SHOULD CHRISTIANS CELBRATE HALLOWEEN?

[One Of The Elect]

I will not reply any more to others replies. I believe people have a God given right to choose. They will choose what they will.

I believe some things are just common sense. A day is what you put into it, and what you get out of it. If you put the "The Black Arts" practices into it or take "The Black Arts" out of it, you will reap what you sow.
Are pumpkins bad? , of course not, is candy bad?, only when it is sacrificed to false gods and idols. Are costumes bad?, only when they glorify that which offends God.

Make believe is fun, but, make believe should not offend God. The purpose of this thread was to make people think about the day and what is actually going on. To get people to look around and ask is this on earth what takes place in heaven. Is this God's Kingdom come, His will being done? Is God less offended by what most call entertainment or make believe, because they call it that?

All, one has to do is look around, the answer is right in front of you in your neighborhoods, stores radios and televisions . Is temptation alluring is sin pleasurable ? Of course! If it weren't there would not be so many people entrenched in it. Some things are elementary.

 

[GirdYourLoins]

The issue with Halloween is the link to witches, Satan, unclean spirits (ghosts and ghouls), monsters (demons), etc. Dressing up as one of these and celebrating, evil, witchcraft, etc that is the problem. Also trick or treat is effectively extortion. While it may be a very watered down version it is teaching them the principle of extortion.

I read one comment saying that having a Christian alternative is wrong and still celebrating Halloween. I dont agree what this. Having a party that celebrates and promotes Jesus and righteousness at the time so many are celebrating evil is in my opinion giving a little bit of balance to the spiritual warfare Satan is waging on that day. I taught my kids that Jesus has won the victory so why would you want to celebrate being on the losing side. As long as they dont feel they are missing out they prefer to go to Light Parties as they tend to be called.

 

[Neogaia777]

The issue with Halloween is the link to witches, Satan, unclean spirits (ghosts and ghouls), monsters (demons), etc. Dressing up as one of these and celebrating, evil, witchcraft, etc that is the problem. Also trick or treat is effectively extortion. While it may be a very watered down version it is teaching them the principle of extortion.

I read one comment saying that having a Christian alternative is wrong and still celebrating Halloween. I dont agree what this. Having a party that celebrates and promotes Jesus and righteousness at the time so many are celebrating evil is in my opinion giving a little bit of balance to the spiritual warfare Satan is waging on that day. I taught my kids that Jesus has won the victory so why would you want to celebrate being on the losing side. As long as they dont feel they are missing out they prefer to go to Light Parties as they tend to be called.

Yet many would disagree and say they do not see it that way, that they are basically worshiping evil and teaching there kids that by celebrating Halloween, they would say that is not the case and most of them, would be 100% absolutely right, in their case...

Cause they are not worshiping or glorifying any of those things, and those evil things are not a part of their Halloween celebration, and they are right, cause it's just not, for most...

The only ones really concerned with it are those who do believe and openly worship evil on that Holiday or in their lives, and those who do not worship those things, but, do believe in them...

Most do not, and for most they are not worshiping or promoting open worship of evil at all, and they are right in their case...

For most of them, it's just a fun thing for their kids...

 

[GUANO]

Explain how exactly does one "celebrate Halloween and dedicate it to the Lord." Your logic is faulty as one can so something in sincererity, but be sincerely wrong. One cannot celebrate Halloween and dedicate it to the Lord any more than one can celebrate a Black Mass and dedicate it to the Lord.

I dedicate every day to the Lord, how can you try to tell me that I dont? Try to make an actual argument to a point I've made instead of just making baseless claims and drawing correlations where none exist. I quoted the scripture so accept it or reject it or interpret it however you like. Black mass is not a day or a celebration and Halloween can be dedicated to the Lord in the same way that you can make judgemental and condescending comments to your fellow Christians in the name of the Lord even though scripture commands you not to. Childlike faith.

 

[frettr00]

The intent matters when it comes to holidays. Growing up I celebrated Halloween as a kid and to me it was always a secular holiday and an excuse to get free candy and dress up in ridiculous outfits. That's all it was to me and I'm sure it's the same for 99% of kids out there.

