Posted on 10/25/2008 7:00:34 AM PDT by DouglasKC
It all looks like so much fun and seems so harmless: jack-o'-lanterns, grotesque grinning masks, long black witch attire with pointed black hats, costumes painted like skeletons, outfits that represent demons and goblins, and children going door to door, soliciting treats from compliant neighbors.
But when Halloween comes around, do you find yourself yearning for the hours to pass until the whole trick-or-treat farce is over? If you don't, you should!
Since when is it acceptable for little children to threaten to commit vandalism?
What happens if the homeowner doesn't come to the door or doesn't have the treats the kids might expect? Is it permissible for children to then soap his windows, toilet paper his trees, chalk mark his sidewalk or turn over plants as they leave? When is it okay for children to commit vandalism while on another person's property?
Isn't it about time for all well-meaning citizens to just say NO to Halloween?
The clergy, in general, hasn't stood against it. Some churches even have Halloween parties. Some citizens do speak up against it, as the letters to the editor in your newspaper occasionally show.
Is Halloween simply good, clean fun, or is it something else entirely? You need to know!
God is giving a wake-up call to professing Christians. As it was with those the prophet Elijah addressed in his day, so it is with us: "'How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.' But the people answered him not a word" (1 Kings 18:21). What will it take for Christians to accept and stand for God's truth rather than harmful traditions that originated in paganism?
Just where did Halloween come from, and why is it so widely celebrated?
The Encyclopedia of Religion explains: "Halloween is the name for the eve of Samhain, a celebration marking the beginning of winter as well as the first day of the New Year within the ancient Celtic culture of the British Isles. The time of Samhain consisted of the eve of the feast and the day itself (31 October and 1 November).
"On this occasion, it was believed that a gathering of supernatural forces occurred as during no other period of the year. The eve and day of Samhain were characterized as a time when the barriers between the human and supernatural worlds were broken. Otherworldly entities, such as the souls of the dead, were able to visit earthly inhabitants, and humans could take the opportunity to penetrate the domains of the gods and supernatural creatures.
"Fiery tributes and sacrifices of animals, crops, and possibly human beings were made to appease supernatural powers who controlled the fertility of the land . . . Samhain acknowledged the entire spectrum of nonhuman forces that roamed the earth during the period" (1987, pp. 176-177, "Halloween").
On this holiday "huge bonfires were set on hilltops to frighten away evil spirits . . . The souls of the dead were supposed to revisit their homes on this day, and the autumnal festival acquired sinister significance, with ghosts, witches, hobgoblins, black cats, fairies, and demons of all kinds said to be roaming about. It was the time to placate the supernatural powers controlling the processes of nature" (The Encyclopaedia Britannica, 15th edition, Micropaedia, Vol. 4, p. 862, "Halloween").
It was, bluntly put, a day devoted to appeasing demonic spirits and the dark side of the spirit world—something no Christian should have any part in (Ephesians 5:11).
So how did this dark celebration continue into modern times? Sadly, Halloween came down to us from the Roman Catholic Church, which assigned a day of each year to each of their saints. When it reached the point that they had more than 365, they then combined them together on Nov. 1 and called it "All Saints Day" or "All Hallows Day"—the night before being "All Hallows Eve" or "Hallow Even" (holy evening), contracted to the name Hallowe'en or Halloween.
Why did they choose this particular day? Again The Encyclopedia of Religion explains: "Samhain remained a popular festival among the Celtic people throughout the christianization of Great Britain . The British church attempted to divert this interest in pagan customs by adding a Christian celebration to the calendar on the same date as Samhain. The Christian festival, the Feast of All Saints, commemorates the known and unknown saints of the Christian religion just as Samhain had acknowledged and paid tribute to the Celtic deities" (p. 177).
Thus a pagan celebration was relabeled as Christian.
You cannot find any support for Halloween in your Bible, because God is adamantly opposed to it and the pagan, occult practices it revels in. He warns His people to have nothing to do with these (Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:10-12). They blind us from the truth of God.
God does not take Halloween lightly. As He says, "Learn not the way of the heathen" (Jeremiah 10:2, King James Version). And, "Take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, 'How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise'" (Deuteronomy 12:30).
