The Hidden Truth About Halloween: Behind the Mask

Good News Magazine ^ | Unknown | Various

[DouglasKC]

The Hidden Truth About Halloween: Behind the Mask

Does the Bible have anything to say about the strange customs surrounding Halloween? In fact, it does—and none of it is good.

While God's Holy Days in the Bible celebrate the role of Jesus Christ in bringing mankind to salvation in the eternal family of God (as explained in the following article and our free booklet God's Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind), Halloween is a celebration of the opposite—of demonism, witchcraft, death and evil spirits.

God's Word makes it clear that no one should dare entertain witchcraft or act as a sorcerer. "There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD" (Deuteronomy 18:10-11, emphasis added throughout).

God pronounced death on any Israelites who would dare dally with demonism or Satanism: "A man or a woman who is a medium, or who has familiar spirits, shall surely be put to death; they shall stone them with stones. Their blood shall be upon them" (Leviticus 20:27). "You shall not permit a sorceress to live" (Exodus 22:18).

Why such a harsh penalty? God did not want such perverted, demonic practices to spread among His people and corrupt others. "But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst" (Deuteronomy 13:5).

Would God be against something as harmless as Halloween, especially since it allows children to have fun and enjoy a little entertainment? Can't we let them have a little harmless fun?

Frankly, Halloween is anything but harmless. It focuses one's attention on witchcraft and demonism, which flies in the face of the holy God Almighty! When parents not only allow but also encourage their children to celebrate witches and goblins, they are teaching them that it's acceptable to deal in demonism.

And we have seen what God thinks of that. God is a God of light and truth (1 John 1:5). Satan, "the god of this age" (2 Corinthians 4:4), is a very real being—a being of darkness, deception and death (Revelation 12:9; John 8:44). We are to have nothing to do with his ways. (To learn more, request our free booklet Is There Really a Devil?)

Do not assume that Halloween is a harmless holiday. God hates mankind's dabbling in the spirit world of Satan and his demons!

If there were no other reason available, that should be enough. But there are more reasons. Halloween keeps humankind, and many Christians, confused, disoriented and separated from the one and only true God.

God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). Nor is He the author of Halloween or any other "Christianized" pagan holidays (Amos 5:21). Why would the only true God who loves mankind support any worldly holiday that blinds human beings to Him and His truth and that holds men, women and children captive to deception?

Can Halloween Be Christianized?

Finding the shadows of the evil customs of Halloween abhorrent, many Christians have sought to sanitize the holiday by integrating religious symbols with which they are more familiar and comfortable (this process is called syncretism). Some, for example, carve the name Jesus onto pumpkins and add religious phrases in the hopes of evangelizing those who go trick-or-treating.

Others have undertaken a more elaborate revision of the holiday, attempting to turn it into a harvest festival interwoven with Christian themes and devoid of its more obvious pagan overtones. Church basements are turned into carnivals featuring games, contests and, of course, candy.

What should you do in deciding how you will approach this hotly debated issue?

The fundamental argument in favor of mixing ancient pagan customs and practices with the worship of God is that some believe it is an effective way to gradually win people over to Christian understanding. (Of course, in the present world we should ask ourselves why people who already see themselves as Christian would find any need to continue associations with pagan religious customs.)

This is sometimes a hotly disputed subject, and sincere people have concluded it indeed is useful to integrate the practices of ancient religious customs with the worship of God.

But perhaps we should address a fundamental question: What does God advise?

There is a scriptural precedent that offers guidance and direction for those who accept the Bible's instruction. The Israelites were confronted with these issues as they settled and built a new nation in the Promised Land. They encountered many worshipers of pagan deities as they entered the land and for centuries faced the problem as they dealt with neighboring peoples.

Even before they entered the land, God revealed His thinking and told them how to handle this challenge. His directions were explicit: "When the LORD your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, take heed that you are not ensnared to follow them ... Do not inquire after their gods, saying, 'How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.' You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way; for every abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods ... Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it" (Deuteronomy 12:29-32).

God's instructions are crystal clear. He refuses to accept worship that is compromised and tainted by customs used in the worship of fraudulent religion. He expects His worshipers to revere Him in accordance with His commands, not their own imaginings.

Many centuries later the apostle Paul expressed a similar thought when correcting some in the church in Corinth for their poor judgment. "What partnership can righteousness have with wickedness?" he asked. "Can light associate with darkness? Can Christ agree with [the devil] ...? Can there be a compact between the temple of God and idols? And the temple of the living God is what we are" (2 Corinthians 6:14-16, Revised English Bible).

