In the book of Jeremiah, the Lord tells us:
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Following human reason, the human heart, instead of the word of God is what gets us into trouble. If we're going to decide right and wrong by "what's in our hearts" then we soon fall into sin. That's how homosexual clergy justify their actions. That's how adulterers justify their actions. That's how thieves justify their action. The refrain is always "You can't judge me, you don't know what's in my heart".
I agree with the author that this falls more under our freedom in Christ and that we shouldn't do anything that makes somebody stumble.
As pointed out in my previous post, the author is comparing apples to oranges. The people who practiced pagan things in Paul's time probably weren't too much different then people today. Their practices were already ancient. They probably had a bit of fun doing what they did. They probably looked forward to, involved their kids in it. They didn't think that they were doing anything wrong. Paul addressed this too:
1Co 10:19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?
1Co 10:20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
1Co 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
We KNOW that Halloween is associated with Satan to this very day. We KNOW. It boggles my mind how Christians can read passages above and not think that there's nothing wrong with observing a day that is known to be a high holy day for the Church of Satan. I take what Paul says literally. We cannot partake of the Lord's table AND the table of devils. Pick...celebrate God's holy days...or celebrate the Church of Satans holy day.
God can and only God can. For somebody to project pagan intents on Christian actions is to pretend to know their heart. Only God can know our hearts.
I believe you didn't understand something I said. When I was referring to only God knowing what's in our hearts, that's exactly what I was talking about. I was not talking about deciding what's right and wrong from what's in our hearts as you seem to think I said. God knows the hearts of Christians when they celebrate Halloween, whether they are engaging in idol worship or not. Again, only God knows, so to project pagan intents onto Christian action is to pretend to be God.
Also, in comparing the sacrifice to idols in 1 Corinthians 10 to Christians and Halloween you are comparing apples to the unknown because you cannot know the reasons Christians decide to celebrate Halloween.