God will not always remain tirelessly patient with those who insist on celebrating harmful and superstitious customs such as Halloween. "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance . . . What kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God" (2 Peter 3:9-12, New International Version).
The author of sin and death, Satan the devil, is also the behind-the-scenes author of pagan customs like Halloween. Jesus said that Satan is a liar and the father of all lies (John 8:44). God is the God of the living, not the dead (Matthew 22:31-32). He is the God of not only true Christians alive today but, because of the certainty of the coming resurrection of the dead (1 Corinthians 15), of those who will yet live when raised from death. So certain is this resurrection that to God it is looked on as an accomplished fact (see Romans 4:17).
Conversely, Satan is the "lord of the dead." Hebrews 2:14 says of Jesus Christ that "only by dying could he break the power of the Devil, who had the power of death" (New Living Translation).
Satan is the lord of the dead in that he leads people by his lies and influence into the way of death and, as the next verse shows, puts them in bondage to the fear of death.
He has foisted Halloween on ignorant people and even well-meaning Christians in a subtle and deceitful way, perpetuating it through the Catholic Church with a "Christian" mask that hides its demonic origins.
When it comes to Halloween—or any other holiday for that matter—you should ask yourself, "Did God make man in His image, or did God intend man to remake God in man's image?" Now that's a sobering thought.
The religious excuse for perpetuating Halloween might be that, as we've seen, church leaders long ago called it a "holy evening" for all the Catholic saints who had no day assigned to them. But face it: People who celebrate this evening today couldn't care less about such religious notions. All they think about is instant gratification, to follow the pack with everyone else and to have some fun.
The Encyclopedia of Religion goes on to say: "Modern Halloween activities have centered on mischief making and masquerading in costumes, often resembling otherworldly characters. Folk customs, now treated as games [such as bobbing for apples], have continued from the various divination practices of the ancient celebrants of this occasion. Supernatural figures [such as the ghost, the witch, the vampire, the devil] play a key role in supplying an aura of the mysterious to the evening, whether or not they originally had an association with the festival.
"Children are particularly susceptible to the imagery of Halloween, as can be seen in their fascination with the demonic likeness of a carved and illuminated pumpkin, known as the jack-o'-lantern. In recent times, children have taken up the practice of dressing in Halloween costumes and visiting homes in search of edible and monetary treats, lightly threatening to play a trick on the owner if a treat is not produced" (p. 177).
Halloween is one of many human traditions that cloud biblical teachings and keep people in the dark from God's truth that can set us free (John 8:32). It is not a harmless holiday for you or for your children. God warns us to avoid it and to follow His ways, because He hates for us to dabble in the spirit world of Satan and his demons! Instead, as God tells us in Isaiah 66:2, "On this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word." GN
Holidays or Holy Days: Does it Matter Which Days We Celebrate?
It's ironic that so many of today's popular holidays—including major religious celebrations like Christmas and Easter—originated in ancient pagan festivals and customs, while God's Holy Days revealed in the Bible are almost universally ignored. Which should you celebrate and why?
God's Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind
Is it possible to know what the future holds for us? The Creator of mankind does have a plan for us, and He reveals it to us through an annual cycle of festivals described in the Scriptures. It is an astounding plan offering an incredible future to every man, woman, and child who has ever lived.
Halloween's Dark Roots
In recent years eye-opening materials have been published about the questionable background of Halloween
Ghouls, Ghosts and Goblins
It seems like such harmless fun—children dressed as witches, skeletons or Darth Vader ringing the doorbell, enthusiastically announcing, "Trick or treat!" But is this preoccupation with the dead, witches and demons really harmless? And do you realize that Halloween was originally an important religious holiday—and still is in many parts of the world?
Can Halloween Be Christianized?
What should you do in deciding how you will approach this hotly debated issue?
The origins are the same as the origins of Christmas and Easter. All three now have Christian versions.
A lot of good stuff comes from abhorrent origins. Ever had a surgery, the people who gave us the groundwork of modern surgery were vivisectionists, people who literally tore the living human body to pieces to learn how it worked, how much damage it could survive, and how to put it back together. The ground work for most of the 20th century’s major medical advances comes from Nazi concentration camps. Surely you don’t think we should give up life saving medicine because 17th century psychos and 20th century Nazis had so much to do with it.