The modern debate over Christianizing pagan worship customs could be resolved simply by reading and heeding God's plainly expressed will. GN

[DouglasKC]

2Co 6:15 And what agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what part does a believer have with an unbeliever?
2Co 6:16 And what agreement does a temple of God have with idols? For you are the temple of the living God, as God has said, "I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."
2Co 6:17 Therefore come out from among them and be separated, says the Lord, and do not touch the unclean thing. And I will receive you
2Co 6:18 and I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.

[RedhairRedhair]

So I can still eat the candy?

[Sir_Ed]

Excellent article, Doug, thank you.

I agree with every word of it.

Our church always has a harvest fair, and the kids go there, rather than to halloween parties.

Ed

[Artemis Webb]

yawn

[flaglady47]

I love Halloween and all the witches and goblins. I like it and it does not inform my religious attitude whatsover. Lighten up. Treat it like the fun it should be. Scary movies, carved pumpkins, Dracula (kudu’s to Bram Stoker; new book out about Dracula by a nephew of Stoker’s, eager to read it). I love seeing all the little kids trick or treating in their cute costumes. I love fall weather, autumn leaves. It’s all part and parcel of the month of October, and the lead up to Thanksgiving. Don’t rain on our parade. Believe as you wish, but don’t be a spoiler to the rest of us who have common sense about Halloween and have no axe to grind (pardon the pun) with 8t.

[flaglady47]

“8t” = “it” above. Typo.

[DouglasKC]

So I can still eat the candy?

Yes, but watch out for the pennies.

[Arthur McGowan]

This is kind of funny.

"Can Halloween be Christianized?"

Let me rephrase that: "Can All Hallows' Eve be Christianized?

Let me rephrase that again: "Can the Vigil of the Feast of All Saints be Christianized?"

There is nothing wrong with MOCKING the devil and witches and ghosts on Halloween, precisely because it is the Vigil of All Saints' Day. Halloween doesn't need to be "Christianized" because it's already Christian.

[DouglasKC]

Excellent article, Doug, thank you. I agree with every word of it.

You're welcome Ed..glad you enjoyed it.

[Kansas58]

Lighten up!
Halloween MAKES FUN of death and the devil!!!

There is no Biblical prohibition, you are bending scripture to fit your desires.

[christianhomeschoolmommaof3]

“Others have undertaken a more elaborate revision of the holiday, attempting to turn it into a harvest festival interwoven with Christian themes and devoid of its more obvious pagan overtones. Church basements are turned into carnivals featuring games, contests and, of course, candy.”

This seems to be an endictment against churches offering an alternative. We don’t celebrate Halloween. But getting together with other Christians to keep the children away from the “festivities” isn’t a celebration of Halloween.

What are we supposed to do? If we stay home, people come to our door. If you go out, everything is decorated and everyone is dressed up. The Bible says that we are in this world but not of it. I think a fall harvest festival is an example of this scripture. We have to live on earth on Halloween but we don’t have to partake.

[cripplecreek]

Sacrifice one goat on Halloween and they label you forever. LOL

[DouglasKC]

I love Halloween and all the witches and goblins. I like it and it does not inform my religious attitude whatsover. Lighten up. Treat it like the fun it should be. Scary movies, carved pumpkins, Dracula (kudu’s to Bram Stoker; new book out about Dracula by a nephew of Stoker’s, eager to read it). I love seeing all the little kids trick or treating in their cute costumes. I love fall weather, autumn leaves. It’s all part and parcel of the month of October, and the lead up to Thanksgiving. Don’t rain on our parade. Believe as you wish, but don’t be a spoiler to the rest of us who have common sense about Halloween and have no axe to grind (pardon the pun) with 8t.

I'm not trying to be a "spoiler". I'm trying to inform others about the traditions and dangers associated with Halloween. You're free to take it or leave it. Prove it or disprove it. It's up to you.

[DouglasKC]

There is nothing wrong with MOCKING the devil and witches and ghosts on Halloween, precisely because it is the Vigil of All Saints' Day. Halloween doesn't need to be "Christianized" because it's already Christian.

Oh? Can you show me Christ kept Halloween?

[pburgh01]

More confused legalistic pseudo-Christians who don’t get the “It is finished” concept and it’s not what you can do but what has been done for you. From Halloween, to the obsession with not allowing your wife to cut her hair or having kids till her uterus falls out. They have the secret, they have a guaranteed way to feel holy and saved. Sad life to walk around worrying about holidays and seeing Satan in everything, to be so unsure and confused about the gospel. In addition the author is an ignoramus about Halloween and its origins. But I guess acting like a modern day Pharisees gives him some comfort.

[Stat-boy]

“I think a fall harvest festival is an example of this scripture. We have to live on earth on Halloween but we don’t have to partake.”

