Honesty About Halloween

{re-post from the archives}

{Before I start, I just want to say that my honesty in this post is to inform you of the reasons why my family does not participate, or has never particiapted, in Halloween. It is not meant to raise me up as "holier than thou"! I hope some of the information in this post will be of good use to you and your family.}

Halloween is the one holiday I have never participated in. {and the one that I have never missed participating in either.}

Being raised in a strong, Christian, home, my parents felt that celebrating something that represents nothing good, only evil, was just not for our family. If we are called to be more like Christ, shouldn't we want to only represent that which is good? {Colossians 3:1-11}

Over the years when I have been asked why I didn't celebrate Halloween by my Christian and non-christian friends, my answer has always been the same, "I just don't believe in celebrating evil". Oh sure, I got laughed at and the famous rolling of the eyes. Some people thought my parents were "so strict" and "kind of crazy". Others said, "we don't dress as witches or ghosts, so how can it really be that bad?". Or, "I don't participate in any witchcraft or devilish sacrifices. I am only in it for the fun of dressing up and getting free candy." Others have said that I have been "deprived" because I was never allowed to Trick-or-Treat and now I am "depriving my kids of that same privilege".

Yes, I have heard them all and have received a lot of criticism over the years, from christians and non-christians. Do I wish my parents would have let my sister and I trick-or-treat when we were little? Honestly, no! Do my husband and I ever feel that we are being "too strict" or "going over-the-top" with our decision to not let our children trick-or-treat? No Way! Over the past 29 years of my life Halloween has come and gone and I am still the same person and am in no way harmed by the fact that my parents stood up for what they believed in and what they felt was right!

It is so very easy to give into the ways of this world. To follow the crowd. To try to make ourselves feel better by trying to find some good in doing what we know is not right.

Are we not told by Christ to not conform to the ways of this world? {Romans 12:2}

I want my life to be a life filled with Christ. I don't want anything that this world has to offer. My GOD gives me everything I will ever need!

I came across this book, HALLOWEEN Should Christians Celebrate It? by Kristina M. Rhoades, at my local Christian Bookstore. In it, the author goes through and identifies the true meaning behind all the Halloween traditions. I am going to go through and share some of those with you.

Haunted Houses

"Realizing that haunted houses are only a place to scare as many people as possible, instilling as much fear as possible, should be enough to make a church not participate." "That which represents Satan and his domain should never be handled or emulated "for fun". Such participation places you in enemy and forbidden territory and that is dangerous ground."

Skeletons, Skulls, Corpses

These are symbols of death and the Bible states in Deuteronomy 18:11 that "we are not to call upon the dead because it is an abomination to God."



Jack O'Lantern

"Pumpkins themselves are not bad; it's what is done with them that makes them evil. Pumpkins were cut with faces representing demons and were originally intended to frighten away evil spirits. They are a representation, on Halloween, of the dead. "Jack" was once believed to be a drunkard and a prankster. He tried to "trick" the devil which only resulted in him not being able to enter Heaven or Hell. Carving of pumpkins are said to also be a way to "remember" him."

Trick-Or-Treat

"Spirits of the dead were thought to come back from their graves and wander around trying to return to their former homes. Frightened villagers tried to appease these wandering spirits by offering them gifts of food such as fruit and nuts. This could be the origin of "trick-or-treating". Trick or treating might be considered as severe as blackmail to some or as simple as "just plain fun" to others, but either way, it is rooted in pagan traditions and should not be in the life of a Christian."

Witches and Wizards

"Leviticus 20:27 says, 'a medium or a wizard - whether man or woman - shall surely be stoned to death. They have caused their own doom.' Many places in the Bible state that dealing with sorcerers or witchcraft makes God angry and defiles us. Intimidation, manipulation, control, the fear of not upsetting someone because they might leave, are all common pratices that we participate in EVEN IN THE CHURCH! And these are all centered on controlling the will of another. Most people don't understand that these are all forms of witchcraft and we are all guilty of it one way or another! The apostle Paul said, 'The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.' Galations 5:19-21. If you notice, this list mentions things that are before our eyes every day or our lives. The Bible strictly forbids these sins and all forms of witchcraft and states that those who participate in it are doomes and will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Kristina goes on to discuss the consequences of such actions as participating in Halloween.

The Consquences

"Some think that allowing trick-or-treating and masquerading as Bible characters, animals, or positive role models instead of demonic occult figures is okay. But actually this is a compromise. Where in the Bible does it say that we are to compromise our beliefs to be accepted? Nowhere! Some of you will say, 'I'm not doing this for any demonic reasons. I am just doing it for fun.' Well the Bible says in Deuteronomy 18:9, 'do not learn to imitate the detestabe ways in the nation...' and if we read further it says in verses 10-12, 'let no one be found among you...who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord.' Without turning from every evil way, and keeping God's laws, there can be no true godliness. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:31 'whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.' which infers to not glorify Satan in anyway. You have to admit that this celebration doesn't have one redeeming value nor does it glorify God in any way! 'judgement will come again for the righteous, and those who are upright will have a reward.' Psalm 94:15. In the "end" the righteous will receive a reward for their upright living, and those who spurned the Lord's discipline will be punished for their wickedness"

I wish I could send a copy of this book to all of my readers since it holds so much good, honest, information. I hope you find something in this post that you can take with you to share with others or that maybe has changed your views of Halloween just a little.

Why would we want to celebrate a holiday surrounded by death when God called us to celebrate life? {John 10:10}

Do you celebrate Halloween? Please leave me a comment stating why or why not.

{all quotations in this post are taken from Kristina M. Rhoades book, HALLOWEEN Should Christians Celebrate It?}



"When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God." ~ Galations 19-21 NLT

“When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, be very careful not to imitate the detestable customs of the nations living there. For example, never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering. And do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord. It is because the other nations have done these detestable things that the Lord your God will drive them out ahead of you. But you must be blameless before the Lord your God." ~ Deuteronomy 18:9-13 NLT