 

[WannaWitness]

I believe some things are just common sense. A day is what to put into it, and what you get out of it. If you put the "The Black Arts" practices into it or take "The Black Arts" out of it, you will reap what you sow.
Are pumpkins bad? , of course not, is candy bad?, only when it is sacrificed to false gods and idols. Are costumes bad?, only when they glorify that which offends God.

Bingo! That's what I've been saying all along. A day is what you put into it, even if that day happens to fall on October 31. And who is to say that believers who hold parties on that day are practicing, honoring, or condoning black arts? Well, who? Nobody can, if they are being completely honest.

If you think about it, Halloween is short for Hallowed Evening, which can be made into just that... a hallowed evening dedicated to Jesus (and having a little fun along the way). If the devil worshipers are using that day for their pagan practices, then that is them and not us.

So see, you've proven my point without even knowing it!

I know you said you weren't going to reply anymore and that I said I was going to move on, but I just got to looking at what you said here and thought I would point that out, just in case you are still reading comments in this thread.

Peace to you.

 

[NothingIsImpossible]

So people are not glorifying evil by celebrating it? Then is it ok for me to look at inappropriate content? I'm not looking at it and glorifying it, I look at it because of fo the beauty of the female body. See how silly it sounds when we try to make up a reason on why we aren't glorifying something?

People need to also realize when you celebrate halloween, your showing non-christians that you do the same exact thing they do. And then they just think christianity is a hypocritical joke. Do you know how many people I run across that don't become a christian because they say christians tend to do everything a non-believer does and/or they because they say christians try to make an excuse up to as why they do what a non-believer does.

We are the light in the dark. We should be lights, not the dark participating in dark events.

Then again most christians celebrate christmas too, the worldly version of it with santa and what not. So its no surprise they celebrate halloween. I may not be perfect but at least I won't have to try and reason with God about why I celebrated a holiday that is obviously bad. My child, if they cry about not getting to do anything on halloween I will punish them. If they sneak out or buy a costume or do anything at all they will be grounded for a month. No phone, no computer...nothing.

 

[One Of The Elect]

Bingo! That's what I've been saying all along. A day is what you put into it, even if that day happens to fall on October 31. And who is to say that believers who hold parties on that day are practicing, honoring, or condoning black arts? Well, who? Nobody can, if they are being completely honest.

If you think about it, Halloween is short for Hallowed Evening, which can be made into just that... a hallowed evening dedicated to Jesus (and having a little fun along the way). If the devil worshipers are using that day for their pagan practices, then that is them and not us.

So see, you've proven my point without even knowing it!

I know you said you weren't going to reply anymore and that I said I was going to move on, but I just got to looking at what you said here and thought I would point that out, just in case you are still reading comments in this thread.

Peace to you.

Well, you aroused my response because as people take and interpret scripture wrongly and only take one line from an entire statement to prove their point, you have done this with mine. Do you want to celebrate Halloween without conflict of spirit? We are not talking about the day of Oct. 31st of itself- in and of it- of course it is what it is, Oct. 31st. And we are not talking about veneration of saints as much as you want to intermingle them with demons. All Hallow's eve The Holy eve of All Saints day, is not what HALLOWEEN REPRESENTS. Try as you may , you can not use play on words with intelligent people.

Either you are for Halloween or you are not! Matthew: 5:37 Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil. A DAY IS WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT OR TAKE OUT. What are you putting into it? What are you taking out of it. Saints or demons?

 

[Archivist]

Seriously? Are you even paying attention? You are just playing coy. You know exactly what Christians are talking about. Put your love glasses on and look around your neighborhood , look at your local stores, turn on a television. You know what we are saying. You can continue to play make believe, some things are just self evident. You can deny the writing on the wall all you want or in this case the embellishments and decor. Answer these questions: (you may want to get a dictionary and bible to.) 1 What are witches? 2 What are ghost? 3 What are demons? 4 What does the bible say about them? 5 What day is the witches , those of occult practices "High Time" Highest day of power and worship?

Nonsense.

I know what witches, ghosts and demons are. I have yet to see any out and about on Halloween. What this Christian sees on Halloween are little kids dressing up in costumes collecting candy.

 

[Oldmantook]

I dedicate every day to the Lord, how can you try to tell me that I dont? Try to make an actual argument to a point I've made instead of just making baseless claims and drawing correlations where none exist. I quoted the scripture so accept it or reject it or interpret it however you like. Black mass is not a day or a celebration and Halloween can be dedicated to the Lord in the same way that you can make judgemental and condescending comments to your fellow Christians in the name of the Lord even though scripture commands you not to. Childlike faith.