My in-laws’ church throws a big festival party for the kids; lots of games, activities, contests; the kids dress up, have fun, eat too much candy, etc. We go because it’s more fun and easier and safer than walking the blocks.

[christianhomeschoolmommaof3]

” Lighten up. Treat it like the fun it should be. ..Don’t rain on our parade. Believe as you wish, but don’t be a spoiler to the rest of us”

No offense intended but you came on his thread to tell him not to tell you what to do but then told him what he should do.

[DouglasKC]

Lighten up! Halloween MAKES FUN of death and the devil!!!

From what I've seen Halloween make death and the devil fun.

There is no Biblical prohibition, you are bending scripture to fit your desires.

Not at all. Scripture is clear on what holy days to observe and what kind of things to avoid.

[Vaquero]

There is nothing wrong with MOCKING the devil and witches and ghosts on Halloween, precisely because it is the Vigil of All Saints’ Day. Halloween doesn’t need to be “Christianized” because it’s already Christian

BINGO...now all you kids get out there with your rotten eggs and shaving cream and have some fun.

[autumnraine]

Halloween is a Celtic/Pagan ritual and a belief that the veil between the living and dead is the thinnest on that night. Superstition made people fear that this was the night that demons could slip through, so they dressed like them to make them think that they were one of them and the demons would leave them alone.

This tradition was NOT taking place to worship them or anything.

[christianhomeschoolmommaof3]

My husband says that 364 days a year Christians teach their children that we should not be afraid and that the Lord has not given us a spirit of fear and then on Halloween night all bets are off.

[cripplecreek]

So do ya think Fred Phelps and his flock celebrate Halloween?

[christianhomeschoolmommaof3]

I have heard that the tradition of trick or treat came from leaving gifts for demons to keep them from bothering your family on Halloween night.

[saminfl]

So I can still eat the candy?

My wife and I were married 52 years ago on Halloween. Are we in trouble?

[Vaquero]

as a Catholic....we have no problem mocking the evil one.

There is a difference between worshiping and mocking satan and his minions.....

[christianhomeschoolmommaof3]

Are you sure that you meant that post to me? I was addressing someone who came on this thread and told someone not to tell them what to do while telling him what he should do.

[labette]

In this case, it’s a good idea to dig up the roots.

Isn’t halloween traced back to the age of the Celts, and their “religious advisers”, the Druids ? Wasn’t this a religion that sacrificed children ?
{ much like the followers of Baal and Molech }

[sten]

scary stuff, huh kids?

seriously though... if you believe in the soul, then the possibility of ghosts must be allowed (holy ghost?). once you have ghosts... you should also allow demons and possession as a real possibility. after that, witches could be real.. which leads to zombies and summoned beasts.

my point is... if you believe in part of it... the whole camel gets in the tent pretty fast.

to what extent? who knows. can you mock it? up to you. i find halloween to be one of my favorite fun holidays (Christmas, Easter and thanksgiving would be the others).

[DouglasKC]

More confused legalistic pseudo-Christians who don’t get the “It is finished” concept and it’s not what you can do but what has been done for you. From Halloween, to the obsession with not allowing your wife to cut her hair or having kids till her uterus falls out. They have the secret, they have a guaranteed way to feel holy and saved. Sad life to walk around worrying about holidays and seeing Satan in everything, to be so unsure and confused about the gospel. In addition the author is an ignoramus about Halloween and its origins. But I guess acting like a modern day Pharisees gives him some comfort.

Knowing the customs and origins, what do you suppose Jesus would have said about Halloween?

[DouglasKC]

Halloween is a Celtic/Pagan ritual and a belief that the veil between the living and dead is the thinnest on that night. Superstition made people fear that this was the night that demons could slip through, so they dressed like them to make them think that they were one of them and the demons would leave them alone. This tradition was NOT taking place to worship them or anything.

Yes, but that's how it's turned out today. And scripture expressly forbids incorporating pagan customs into Godly worship.

[BluesDuke]

[DouglasKC]

My husband says that 364 days a year Christians teach their children that we should not be afraid and that the Lord has not given us a spirit of fear and then on Halloween night all bets are off.

I know. When you sit down and think about it it's really weird. I heard Sean Hannity say today he hates it because it's like the perfect liberal holiday...going around terrorizing people and going around getting hand outs.

[BluesDuke]

So do ya think Fred Phelps and his flock celebrate Halloween?

I don't know about you, but I have a hard time believing Fred Phelps and his gaggle celebrate anything.

[christianhomeschoolmommaof3]

Lol! I didn’t hear that. Funny though.

