SHOULD CHRISTIANS CELBRATE HALLOWEEN?

[Hammster]

Your point is clear to me.
You say you can partake in celebrations of ungodly things when you don't celebrate the ungodliness of that particular thing.
You also say there is no ungodly aspect present in 'trick or treating'.
With the last point i can agree to an extent. But it would depend on how the kids version is facilitated by the adult partakers (who provide the trick or the treat). I think it's usually innocent enough, although the background theme is death and / or ghosts and / or horror and / or scary (in an exiting, pleasurable way).
I disagree with the 1st point though.
A Christian i.m.h.o. shouldn't partake in in celebrations of ungodly things, even if you as an individual do not celebrate the ungodly aspects of that ungodly thing.
I think Scripture is clear enough about that too.
It is of course every individual's own choice and responsibility to do or to do not so.

The problem is that you are projecting an image of Halloween (that really doesn’t exist much) onto what goes on today.

Just like anything we do, there is a right and wrong way to do it. Should Christians participate in activities that glorify death? Probably not. But there’s also no need to throw the baby out with the bath water.

 

[Hammster]

The people here that want to celebrate it just do not care about it being ungodly.

...says the person who openly watches R-rated movies.

 

[Hammster]

That is what the day glorifies. So, yes! Many here in this forum and my children's school, people at church all my neighbors. Hence, ghost and skeletons hanging everywhere. Not to mention the spirits of death in people full of dead men's bones, religious whited sepulchers who hypocritically preach Christ and entertain this pagan holiday. You can play coy all you want and so can many others 2+2 still equals 4. And commonsense is not the folly of fools, but the keen observance of the wise. Some people like artificial ingredients added to their Christianity. I prefer my Christianity unadulterated and pure. This "Halloween" garbage would never fly with Moses and Abraham. I say this because I feel people take advantage of the Messiah and under estimate His authority and displeasure with lukewarm faith. No surrender, no compromise.

Then you shouldn’t participate.

As a Christian, I’ve never celebrated death and ghosts.

 

[Hieronymus]

The problem is that you are projecting an image of Halloween (that really doesn’t exist much) onto what goes on today.

Maybe a little.
I think you only focus on trick or treat in a nice neighbourhood.

Just like anything we do, there is a right and wrong way to do it. Should Christians participate in activities that glorify death? Probably not. But there’s also no need to throw the baby out with the bath water.

What would be the baby in this case?
Aren't there things that are 'bad' no matter how you do them?

But okay.
I'm not completely where sure to stand on Halloween celebration.
Maybe it's innocent enough, like for the kids, dressing up and collecting candy.
And maybe it's not too bad in other ways either, as long as it's not about death and demons, even if Halloween itself is about death and demons, and i mean modern day Halloween, as i showed with some pictures earlier.
Then there is the 'satanic religion' side to it too, but that shouldn't have to mean it's satanic for non-satanists.

I don't know.
I just find myself arguing against it fairly easily.
I'll never partake in Halloween celebrations though, for the reasons i and others gave.

 

[Tutorman]

I don't have anything against people handing out candy to the kids

I end up handing more candy out to me

 

[Hammster]

Maybe a little.
I think you only focus on trick or treat in a nice neighbourhood.
What would be the baby in this case?
Aren't there things that are 'bad' no matter how you do them?

But okay.
I'm not completely where sure to stand on Halloween celebration.
Maybe it's innocent enough, like for the kids, dressing up and collecting candy.
And maybe it's not too bad in other ways either, as long as it's not about death and demons, even if Halloween itself is about death and demons, and i mean modern day Halloween, as i showed with some pictures earlier.
Then there is the 'satanic religion' side to it too, but that shouldn't have to mean it's satanic for non-satanists.

I don't know.
I just find myself arguing against it fairly easily.
I'll never partake in Halloween celebrations though, for the reasons i and others gave.

And as I’ve said elsewhere, if it violates your conscience, don’t do it. There’s liberty to participate or to not participate.

 

[NothingIsImpossible]

...says the person who openly watches R-rated movies.

Again, my kids aren't watching R rated movies. So I'm not exposing them to evil. Celebrating halloween with kids is exposing them to evil. Stop pretending to point out something that doesn't really matter since we are talking about kids. Or as you say in another topic "Stop deflecting!". Lets just agree to disagree about halloween.

 

[Hammster]

Again, my kids aren't watching R rated movies. So I'm not exposing them to evil. Celebrating halloween with kids is exposing them to evil. Stop pretending to point out something that doesn't really matter since we are talking about kids. Or as you say in another topic "Stop deflecting!". Lets just agree to disagree about halloween.

Where in the OP is this limited to kids?