Halloween WAS a pagan holiday, but it’s not anymore. Why give it back? Why declare them the winner? It’s a Christian holiday now, and the only way to keep it that way is to keep celebrating it as such.
Romans 12:2 :Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Free will is not to be confused with self willed.
Wow that quote has absolutely nothing to do with what I said.
It’s a Christian holiday now. Just like Christmas and Easter. If you discard it because of its root you’re giving it back to the pagans, surrendering a hard fought victory. That’s not Christian. That’s a lot more not Christian than the current Halloween celebration.
Don’t live in fear. Faith is supposed to be a shield. But you’re running in terror for the past, both yours and a day’s. Use your shield.
Okay, if the sin *should* lessen, and let’s assume that it does over the course of a person’s life, how does that Christian know if it’s Christ working in him, or he is one of the deceived that can point to all these evidences that ultimately don’t count?
Sorry, but I don't really have any original ideas. I cite scripture because that's my authority.
If these people think they are Christians, but are mistaken, then that nullifies any evidence you’ve given me to support the “indwelling Christ” faith, and thus your understanding of scripture.
The indwelling of Christ, God's holy spirit, the spirit of Christ, the spirit of the Lord, is a well known biblical doctrine. Much of the new testament writings are devoted to explaining it. You don't have to take my word for it.
Furthermore, presumably these people all followed the formula you cite from Peter,hyet they are condemned. Therefore the citation from Peter can not be a comprehensive answer on how to get the indwelling Christ.
I didn't say they were condemned. I quoted scripture to show that many people are deceived. Many of those deceived will profess to be Christians.
I didn't give you a comprehensive answer. A comprehensive answer is beyond the scope of what I can type in a sitting. Plus it won't do any good unless one is being called by God. But it's already in the bible. I would suggest if you or anyone else is in need of answers to pray to God to open up your understanding to the scriptures and to grant you repentance and obedience if it's his will.
Of course.
Why should a young child’s emotions be invalidated?
Make a big deal over it, no. But force the child to encounter something he is not ready to encounter, and which he doesn’t need to encounter? That’s destructive.
There are some things in which a child should be allowed to develop at his own pace and according to his own personality. Just because his parents like the macabre doesn’t mean he will, especially not at a young age when he hasn’t even figured out what death really is.
Further, I hope you have some glimmer of understanding that there is a difference between a 4-year-old being terrified of a bloody ghost/ghoul/monster that is jumping out of the darkness, shreiking blooding murder while wielding a bloody sickle in a threatening way-—your average display at the local Halloween party store-— and a child being apprehensive about a puppy.
If you don’t, I hope you don’t have children.
Just like pain can be an indicator that something is wrong with the body, fear or uneasiness can be an indicator that something is wrong FOR the mind or heart, at least for that person at that time in their life.
Where does an adult get off telling a child that his uneasiness about something that he doesn’t need to deal with anyway is illegitimate?
Why would you force a child who is frightened to be around monsters and ghouls and other stupid stuff?
The more I think about your inane and immature comment, the madder I get, and the more I realize my opinion of the parents I saw doing this was SPOT ON.
There are some instinctual fears that people have because they are protective. This is especially true for children.
It has everything to do with what you said. We are to be separate. If we look just like the world and celebrate a wiccan holiday with them, how are we different? It isn’t fear, it’s having ones eyes opened. If it doesn’t honor God, we don’t do it.
All three have traditional Christian versions. Not biblical Christian versions. If you believe that tradition can trump scripture, the word of God, then then you may think they're valid holidays.
A lot of good stuff comes from abhorrent origins. Ever had a surgery, the people who gave us the groundwork of modern surgery were vivisectionists, people who literally tore the living human body to pieces to learn how it worked, how much damage it could survive, and how to put it back together. The ground work for most of the 20th century’s major medical advances comes from Nazi concentration camps. Surely you don’t think we should give up life saving medicine because 17th century psychos and 20th century Nazis had so much to do with it.