[muawiyah]

Guy read that "pass through the fire" part like it wasn't there.

That refers to HUMAN SACRIFICE where a child, usually quite young, is simply executed and burned by a priest of Ba'al or some other god.

This practice was supposed to improve the life and well-being of the parent ~ just like modern abortion supposedly does.

I can see prohibiting Ba'al worshippers or abortion rights advocates (or the stupid women duped into this practice) being banned from Halloween!

[muawiyah]

Scripture expressly forbids eating foods dedicated to pagan gods.

Now, about the wearing of priestly clothes, the use of the altar, song, bells, whistles, incense, etc. ~ are there prohibitions there?

Thought not.

That's why there's no general prohibition on doing normal things in the course of worship ~ just against elements of the fire sacrifice.

[DryFly]

Infidels!! Heretics!! Apostates!!

[DouglasKC]

seriously though... if you believe in the soul, then the possibility of ghosts must be allowed (holy ghost?). once you have ghosts... you should also allow demons and possession as a real possibility. after that, witches could be real.. which leads to zombies and summoned beasts. my point is... if you believe in part of it... the whole camel gets in the tent pretty fast.

You know what? I think you've posted some great truth here. I think that the bible teaches that at death people sleep in the grave awaiting the great judgment. I won't post them all, but there's overwhelming scriptural evidence. So if there's not "ghosts" of people walking around then what are they?

Demons pretending to be dead friend and relatives. The bible calls them "familiar spirits."

Lev 20:27 A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.

1Sa 28:7 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor

1Ch 10:13 So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it;

You're exactly right. Once people start believing that there's "ghosts" of loved ones around then demons have succeeded in getting people to listen to them and eventually to heed them.

[fso301]

Halloween is anything but harmless. It focuses one's attention on witchcraft and demonism

I suspect when my son puts on his soldiers suit tomorrow night, his focus will be on filling his bag with candy.

What will you do tomorrow night, place your house in air raid blackout mode and refuse to answer the door when neighbors who saw you going into blackout mode and know you are home ring the doorbell?

[Kansas58]

Halloween is NOT a “holy day” -— and we have lots of other holidays that are not religious in nature.

Put it this way: Do you believe in Saints?

If you do not, then why worry about the Eve of All Saints Day?

[DouglasKC]

Scripture expressly forbids eating foods dedicated to pagan gods.

Where?

Now, about the wearing of priestly clothes, the use of the altar, song, bells, whistles, incense, etc. ~ are there prohibitions there?

I'm not sure what you're driving at here?

That's why there's no general prohibition on doing normal things in the course of worship ~ just against elements of the fire sacrifice.

There are lots of general prohibitions including the verses I posted in post 1.

[DouglasKC]

I suspect when my son puts on his soldiers suit tomorrow night, his focus will be on filling his bag with candy.

I suspect you taught him that custom....

What will you do tomorrow night, place your house in air raid blackout mode and refuse to answer the door when neighbors who saw you going into blackout mode and know you are home ring the doorbell?

That's not really a problem. I live in a neighborhood pretty far out in the sticks. Not exactly prime trick or treat territory. In 14 years I don't think we've ever had a trick or treater come to the door. I would like it if one did. I would thank them for stopping by and explain nicely that we don't participate.

[DouglasKC]

Halloween is NOT a “holy day” -— and we have lots of other holidays that are not religious in nature.
Put it this way: Do you believe in Saints?

Certainly. I am one just as every Christian is.

If you do not, then why worry about the Eve of All Saints Day?

Biblically there's no such day.

[muawiyah]

I'm sorry ~ if you don't immediately recognize my first reference (food sacrificed to gods), no sense in discussing any of the rest of it with you.

You will notice that Christians, Jews, Buddhists and Moslems no longer burn sacrifices. Hindus and Jains still do. There's a reason for that. AND, best of all, that fact was prophesied in Isiah.

[Kansas58]

“Peter, you are rock, and upon this rock I will build my church” -—

These are the words of Jesus, making Peter (and his successors, you can not “build” without successors) the head of the church!

“Whatsoever you bind on Earth, shall be bound in Heaven, whatsoever you loose on Earth, shall be loosed in Heaven” —

So, clearly the BIBLE is not the only authority, when it comes to faith, since the Bible, ITSELF, NEVER claims such authority, and since the Bible, itself, clearly shows that Jesus wanted the Church, through its leaders and through tradition, to have authority.

I am sure you are a good person, since you are obviously trying to do the right thing. As a Catholic, I am taught that God will probably not punish sincere Christians who practice “idolatry of the Bible” -— since that IS what Biblical Fundamentalism is, IDOLATRY!