I made no comment on your personal life as that is irrelevant to the subject being discussed. The only point I made was your reference to being "sincere" as ANYONE can be sincere but sincerely wrong. Thus sincerity being subjective is by no means an objective measure of the truth. Satan doesn't care if you or anyone else "innocently" participates in his holiday. Participation gives him a foothold and the scriptures are clear about allowing sin to become a foothold in one's life.

 

[Oldmantook]

It has already been said by others so I just give my agreement. Origins do matter even if one is ignorant of the origin. The feast of Samhain is a druidic ritual of the dead. Demons still know what it is since they do not die and were there during the origin of the un-holy-day.

There is absolutely no good in Halloween. What are children being taught? That they can get free candy for wearing a costume and going door to door? Is this preparing them to be Jehovah Witnesses or traveling salesmen? Certainly enriches the dental profession with all that sugar rotting their teeth.

Fall festivals are no better. Now we teach the children to worship Gaia instead. Even though All Saints Day is Nov 1st, (just the Catholic absorption of the druidic day of the dead), why not celebrate saints of the past by dressing up as saints? Especially since Martin Luther nailed his Thesis on the Wittenberg chapel door on Oct 31, 1517. This year it is the 500th anniversary, so it is more compelling to do so. As someone else suggested, they can play "pin the thesis on the door".

Despite the claim of the another writer, there is nothing positive or edifying about Halloween. As the story has been said before, some kids wanted to see an R rated movie. They argued with their father about the good in the movie. So the father said, let me do something first. So the dad baked some brownies and offered them to the kids. But before they ate he said, Now I want you to know about the good in these brownies. I used the best chocolate available, and all the finest ingredients we had. However, I added just a little dog poop, but you shouldn't mind because of all the other fine ingredients, right? They refused the brownies. Even if there is some positive element to Halloween, the negatives still make the activity bad.

Indeed; we make excuses for our participation in Halloween while conveniently ignoring the scriptural admonition that a little leaven, leavens the whole lump.

 

[One Of The Elect]

Nonsense.

I know what witches, ghosts and demons are. I have yet to see any out and about on Halloween. What this Christian sees on Halloween are little kids dressing up in costumes collecting candy.

So you can decide if following adults with there form of cute temptations is right or follow God. Children are innocent. And are as naive as their parents raise them to be. Faith should not be determined by someones cuteness. As I said this is Christianity 101. It is elementary. Satan uses the elementary things of this world to confuse and malign. No matter what you say Halloween is what it is. Oct.31st is just a day.
But Halloween is pagan .

 

[GUANO]

I made no comment on your personal life as that is irrelevant to the subject being discussed. The only point I made was your reference to being "sincere" as ANYONE can be sincere but sincerely wrong. Thus sincerity being subjective is by no means an objective measure of the truth. Satan doesn't care if you or anyone else "innocently" participates in his holiday. Participation gives him a foothold and the scriptures are clear about allowing sin to become a foothold in one's life.

Judgement is not about personally attacking anyone and I didn't feel personally attacked or offended about anything. Judgement is forming opinions--that is the definition. What you are doing is forming opinions and standards for yourself and then holding everyone else to your standard.

Can you justify this action in light of Romans 14 which states that only the servants master is qualified to make such judgements about their servant? Your statements regarding the objectivity of truth appear to be in conflict with these scriptures and many others.

 

[One Of The Elect]

Judgement is not about personally attacking anyone and I didn't feel personally attacked or offended about anything. Judgement is forming opinions--that is the definition. What you are doing is forming opinions and standards for yourself and then holding everyone else to your standard.

Can you justify this action in light of Romans 14 which states that only the servants master is qualified to make such judgements about their servant? Your statements regarding the objectivity of truth appear to be in conflict with these scriptures and many others.

You should not give any opinion then because according to you that is judgement.

 

[WannaWitness]

Well, you aroused my response because as people take and interpret scripture wrongly and only take one line from an entire statement to prove their point, you have done this with mine. Do you want to celebrate Halloween without conflict of spirit? We are not talking about the day of Oct. 31st of itself- in and of it- of course it is what it is, Oct. 31st. And we are not talking about veneration of saints as much as you want to intermingle them with demons. All Hallow's eve The Holy eve of All Saints day, is not what HALLOWEEN REPRESENTS. Try as you may , you can not use play on words with intelligent people.

