Chick tracts

I've been meaning to write about this for the last few weeks. Anybody remember those fantastic Chick tracts handed out during Halloween? For those not in the know, chick tracts are little bible pamphlets often left at bus stops and in phone booths. The idea is that random passers-by will pick them up, read, be convinced by a poorly-drawn comic book, and dedicate their souls to Jeebus. Halloween was another special night for witnessing.

I've never understood the point of giving these out on Halloween. First of all, what kid wants reading instead of candy? Granted, most smart givers would give both the tract AND candy, but I remember quite a few houses in which I got only the chick tract. Yeah, that will endear me to the cause. Second, keep in mind that no kid is going to read this in the dark while trick-or-treating. So if Halloween is some big, evil ritual that needs to be stopped, at the very earliest, most kids will only read this when they get home. If the chick tract scares them into holiness, how much do you bet it doesn't last more than a year with most kids? Right back to the Devil's birthday, next year, kiddies! Muh ha ha ha!

(click to enlarge images)




The above is one of the newer ones - I never actually got this one during Halloween, although my daughter might in the next few years. Note how cavalier Chick is about sending kids to hell. Sure, he's only 11, but since he didn't choose Jesus . . .



I actually do remember getting this one as a kid. Note how it not only treats Halloween as evil, but also ties it into the completely bogus paranoia about tainted candy.

My favorite part is how black and white Chick's worldview is. There are literally Satan worshipers living amongst us - probably that Stepfordish-looking woman on the corner. But don't worry, you can always tell who they are in advance, because they all have the same laugh. Chick used up his "haw haw" quota pretty early in this strip.