and my Interfaith Services, I encourage people to deepen their awareness of the God of their understansding, and to apply those insights as sources of wisdom and learning, healing and justice making in their lives…

The Devil and his Friend

One day, the Devil went out for a walk with his friend…. They saw a man ahead of them stop, stoop down and pick up something from the ground…
” What did the man find?”, asked the fiendish friend. The Devil said, ” Oh, he found a piece of the Truth.” “Doesn’t that disturb you?”, asked the friend…
“No” said the Devil- “I just will let him make a religious doctrine out of it”

A religious belief is only a signpost that points towards the truth that you personally have to explore, understand and accept for yourself. When you cling to the signpost, out of a need for an external source for your security, you are prevented from moving ahead to the goal. When you believe that you have the whole truth, as some more structured and conservative religious approaches proclaim, then there is no incentive to find out more or expand your understanding of truth, … Which, in my lifelong spiritual search, can come to us from all directions- those that are intentional, those that are gracious, and those that are seemingly unconnected… yet are synchronistic to our growth…