Either you are for Halloween or you are not! Matthew: 5:37 Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil. A DAY IS WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT OR TAKE OUT. What are you putting into it? What are you taking out of it. Saints or demons?

"Intermingling" with demons? I would do no such thing, I don't appreciate the implication. I am merely talking about what different people do on a particular day, which in this case is October 31. You might be right that All Hallow's Eve is not Halloween has come to represent, but it doesn't have to be celebrated that way. It just so happens that I don't do Halloween, but I am not going to sit in judgment of my brothers and sisters. And neither should you.

Okay, let me give you another illustration. Let's take any given day, say for example April 17. Nothing is really special about that date, that I know of. On that day, a bank robbery or murder occurs. On the same date, a disabled person is helped across the street or someone takes in homeless people, cooks a meal for them, and lets them spend the night. So, what is to be celebrated on April 17? Certainly, we don't celebrate the bank robbery or the murder. That's common knowledge, unless there is something wrong with your mind. We would celebrate the good that's being done that day, and tune out the bad deeds. We cannot let the association of the bank robbery or the murder that happened spoil it for those who are doing good deeds. The same goes for October 31, a day like April 17, where people can choose to do what's wrong.

The first link that I originally posted gave a few tips for Christians who avoid the celebration. One of them was to view as no different than any other day. Which is pretty much what I do.

As for me quoting only a portion of your statement, it is what stood out to me and relevant to what I am trying to explain. All of what you said is a given.

I have explained the best way I know how. Hopefully, you will choose to ponder this at a later time, if or when you are ready.

With this, I'm bowing out of this discussion.

 

[C8-@]

This is always a contentious issue so I will try not to contend.

All I will say is 'as for me and my house' we do not nor will ever (whilst I live) celebrate Halloween.

However, I respect and accept those who choose to do so based on whatever justification they prefer, regardless of it's origins and history, which to be honest as with most things is open to interpretation.

Ultimately I feel that this is a matter of conviction.

If you are not convicted by celebrating Halloween then go ahead.

Personally I am, so I will not and as a husband and father it is my duty to set that example to my wife and children, even if they disagree or don't like it and feel left out because all their mates are all celebrating it and have a bucket load of ill gotten goodies (that's UK for candy!). At least my kids won't have as many trips to the dentist!

Personally it saddens me to see lots of little zombies and the like running around the neighbourhood at this time of year with parents in tow, celebrating what they know not. Or, as has become common practice in the UK recently, going on organised cross country zombie hunts in their parents 4x4. Seriously, there will be plenty of those to contend with come the tribulation, Revelation 9 v 6 (Lord Jesus please take me home before then.)

I don't believe that they're all worshipping satan (I will not capitalise his name as he doesn't deserve it) any more than I believe that all 'christians' worship God. However, I do not think that God looks down from His throne on high and feels happy or glorified by this, regardless of their intentions or ignorance of the matter.

It also saddens me that the advert that keeps popping up on this site as I type portrays a young girl dressed up in a witches outfit with the slogan Perfect Little Monsters ghoulpower. Our children are not monsters and should not be encouraged to dress up as such. God did not create monsters, if He did then please direct me to the scripture, which I assume will be somewhere in Genesis?.

Therefore monsters are, as far as I am concerned, evil and not to be celebrated or encouraged or glorified in any way, especially in the fragile minds of impressionable young children. Incidentally, I feel the same way about superheroes as well, who are all basically monsters disguised in capes and costumes and are not saviours of the world. There's only one of those and His name is JESUS!.

I do believe that as Christians we should provide an alternative to Halloween, promoting the message that the only person worth celebrating and glorifying ever is the Lord Jesus Christ for coming into this wicked sinful world and saving those who will repent and turn to him.

At least then they will have been educated and no longer live in darkness (ignorance) and can make an informed choice either there and then if possible, or as adults when no longer under the auspices of their own parents/guardians, just as my kids will be able to decide for themselves too one day.

Now don't get me started on Christmas as I'm thinking of ditching that as well (I know I hear ya, Scrooge, Grinch etc. etc.)

Birthdays are becoming a nuisance too, especially mine...

