Posted on 11/01/2009 3:58:46 AM PST by Christian Press
As a Christian I don’t “hate,” many things, but each year I can’t wait until Halloween is over. This day typically causes discord in our household as cultural pressure to participate finds it s way into our home. My stepchildren’s father sees nothing wrong with the day, while my wife and I have great difficulty with its basic foundation.
Halloween is hard to avoid as its influences are everywhere. The other day I was teaching at an area community college and was disturbed most of my teaching time by staff dressed in horrific costumes. I really do hate Halloween.
The fifteen years I served churches I encountered more evilness this time of year than any other. One rural church I served typically experience animal mutilation. My own experience of spiritual warfare is too real to embrace this day with naive adulation.
So, don't come by our house. We won't have any "tricks" or "treats" for you. Here are a few reasons why.
One only research to find Halloween to be a time when supernatural forces prevail. Anton LaVey, author of "The Satanic Bible" and high priest of the Church of Satan, says that Satanists consider Halloween the most important day of the year. On this night, he says, satanic, occult, and witchcraft power are at their highest potency level, and that any witch or occultist who has been having difficulty with a spell or curse can usually achieve success on October 31 because Satan and his powers are at their best that night.
But the question remains, should Christians observe Halloween? At the end of the day each of us must make that judgment call, but I thought I would share perspective that might cause reflection.
HISTORICAL REVIEW:
The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.
To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities.
During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other's fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.
By A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.
The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of "bobbing" for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.
What does Scripture say?
Let's look at what scripture says about witches:
Exodus 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
Deuteronomy 18:10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto Yahweh: and because of these abominations Yahweh thy Elohim doth drive them out from before thee.
Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of Elohim.
So are we and our children supposed to imitate witches and demonic practices or are we supposed to imitate Yahushua the Messiah?
We read later that Christians took the observance and "Christianized" it.
Origins, Halloween: By the end of the 1st century AD, the Roman Empire had conquered most of the Celtic lands (see Rome, History of). In the process of incorporating the Celts into their empire, the Romans adapted and absorbed some Celtic traditions as part of their own pagan and Catholic religious observances. In Britain, Romans blended local Samhain customs with their own pagan harvest festival honoring Pomona, goddess of fruit trees. Some scholars have suggested that the game of bobbing for apples derives from this Roman association of the holiday with fruit.
Pure Celtic influences lingered longer on the western fringes of Europe, especially in areas that were never brought firmly under Roman control, such as Ireland, Scotland, and the Brittany region of northwestern France. In these areas, Samhain was abandoned only when the local people converted to Christianity during the early Middle Ages, a period that lasted from the 5th to the 15th century. The Roman Catholic Church often incorporated modified versions of older religious traditions in order to win converts. For example, Pope Gregory IV sought to replace Samhain with All Saints' Day in 835. All Souls' Day, closer in spirit to Samhain and modern Halloween, was first instituted at a French monastery in 998 and quickly spread throughout Europe. Folk observances linked to these Christian holidays, including Halloween, thus preserved many of the ancient Celtic customs associated with Samhain.
This festival is about demonic idolatry. Some Christians tried to "Christianize" it to appease the pagans.
Does it Matter?
Does Yahweh say that it is alright to observe the pagan festivals as long as we are honoring Him? Notice carefully what he said to the Israelites before they entered the promised land;
Deuteronomy 12:29 (KJV) When Yahweh thy Elohim shall cut off the nations from before thee, where thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; 30 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they are destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. 31 Thou shalt not do so to Yahweh thy Elohim: for every abomination to Yahweh, which he hateth, have they done to their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. 32 Whatever thing I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add to it, nor diminish from it.
What we are really looking at here is Satanism's influence today:
"After one's own birthday, the two major Satanic holidays are Walpurgisnacht (May 1st) and Halloween (or All Hallow's Eve)." The Satanic Bible by Anton Levey page 96, section on Religious Holidays.
But Scripture says:
1 Corinthians 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of Yahweh, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of Yahweh's table, and of the table of devils.
What harm could there be in Halloween? Halloween can be a dangerous and harmful day and here are some reasons why.
* HALLOWEEN EMPHASIZES VIOLENCE AND DEATH
* HALLOWEEN EMPHASIZES HORROR AND FEAR
* HALLOWEEN EMPHASIZES THE OCCULT
For me, I just don't care to embrace that which might cause my walk with Christ to be jourpardized or invite the dark side of the occult into my home. That can happen on its own without knowingly inviting it.
Spiritual Nuggets on Halloween
Halloween and Christianity-Part One, History of Halloween Halloween and Christianity-Part Two, History of Objects and Activities Halloween and Christianity-Part Three, Halloween and the Bible Halloween and Christianity-Part Four, Alternatives Halloween and Christianity-Summary
Well, that's settled.
