I think it is important to always evaluate what we are doing by asking questions like: Why do I do that? Is this lining up with God’s direction for my life? Does His Word support my behavior or condemn it? Halloween is one of those practices that caused me to dig deep into the Bible. Throughout my childhood and even in my early years of adulthood, I fully participated in Halloween with costumes, trick or treating, carnivals, and parties. I even bought cute little ghosts, goblins and jack-o-lanterns to decorate my home and yard.
Satan makes evil look good. While many in our culture today delight in blatant evil, Christians try to avoid evil. However, if it is disguised we can often be persuaded that it really isn’t that bad. For example, Mormonism has a squeaky clean image, which keeps the deception hidden away. Halloween follows suit—candy and costumes look fun and innocent but the origins are full of darkness and evil.
“And it shall be, when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this holiday?’ that you shall say…..” (Ex. 12:26-27).
In this passage, God instructed His chosen people to teach the purpose and history of the Passover to their children. Likewise, we should be ready to share with our children why we participate in certain holidays and their origins. We teach our children that the “real meaning” of Christmas is the birth of Jesus, the real meaning of Easter is the resurrection of Jesus, and Thanksgiving is about giving thanks to God for his provision (anybody remember the Pilgrims?) and is not intended to celebrate gluttony and pro-football. So, what are you going to say when your children ask you why you celebrate Halloween (or a substitute)?
Take a moment and research the history of Halloween. Type in Halloween origins into your search engine and discover the meanings behind the cute jack-o-lantern, the black cat, trick-or-treat, apple bobbing and costumes. It doesn’t take long to see that the origins are pagan and evil. Of course, I didn’t mention the other scenes that are commonly associated with Halloween- the ghosts, goblins, witches and other grotesque images- their evil influence is obvious and most Christians already have put a stop to allowing these in their homes. We have been tricked by the treats.
In a nutshell, Halloween is a pagan holiday that began with the Celts about two thousand years ago. Druids (Celtic priests) made bonfires, burned offerings of crops and animals to their deities, and people dressed up in animal skins to pacify the dead spirits that were thought to enter the world of the living on that day as well as to tell fortunes. Later, in the decades following Christ’s earthly ministry, the Romans had conquered much of the Celtic lands in northern France and England, so they added two of their own festivals to Halloween. One honored the dead while the other honored a goddess of trees and fruit. About 800 years later, Roman Catholics attempted to change the holiday to one that honored dead saints and martyrs. Halloween in America was limited in practice until the great influx of the Irish (a Celtic people) during the potato famine in Ireland. Today, Americans spend an estimated $7 billion on candy, costumes, and decorations, which makes it the second most lucrative holiday.
So, why is it that Christians participate in this day? I believe it is often due to our desire to “fit in” rather than to stand up for Truth and be different from the culture. We also excuse away our participation by calling it a “Fall Festival,” but still hold it on October 31. Some churches offer these festivals merely as cleaner alternatives while others have more righteous intentions by desiring to witness to the community, but how does the World see these activities? One pagan web site said that since Christian Churches can’t get their people to stop celebrating Halloween, they “sprinkled a little holy water on it” and “gave it a new name.” Is that what Christianity is all about? Do we wash things up a bit and continue to practice the things that are detestable to God? It is no wonder that young people are leaving the faith—there is no contrast between good and evil, just accommodation. When I read of Christ, I see a stark difference between who He was and the world around Him. I want to be an imitator of Christ rather than a clone of the world around me.
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.”—Ephesians 5:1-13
The Bible has plenty to say regarding the occult, sorcery, witchcraft and magic—we are to stay away from it (Deut. 18; 2 Kings 9; 2 Chron. 33:5-7; Micah 5:11-13; Nah. 3: 3-5; Gal. 5:19-21). In Acts 19, Paul visited Ephesus, which was a filthy city whose population practiced magic. Paul challenged them and instead of excusing away their behavior and getting angry with the message (and the messenger), many confessed their sin and burnt their magic books, so they could not practice again.
It has been several years since our family stopped participating in Halloween and its substitutes and I must admit that I experienced moments of doubt thinking “Am I being a Grinch?” or “Shouldn’t my kids have fun with everyone else?” Well, years later, I am convinced that my children are not suffering. They certainly have enough candy and have costumes for dress-up. Besides, we have had some wonderful times digging into God’s Word and delighting in being different from the world around us. It is a privilege. My children are learning that there are not always alternatives to what the world offers. Cigarettes are not an alternative to marijuana, kissing and touching are not alternatives to sex, and fall festivals are not an alternative to Halloween.
I know that this is a touchy subject, but I believe that churches need to come to terms on their reasons for holding “Fall Festivals.” I have attended several churches that offer these and while the title of the event refrains from Halloween it certainly reflects much of the holiday. Sunday School teachers pass out skull candy and jack-o-lantern pencils, there are slips of speech from the pulpit that use the word “Halloween” when inviting everyone to come, costumes are encouraged and it is held on October 31st. If it smells like a skunk and looks like a skunk, isn’t it really a skunk? I am all for a real Fall Festival that evangelizes the surrounding community, but to stand unique in Christ, I believe that such a time should take place on a different day, be absent of Halloween distinctives and delight in the fruits of the season that God has blessed us with. (Isn’t that what Thanksgiving is?) Why can't the church hold a wonderful community "Fall festival" or other outreach event a few weeks earlier or later and teach the congregation why Christians should not participate in Halloween. This sets us apart from the world as God's people while also allowing us to do an outreach event that is divorced from a pagan holiday.
So, what do we do on October 31? We have a typical day—nothing different from the norm. We do not dress up, we do not give out candy, we do not go to “Fall Festivals,” and we do not take our kids trick-or-treating. Are my kids suffering? No way!
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