 

[Monk Brendan]

I would prefer all-hallows, or all saints day, on November first.

So would I

Obviously I gave up Hallowe'en a long time ago.

 

[Monk Brendan]

Not true, you have this backward, the RCC instituted All Saints day to combat the pagan explosion of followers of this demonic celebration. Samhain( pronounced - sow-in) Was the lord of darkness and was the the highest worshiped in Celtic belief. The Celtics 2000 yrs. ago in the area known today as Ireland celebrated the days of darkness- fall is the beginning when the days of light are shortened and darkness is longer.

Someone is obviously happy with St. Patrick!

 

[One Of The Elect]

You should not give any opinion then because according to you that is judgement.

I will elaborate, because I can not stand when people misinterpret the saints. This Romans chapter that all you people are misrepresenting is not for the support of pagan practices. Roman 14:1-4 As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not for disputes of opinions. This means welcome him that eats only vegetables . St Paul is addressing disputes over Jewish law and Gentile beliefs not pagan celebrations. It is ones opinion you should only eat veg. and an other's- you should eat meat as well. Or abstain from this food or that. He is saying we should welcome a person for his faith in Christ, not on what he eats or on opinions of what is right concerning food. Jews were judging Gentiles for what they ate.
gentiles were fighting over being vegetarian or eating meat. It was very petty but a real problem!

Romans- 14:5-9 Was dealing with fights over what day was more important. Jews held the Sabbath gentile Romans had no loyalty to that. So Paul said esteem all days as good, for they are all good if God is glorified. He is not preaching a false god, but Christ- Christian worship ,not pagan festivals.

Romans 14:10-13 speaks to passing judgement, or giving personal opinions- concerning what days are Holy and saying that if one does not observe the Sabbath he is rejected by God.This is a judgement of damnation from Jew to Gentile, saying they can not serve God if they do not observe Jewish law concerning the Sabbath and other Jewish holidays

People need to start asking the holy Spirit to help them interpret scripture properly.

St Paul is in no way saying Christians should accept a pagan holiday and just be quiet as not to bother the lukewarm who think they can do both, (Serve God and Satan.) You are using statements about unclean food and days that Jews felt should be observed by Gentiles for your argument for celebrating Halloween.

The whole book of Romans was addressing the gentile BELIEVERS in how to be Christian and to admonish the Jews for measuring Gentiles by the Law rather than by their love for Christ. And to put an end to conflicts over food and days. It was all paid off at the cross.

Halloween is a pagan holiday. The food we are all warned about; Jew and Gentile- is food sacrificed to idols and false gods which the candy of Halloween is. All the Halloween candy in the stores is under some image representing Halloween. This is food sacrificed to idols. And all idol worship is the worship of demons.
1 Corinthians19-21 " What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No , I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God.You can not drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.

 

[One Of The Elect]

S

"Intermingling" with demons? I would do no such thing, I don't appreciate the implication. I am merely talking about what different people do on a particular day, which in this case is October 31. You might be right that All Hallow's Eve is not Halloween has come to represent, but it doesn't have to be celebrated that way. It just so happens that I don't do Halloween, but I am not going to sit in judgment of my brothers and sisters. And neither should you.

Okay, let me give you another illustration. Let's take any given day, say for example April 17. Nothing is really special about that date, that I know of. On that day, a bank robbery or murder occurs. On the same date, a disabled person is helped across the street or someone takes in homeless people, cooks a meal for them, and lets them spend the night. So, what is to be celebrated on April 17? Certainly, we don't celebrate the bank robbery or the murder. That's common knowledge, unless there is something wrong with your mind. We would celebrate the good that's being done that day, and tune out the bad deeds. We cannot let the association of the bank robbery or the murder that happened spoil it for those who are doing good deeds. The same goes for October 31, a day like April 17, where people can choose to do what's wrong.

The first link that I originally posted gave a few tips for Christians who avoid the celebration. One of them was to view as no different than any other day. Which is pretty much what I do.

As for me quoting only a portion of your statement, it is what stood out to me and relevant to what I am trying to explain. All of what you said is a given.

I have explained the best way I know how. Hopefully, you will choose to ponder this at a later time, if or when you are ready.

With this, I'm bowing out of this discussion.

So your point is what? Your stand is what? Your answer is what? Are you for or against? What are we talking about?