If you don't kill every Treat or Treater running past your house you ain't a good Christian and you ain't going do heaven.
Wonder if the writer ever dances?
Wonder if the writer ever took a nip or two.
Seriously - where my soul goes after I die depends a lot more on other other “stuff” than if I Trick or Treated as a kid or give out candy to those who do today.
Only in America could we take the scariest night of the year and turn it into a party.
Well, the D’s kinda’ did that to election night last November.
A local well known Baptist church held a huge party for Halloween yesterday. A place for children and families to get together. You could dress up, but no real scary costumes were allowed. It was open to the public. They had some religious information available, and just about got me to sign up as a member. It was very nice and appreciated.
But, for the time being, we live in a fallen world ruled by Satan and if a person doesn't have a desire to participate in the Halloween festivities they are regarded as weird or party poopers or religious fanatics.
Good article. Thanks for posting.
While what you say is true, I would pick another issue to be concerned with. This ones a loser.....
* HALLOWEEN EMPHASIZES VIOLENCE AND DEATH
* HALLOWEEN EMPHASIZES HORROR AND FEAR
* HALLOWEEN EMPHASIZES THE OCCULT
********
I didn’t see any violence, death, horror, fear, or occult in my neighborhood last night. Mostly little kids dressed as fairies or butterflies or cartoon characters. I suppose my son’s turning 13 is worthy of “horror and fear,” but he’s always been difficult ...
I have never liked Halloween, even as a child. I lived in a small rural town where it was not that easy to go house to house and I always felt kind of stupid dressed up. When my children were little, I took them trick or treating and, now that they are grown, I would generally put out my lighted ceramic pumpkin and give out candy, but this year I went to my daughter’s house to avoid even having to do that. I made sure my cats that like to go outside were inside before dark and did not let them out again until this morning. I agree with the author that, for some, Halloween is a day to honor Satan.
I am not amused by adults parading in satanic attire and exhibiting aspects of pagan ritual. Too many like to much of this—and perhaps this holiday actually encourages some to go way beyond the respectable.
But for the little ones—I see no long term damage—and lots of fun. It does not last long—just until the hormones or testerone kicks in and other pursuits are pursued!
The short munchkins in cute costumes outnumbered the tall kids dressed as teenagers at least 9 to 1 last night in my neighborhood.
Lots better than the last few years.
Most were walking with parents supervising from the street. Did have a good number of cars doing the start and stop Treak or Treat - Bad form.
Yes, and that one phrase caused more evil than it ever prevented. Thousands of people, men and women, but mostly women, died in England and on the American continent(still part of Britain at the time), although many more died in Europe than ever did on American shores for being witches.
People who wanted someone's land, or simply didn't like that person, would turn them in for being witches, a charge that was almost impossible to disprove, and the victim had to disprove it, there was no "innocent until proved guilty" when it came to witches.
So call me a pagan if you want, but anyone who quotes that particular phrase out of the bible needs to have their head examined and the rocks removed from it.
Once I learned the origins of Halloween, my family never celebrated it or dressed up to collect candy.
Having said that, I cannot ever recollect a time, when in dressing up to collect candy, that I or my friends ever participated in such pagan worship. Make no doubt, it is pagan worship.
So, I advise Christians not to participate in Halloween. However, it isn’t the unforgiveable sin.
I never understood the anti-alcohol stance among some Christians. Didn't Jesus turn water into wine for a wedding celebration? Why would he do that if alcohol is bad?
I agree. How about this one?
My stepchildren’s father sees nothing wrong with the day, while my wife and I have great difficulty with its basic foundation.
Shall we instead list all the verses surrounding marriage, divorce, adultery, and "remarrying"? Now that's a 'hot' topic. I'm just sayin'.
Well, I guess if we really want to be purist, be better examine December 25 and a few other Dates and Holidays which have been expressions of a spiritual need of man which later Organized, Real Beliefs, True Dogma, THE CHURCH, sanctified for their own use. Winter soltice comes to mind.
OK, I am ready for the flames!
In our church (Presbyterian, PCA) we don’t celebrate Halloween, but we do celebrate Reformation Day (October 31 was the day Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the Cathedral door in Wittenburg). Our children come in costumes based on biblical or church history figures. We play traditional games “Christianized” (like, pin the theses on the door instead of pin the tail on the donkey), and give candy prizes to the children (in place of trick n treat). Last night we enjoyed a play on the life of Martin Luther performed by the drama team “Peculiar People” (see “peculiarpeople.com” for details), and a good time was had by all!
Thanks for posting.
I just think if you want to keep your own sanity you have to pick your battles. This one wouldn’t be on the top of my list.
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