Should I Celebrate Halloween?

"Let everyone who names the Name" Paul said, avoid iniquity. Is Halloween a celebration of iniquity? Read on and judge for yourself!

Here are some quotes from what many different people have said over the years concerning the celebration of Halloween.

Someone once said, "For a Christian to celebrate Halloween would be as proper as a Holocaust survivor trying to celebrate Hitler's birthday." Yet so many believers continue to do so without considering what they are doing. Excited children masquerading as witches, ghosts, goblins, skeletons, demons, and other grotesque characters skipping through the neighborhood knocking one doors changing "trick or treat" while holding out a sack in which one is to drop a piece of candy or other goodies...the party at school, or church, or Sunday School where they bob for apples, tell fortunes, or go through "haunted houses"...decorations of jack-o-lanterns, witches on brooms and black cats with arched backs...IT'S "HALLOWEEN" - one of the strangest days of the year.

The word evokes a number of responses. Every year as October rolls around, there are those that look forward to it with excitement and those that cringe and wish it weren't there. Some argue violently against it, some yawn because they've heard it all before, may just look the other way and go ahead with it. Some view it as an abomination, while many others view it as a harmless tradition. What is Halloween, or Samhain? What does it represent? And, what should the Christian think about it, if anything?

Where did this fast growing American tradition come from? History provides the answers.

The pagans believed that on one night of the year the souls of the dead returned to their original homes. "There was a prevailing belief among all nations that at death the souls of good men were taken possession of by good spirits and carried to paradise, but the souls of wicked men were left to wander in the space between the earth and moon, or consigned to the unseen world. These wandering spirits were in the habit of haunting the living...but there were means by which these ghosts might be exorcised."

To exorcise these ghosts, that is, to free yourself from their supposed evil sway, you would have to set out food - give the demons a treat - and proved shelter for them during the night. If they were satisfied with your treat, it was believed they would leave you in peace. If food and shelter were not provided, or if they were not satisfied, these spirits, it was believed, would "trick" you by casting an evil spell on you and cause havoc.

So Where Did The Elements Of Halloween Come From?

Trick Or Treat. "The modern custom of 'Trick-or-Treat' began in Ireland hundreds of years ago. A group of farmers went from house to house begging food for the village Halloween festivities in the name of their ancient gods. Good luck was promised to generous donors, and threats were made against those who would not give." 3 Thus these ancient pagan traditions continue today as youngsters, masquerading as ghosts, skeletons, and demons go "trick-or-treating" - begging in a sense for food while promising to refrain from evil deeds...

October 31ST. Though it was the Roman Catholic church who designated the October 31st date as All Hallow's Eve, or "eve of the holy one's day," in prelude to their November 1st All Saints' Day, it was earlier pagan peoples who gave the annual holiday the sinister meaning and traditions it still holds.

It is obvious that the elements, symbols, and traditions of the Halloween observance with its emphasis upon goblins and demons, witches and skeletons, ghosts and apparitions rising from cemeteries constitute a dabbling with the very things, which Scripture forbids to God's people and an open invitation to demonic activity. (Deuteronomy 18:10-13, Lev 19:31)

It is at this point that many will say, "But we don't worship demons on Halloween. It doesn't mean the same thing today as it did in the past. It's now just a harmless, innocent time of fun for the children and the young people."

Yet, history clearly shows that Halloween is unmistakably a "religious" (pagan and Roman) holiday. Religion is the adoration, obedience, and service rendered to the object of one's worship. It presupposes profession, practice, or observance of whatever belief and practice - in this case Halloween - as required by some superior authority. It is indisputably clear that Halloween is NOT commanded or sanctioned by Jehovah God - the true Christian's Superior, Authority - in the Scriptures.

What Should We Do?

Sadly enough, the biggest opposition to what has been said invariably comes from within professing Christendom. The witches, the occultists, and the secular sources all freely call it like it is. Note the following quotation from a contemporary witch. "Most of Christianity's holy days have their basis in pagan ritual. I get myself into a lot of hot water when I remind American Christians of that fact. No matter, it's true. But the level of tolerance is rising."

If we believe God's Word, then witchcraft is something that exists and is hated by God. It is an abomination. All occult practices are, and they are under the divine condemnation and wrath of the eternal God. Should the redeemed of God, His children, have anything to do with that which presents Satan? Should children who "are an heritage of the Lord" (Psalm 127:3) be dressed up like witches and ghosts and goblins in light of God's displeasure? 1 Thessalonians 5:22 says, "Abstain from all appearance of evil." The Amplified Bible puts it this way, "Abstain from evil - shrink from it and keep aloof from it - in whatever form or whatever kind it may be."

The true child of God should be identified with the pure and holy Jesus Christ. With "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance..." (Galatians 5:22-23), not with the powers of darkness and evil. The witch, earlier in this article, clearly states that it's their holiday, their celebration. History bears that out. Christians, have nothing to do with this. It can only be dishonoring to the name of our Lord.

Today Halloween is the highest of all celebrations for Satan worshippers, witches and the occult. Christians need to be warned so they can take heed and obey the Word of God. The apostle Paul wrote, "Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them" (Eph. 5:11). "Abstain from all appearances of evil" (1 Thes. 5:22). "Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).

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Original publication date: October 21, 2009