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
“A local well known Baptist church held a huge party for Halloween yesterday.”
Our Baptist church in Simi Valley does that, too. We have a “Jesus Loves Me” party every Halloween for church kids and neighborhood kids. Bouncy house, bags of candy to take home, hot dogs, etc. Again — no scary, witchy, ghostly, demonic, or inappropriate (like little girls dressed like bimbos) costume. It’s a great success.
I really hope then, that you guys don’t do Christmas trees or hang mistletoe. There be some pagan roots there.
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Gawd. Anyone still wonder why church attendance is dropping like a rock?
I'm glad to hear about the local church providing that event for the children and families.
Our small Baptist church holds an annual Pumpkin Patch function for the local community.
We serve food and beverages for everyone, and have booths with candy prizes (no child ever fails to "win" some candy), cotton candy, popcorn and bottles of water, and a cake walk, and a separate "Kiddie Land" for the little ones to participate without being in the middle of all the bigger kids running around having fun.
The church members donate all the funds and volunteer hours required to put on this two-hour event.
And everything is free to anyone who wants to attend.
I've been the Director for the last two years, and it is a real joy to watch children and their families have a great time.
The church's position is that participants can come dressed in any type costume they want to (we see all costume types from angels to animals to witches to ghouls to Mickey Mouses, to ... well just everything, LOL).
We get some locals who just come for the free food, and some who just come to see how many free cakes they can win at the cake walk. But it doesn't matter, because it gives our church a chance to serve the community by providing a safe place for children and their families to have a fun evening and to experience Christians serving their community.
They had some religious information available, and just about got me to sign up as a member.
We also provide some religious information available, we and provide small Children's Bibles to anyone who wants one.
I have only been a Christian for about four years, and spent over 50 years "turning my face away from the Lord", but I can tell you that I wish I had turned to the Lord long, long ago, and am glad that I am able to serve him and bring at least one night of happiness and smiles to those little guys and gals.
Our church members agree that the event is worth every penny of money and every minute of time we donate to it.
Honestly, I think that analysis is a little heavy. I just see the holiday as fun; dressing up for little children has always been a favorite thing to play, and to do it and go to the neighbors to show it off is harmless. It is for the kids...
Enjoy the cuties in their costumes and give them a piece of candy for it.
It’s for the kids. It’s supposed to be fun.
As long as they're in season, you use the right kind of ammo, and you eat what you kill (i.e. no killing for just sport), I think it's fine.
The Believer’s Freedom
23“Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive. 24Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.
25Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, 26for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”c
27If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. 28But if anyone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience’ saked— 29the other man’s conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another’s conscience? 30If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— 33even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
No doubt the TRUE devil worshippers, pagans and satanists lament the commercialization of the holiday and the takeover by Big Candy!
I am glad you enjoy that but good grief it sounds and boring.
This whole “had pagan origins” thing is a joke. I find the whole idea that God would associate with this world, which is fallen and pagan, disturbing. Perhaps we ought to check his credentials or just have a “Goodness day” where we think good thoughts but leave our awful, awful bodies seated in a hard wooden chair.
Both the Christians and the secularists are going to end up with these rareified purity-tested festivals that mean nothing.
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