 

[Archivist]

Again, my kids aren't watching R rated movies. So I'm not exposing them to evil. Celebrating halloween with kids is exposing them to evil. Stop pretending to point out something that doesn't really matter since we are talking about kids. Or as you say in another topic "Stop deflecting!". Lets just agree to disagree about halloween.

No, taking costume-wearing kids out to collect candy is not exposing them to evil.

And I already agreed that you are entitled to your opinion.

 

[Joy]

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SHOULD CHRISTIANS CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN

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[AACJ]

My dad used to take me trick or treating, but sometimes we had to get home so he could work on his sermon. I grew up in a very conservative religious family, but it was never as extreme as views I've read in this thread. When did harmless fun get categorized as evil or satanic? Oh my.

And what were you dressed up like?

 

[AACJ]

Have you known any Christians who celebrate death and ghosts on Halloween?

You didn't ask me, but....professing Christians (knowingly or ignorantly) "celebrating" a combination of death/ghosts/candy-collecting/friendship, etc.? Yes. And, they apparently abound in the States.

Professing Christians celebrating only death and ghosts? No, never witnessed that. But I would guess that occultists approve of Christian participation, even if it's minimal, if for no other reason than to have an occasion to mock.

Dead flies in the ointment?

 

[Hammster]

You didn't ask me, but....professing Christians (knowingly or ignorantly) "celebrating" a combination of death/ghosts/candy-collecting/friendship, etc.? Yes. And, they apparently abound in the States.

Professing Christians celebrating only death and ghosts? No, never witnessed that. But I would guess that occultists approve of Christian participation, even if it's minimal, if for no other reason than to have an occasion to mock.

Dead flies in the ointment?

Sounds like you are saying that Christians should avoid anything where we may be mocked.

 

[seeking.IAM]

And what were you dressed up like?

I can't remember clearly because it was too many years ago. I have a vague memory of maybe being a ghost one year with a bed sheet thrown over me with holes cut for my eyes. As I recall, I didn't have to make a pact with Satan to wear it nor did I feel compelled to do evil acts afterward...well no more than any other 5-year-old anyway. Mostly the purpose was to have a cheap costume when we couldn't afford a store-bought mask, not to promote evil Satanic practice. And, it didn't seem to bother my Wesleyan minister dad -- as long as he got his cut of my candy afterward.

I also have vague memory of wearing a mask of a wrinkled old man with a big nose one year. Mostly I remember how it smelled inside the mask and trying to keep my eyes aligned with the holes in the mask so I could see where I was going without falling down and spilling my candy. Perhaps that was the sin of Greed inspired by the evil of my having worn a ghost costume the prior year? Who knows?

 

[Open Heart]

I see no reason for Christians not to celebrate Halloween. It is an imagination celebration. The kids have fun playing dress up. I think it's awful that adults have kind of taken over what is essentially a kid's holiday -- how narcissistic! But I do think it's okay for adults to have fun with it too.

Hallowe'en is based on "All Hallows (Holies) Eve[n]" meaning the night before all Saints Day, which is a Christian feast day on November 1. It is directly followed by All Souls Day on November 2. During these Holy Days, Christians will often visit the graves of their loved ones. In some countries, this becomes a major festival, such as the Dia de los Muertos in Mexico. In America, our version is Halloween.

 

[AACJ]

I can't remember clearly because it was too many years ago. I have a vague memory of maybe being a ghost one year with a bed sheet thrown over me with holes cut for my eyes. As I recall, I didn't have to make a pact with Satan to wear it nor did I feel compelled to do evil acts afterward...well no more than any other 5-year-old anyway. Mostly the purpose was to have a cheap costume when we couldn't afford a store-bought mask, not to promote evil Satanic practice. And, it didn't seem to bother my Wesleyan minister dad -- as long as he got his cut of my candy afterward.

I also have vague memory of wearing a mask of a wrinkled old man with a big nose one year. Mostly I remember how it smelled inside the mask and trying to keep my eyes aligned with the holes in the mask so I could see where I was going without falling down and spilling my candy. Perhaps that was the sin of Greed inspired by the evil of my having worn a ghost costume the prior year? Who knows?

Would there would have been a problem with you being dressed up like Hitler? Would that have produced concern in relation to the possibility of offending the neighbors? Perhaps the Church should be more concerned about offending the Holy Spirit. Intention is not the only important issue concerning Halloween.

 

[AACJ]

Sounds like you are saying that Christians should avoid anything where we may be mocked.

Nay. I believe I tied such mockery in with accommodating those things associated with evil.

Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you (Matthew 7:6)

 

[Hammster]

Nay. I believe I tied such mockery in with accommodating those things associated with evil.

Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you (Matthew 7:6)

Then as long as we don’t celebrate death and ghosts, we are okay.

 

[Hieronymus]

I suspect speaking for all Christians is above your pay grade. Not everyone thinks there is something sinister in children's fun.

The discussion is not about children's fun though, is it?