However, I am also taught that I should tell you that you are wrong.

The Bible DOES give the Church authority, separate and apart from the Bible.

The Bible, itself, NEVER claims to be the sole source of Christian wisdom.

You can be a perfect Christian and enjoy Halloween.

Strike that, NOBODY is perfect, huh?

You can be a sincere Christian and enjoy Halloween.

[DouglasKC]

I'm sorry ~ if you don't immediately recognize my first reference (food sacrificed to gods), no sense in discussing any of the rest of it with you.

I did recognize it. You said:

"Scripture expressly forbids eating foods dedicated to pagan gods."

I asked "where" because that was an issue in the early Christian church....whether or not Christians could eat meat that they had bought in the meat market that had been used in pagan sacrifices. Paul's answer was that there was nothing wrong with it, but that if someone found it offensive they should refrain from it. And if it was offending a brother to eat the meat that they shouldn't do it in front of your brother.

[MissouriConservative]

Happy Anniversary.

[count-your-change]

Boniface IV tried to put a Christian face on the Celtic celebration that had been taken up by the Romans but it was still a whitewashed grave full of dead mens bones.

www.history.com/content/halloween

[MissouriConservative]

"Biblically there's no such day."

Bibilically, there really is no such day as Christmas either. Christmas was originally a pagan (gasp) holiday.

LINK

"No such festival as Christmas was ever heard of until the THIRD century, and not until the FOURTH century was far advanced did it gain much observance.

"Long before the fourth century, and long before the Christian era itself, a festival was celebrated among the HEATHEN, at that precise time of the year, in honor oft the birth of the son of the Babylonian queen of heaven; and it may fairly be presumed that, in order to conciliate the heathen, and to swell the number of the nominal adherents of Christianity, the same festival was adopted by the Roman Church, giving it only the name of Christ. This tendency on the part of Christians to meet Paganism half-way was very early developed." Ibid, pg 93

It is beyond doubt that Christmas was originally a pagan festival. The time of the year and the ceremonies with which it is still celebrated, prove its origin.

Isis, the Egyptian title for the "queen of heaven," gave birth to a son at this very time, about the time of the winter solstice. The term "Yule" is the Chaldee (Babylonian) name for "infant" or "little child."

This pagan festival not only commemorated the figurative birthday of the sun in the renewal of its course, but it also was celebrated (on December 24) among the Sabeans of Arabia, as the birthday of the "Lord Moon."

In Babylon, where the sun (Baal) was the object of worship, Tammuz was considered the incarnation of the Sun.

"In the Hindu mythology, which is admitted to be essentially Babylonian, this comes out very distinctly. There, Surya, or the Sun, is represented as being incarnate, and born for the purpose of subduing the enemies of the gods, who without such a birth, could not have been subdued." Ibid pg 96

There are many other Christmas counterparts of the Babylonian winter solstice festival, such as: 1) candles lighted on Christmas eve and used throughout the festival season were equally lighted by the Pagans on the eve of the festival of the Babylonian god, to do honor to him, 2) the Christmas tree was equally common in Pagan Rome and Pagan Egypt. In Egypt that tree was the palm tree; in Rome it was the fir. The tree denoted the Pagan Messiah.

"The mother of Adonis, the Sun God and great mediatorial divinity, was mystically said to have been changed into a tree, and when in that state to have brought forth her divine son. If the mother was a tree, the son must have been recognized as the ŒMan of the branch." Ibid pg 97

The Yule log was considered the dead stock of Nimrod (or Tammuz, depending on the specific nation involved), deified as the sun god, but cut down by his enemies; the Christmas tree is Nimrod revived - the slain god come to life again.

The Yule occultic colors are red and green.

The mistletoe branch symbolized "the man, the branch" and was regarded as a divine branch - a corrupt Babylonian representation of the true Messiah. Both mistletoe and holly were considered fertility plants by the pagans.

"Babylon was, at that time, the center of the civilized world; and thus Paganism, corrupting the Divine symbol as it ever has done, had opportunities of sending forth its debased counterfeit of the truth to all the ends of the earth, through the Mysteries that were affiliated with the great central system in Babylon." Ibid pg 99

The story of the death of Adonis, also known as Tammuz, involved a fatal wound from the tusk of a boar when Tammuz was 40 years old. That is why a boar was sacrificed on this Pagan holiday. Even today, a Christmas ham is a traditional favorite of many.

"According to a Roman almanac, The Christian festival of Christmas was celebrated in Rome by A.D. 336. During the 4th century the celebration of Christ's birth on December 25 was gradually adopted by most Eastern churches. In Jerusalem, opposition to Christmas lasted longer, but it was subsequently accepted.