If there were holidays and rituals associated with them that ostentatiously celebrated God then I would not observe them. But your example is more like the question of whether or not early Christians should or should not have eaten meat that had been sacrificed to idols.
Halloween WAS a pagan holiday, but it’s not anymore. Why give it back? Why declare them the winner? It’s a Christian holiday now, and the only way to keep it that way is to keep celebrating it as such.
By rejecting man made things you're rejecting the ways of the world. The Lord Jesus would have us observe his holy days. The ones he created.
okay, but if you show your faith by works, but works don’t prove faith, what proves the faith that saves so you know you aren’t deceived?
This sounds like “heads i win, tails you lose.”
As for all the other things those scriptures cite...i don’t know any pagan totally devoid of all of them, nor any Christian who possesses all of them, so what are they suppose to indicate?
I knows those scriptures. You’re going to have to be more specific.
You believe as the Nicolaitans did?
The doctrine of the Nicolaitans appears to have been a form of antinomianism. (Antinomianism: A belief that is based upon a recognition of the mercy of God as the ground of salvation, but it makes the fatal mistake that man can freely partake in sin because the Law of God is no longer binding. It held the truth on the gratuitous reckoning of righteousness; but supposed that a mere intellectual “belief” in this truth had a saving power.
If so, you need to read Rev 2:12-17
The short answer?
2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified
That testing is an internal process. For example, I became aware recently that I was guilty of the sin of envy. How did I know? I knew that I had not been made aware of any sins for a while so I asked the Lord to show me my sins, to show me where I'm deficient. Soon after I began to be aware that I had certain negative emotions and thoughts toward certain people and situations. I became aware that this was envy. So now I know that those thoughts and emotions are not normal. They're not to be entertained.
Compare inner life to this list of works of the flesh:
Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
Gal 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
All of us have had or have these to one degree or another. You're in trouble if you think you have none of these to some degree. And you're in trouble if you know you have these but don't care.
1 John is a good book to test yourself:
1Jn 4:20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
I'm afraid I can really only scratch the surface. At any rate, I want to make clear that you shouldn't go around questioning someone else's salvation. People are on different levels. Someone may have many faults, many sins, but may still be called or are being called. We don't know about others completely so all we can really do is worry about our salvation and try to offer as much help and encouragement as possible to others.
You can’t cite scripture as your authority when you give answers that are not directly addressed in scriptures.
I’m not taking your word for the doctrine of the indwelling Christ; I’m trying to determine if you can give an explaination and examples of it that don’t contradict themselves.
If those people are not condemned, and they’re not Christians, doesn’t that mean you’re saying some people can be saved apart from Christ?
Actually, Halloween is a non-issue in a culture where around 90% of Christian parents sacrifice their children on the the altars of statism 180 days a year.
Why? Because they are invalid. Neither will hurt the child, and using unqualified emotion as a sensor is the heart of narcisissim and self-absorbtion.
Just because you're not understanding doesn't mean that they're not directly addressed.
I’m not taking your word for the doctrine of the indwelling Christ; I’m trying to determine if you can give an explaination and examples of it that don’t contradict themselves.
Are you saying that you don't believe that Christ indwells in Christians and lives his life through us and you want me to prove it through scripture?
If those people are not condemned, and they’re not Christians, doesn’t that mean you’re saying some people can be saved apart from Christ?
Not at all. They can become Christians. They may be very early in their Christian walk. It might not be their time to be called for salvation. Nobody can be saved apart from Christ.
Yes, it does mean they aren’t directly addressed. Both the claim and denial of the “meat” scripture’s applicability are inferences by definition. Neither is definitively endorsed, thus your claim about my understanding is without merit.
What i question about your version of the doctrine of the indwelling Christ is if it is specific enough for you to recognize any misunderstanding you may have of it.
How can those people be early in their Christian walks if they are being judged and rejected by Christ “in that day?” The text does not allow such an interpretation.
Do you think the vestiges of our pagan heritage are a threat to an eternal God?
Oh no they're not.
Your youth coven is trick-or-treating for canned death for the Interfaith Death Pantry.
</AbsurdFundyNonsense>
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