Halloween

 Most people consider Halloween as only a fun time to dress up and get treats, such as candy, and hangout with friends. People say it is harmless and only for fun. But what they don’t know is the true meaning of Halloween and how it all started.

In October, especially later in the month, I have gotten asked the same questions many times. What are you going to be for Halloween?  Or what are you doing for Halloween? Every time, since I was little, I would answer the same. Simply, I don’t celebrate Halloween because it doesn't honor God. Although saying that, I never quite really knew why. I did believe that God did not approve of this holiday and that it is evil, but not until now do I understand the history behind this holiday and how it originated.

Many people will argue about whether or not Halloween is ok to celebrate as Christians. My personal beliefs and convictions are Christians should not have anything whatsoever to do with Halloween. Whether it being trick-or-treating, decorating your house and yard with objects, or even a trunk-or-treat at a church. To me it all serves the same purpose.

Each holiday has a meaning to it. We celebrate Easter because Jesus died on the cross and took the penalty for our sins. He rose from the dead on the third day and that’s why we celebrate Easter. We also celebrate Christmas to remember when Jesus was born. Thanksgiving is another holiday where we remember the Pilgrims coming to the New World and having freedom of Religion. God kept them safe on their voyage even during their hardships God was with them. When they got to the New World safely, they gave thanks to God. So each holiday represents something, including Halloween.

Although some people think that “just going trick-or-treating” is not bad, it is. Many people think that dressing up as witches, ghosts, goblins, and even little fairies is only for fun and nothing else. Well most people don’t know the actual meaning behind dressing up. A long time ago the Celts in Ireland worshipped false gods and nature. They thought that when a wicked person died they would come back to earth as spirits and haunt the living. Since the Celts believed that, they would come up with certain things they thought would scare them away or please the “spirits”. They would ask many people in their town or village for food, and later on burnt it in a bonfire to feed the “spirits”. They would also set out fine food or sweets outside their doors of their houses so that during the night when the spirits would roam around they would be pleased and fed and mostly not to harm the living families. Another thing they did was to disguise themselves in animal skins to scare them away. That was a start of dressing up and now has turned into different characters. Proverbs 4:19 “The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know what makes them stumble.”

I understand the point of view that some churches are trying to convey. Things like inviting non-believers to church, handing out tracts, maybe even some candy too. But why does it have to be on October 31^st? Why can’t Christians do that any other day? We have 364 other days to do that, but why make such a big deal about it on Halloween? Even when churches do trunk-or-treat people still dress up. Even the name is almost identical to trick-or-treat. The only difference is the spelling of two letters. People will try to convince you that it’s ok since there are a lot of people that might come to a party or a trunk-or-treat, then that’s a good time to reach out to them. Well I believe that is only condoning it. If someone really wants to hand out tracts and tell others, they can do that anywhere really. For instance, you can stand outside the grocery store, or go around neighborhoods, not on Halloween. So really there’s nothing holding one back from doing that. Considering that, as Christians we should not do anything having to do with Halloween. Ephesians 5:11 “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.”

Here’s another question. Is having a block party on Halloween ok? Even though you might not dress up and only hand out tracts, is it still ok? Well having a party is where lots of people come together in a single place and celebrate an occasion or a person. Therefore having a block “party” on Halloween Is celebrating something. So what is that something? That is a question that only someone doing it can answer. I believe that it is always great to share the news of Jesus and invite non-believers to church but there are plenty of other days to do that. Remember there are 364 other days in a year to do it. That is a lot of time that Christians are capable of sharing the Gospel to others.  So there should not be ANY reason to justify doing it on Halloween.

The true meaning of Halloween isn't about trick-or-treating and dressing up. That’s all people really think about when it comes to Halloween, but as Christians we are to stand apart from others. We shouldn’t have anything to do with it. There are many reasons, but here are 10 reasons why Christians should not celebrate Halloween by Kerby Anderson, an author.

Ten Reasons Christians Should Not Celebrate Halloween
Kerby Anderson
Many in our secular society believe Halloween is nothing more than a harmless festival that allows kids to collect candy. But is it? Its origins lie deeply rooted in the occult, and Christians should stay away. Here are ten reasons why.
1.October 31st has long been known as "The Festival of the Dead." The Celtic tribes and their priests the Druids celebrated this day as a marker for the change from life to death.
2.Halloween today is performed usually by adherents of witchcraft who use the night for their rituals. Witches celebrate Halloween as the "Feast of Samhain," the first feast of the witchcraft year. Being a festival of the dead, Halloween is a time when witches attempt to communicate with the dead through various forms of divination.
3.Christians should not be involved with occultic practice or divination. Note God's command against divination in Deuteronomy 18.
4.Occultists believe Halloween is a time of transition between life and death. Some occult practitioners practiced divination and believed you could learn the secrets of life and wisdom by lying on a grave and listening to the messages from the long-departed.
5.Occultists also taught that spirits and ghosts left the grave during the night and would seek out warmth in their previous homes. Villagers, fearful of the possibility of being visited by the ghosts of past occupants, would dress up in costumes to scare the spirits on their way. They would also leave food and other treats at their door to appease the spirits so they would not destroy their homes or crops but instead move on down the road. That is the real reason why kids dress up in costumes today and go door-to-door seeking treats.
6.Occultists also would try to scare away the spirits by carving a scary face into a pumpkin. This horrible visage would hopefully move the spirit on to another home or village and spare that home from destruction. Sometimes the villagers would light a candle and place it within the pumpkin and use it as a lantern (hence the name, Jack-o-lantern). This is the origin of carving pumpkins at Halloween.
7.In some witchcraft covens, the closing ritual includes eating an apple or engaging in fertility rites. In the Bible (Genesis 3), eating a piece of fruit brought sin and death into the world. In witchcraft, eating an apple is symbolic of bringing life. The practice of bobbing for apples brings together two pagan traditions: divination and the fertility ritual.
8.Schools are removing any religious significance from Christmas (often called winter break) and Easter (spring break). Isn't it ironic that most public schools still celebrate Halloween even though it has occultic origins?
9.Participating in Halloween gives sanction to a holiday that promotes witches, divination, haunted houses, and other occultic practices.
10.Christians should avoid Halloween and develop creative alternatives. Churches can hold a Fall Fun Festival and/or celebrate Reformation Day (also October 31). They should not endorse or promote Halloween.