Halloween, A christian view

While not really a big "holiday" in Australia, I have found from another website that this appears to be a holy cow that is beyond criticism in the USA.

My view has always been that a Christian should best avoid this celebration since it's roots lie in paganism and it's associations with witchcraft. ( I mean real witchcraft as defined by the Bible and not the misconceptions and even atrocities committed by misguided churchmen in the 1300's and on).

The Creation Science Foundation are in agreement with me.
http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/halloween.html

How do you feel? Is it a bit like Xmas to you - some good, some bad? or do you avoid it altogether?

Please, I am soliciting the views of my Christian brethren here, I have no desire to argue with pagans in this place.

I allow my kids to go trick-or-treating on Halloween. They wear costumes of super-heros, race-car drivers, or M&M's. I do not allow anything of evil backrounds or your typical "ghosts 'n' goblins". Being Catholic, though, we follow up Halloween, with going to church on Nov 1st, which is All Saints Day.

Technically, most Christian holidays can be traced back to pagan roots. Christmas was scheduled to coincide closely with the Winter Solstice (sp?). There are so many Pagan holidays, anyway, that we'd be hard pressed to schedule Christain holidays on a day that isn't Pagan.

Irish Stepper, I absolutely agree with your assessment of holidays, few, if any are sanctified by the Word of God, there are some that are more offensive to Christians than others tho.

Finding celebrations that are approved by God is a challenge. For ancient Israel it was laid out more clearly with all the feast days.

Under the new covenant, perhaps not so clearly.

I think this dilemma comes up every year on this forum and others.
My friend who is a reverend at a church lets her daughter go trick-or-treating, however, she cannot dress up as something evil (like a witch, goblin, etc.)
I really don't like the holiday because each year teenagers and adults (who have the maturity of a teenager) destroy tombstones and toss 40-50 pumpkins in main street every year. Halloween seems to imply that it is the one day that it is okay to do these things, or that it is "cool".

I understand Christian holidays have some pagan roots, but the fact of the matter is what is being celebrated. Jesus is celebrated at Christmas and Easter.
At Halloween, darkness is celebrated. If every family just had fun with it, then I would not mind. But the small percent who ruin it for everyone else don't make it seem worth it.

maryellen, I didn't knwo this issue has been discussed on this forum (no surprise, what has NOT been discussed??)

I truly feel for my US brethren, for whom this issue is no doubt of greater importance in the sense of its' cultural and historical integration to your culture.

We have no such burden here, and so I look at it as a purely theological issue, which is possibly a little unfair for my American brethren.

I do know that our church (in America) does not support halloween, it was only since my growing involvement in things celtic that this celebration was made more known to me.

I agree with Maryellen. Violence is becoming more prevalent, which makes it really disagreeable. Add drunk driving to that mix and it becomes very difficult to enjoy. I have always loved and participated in Halloween, and have let my daughter do so. I have the same costume requirements as described by the two lovely ladies above. This year she is dressing up as a "hip witch" - sort a 70's outfit. The only thing that makes it "witchy" is the hat (which witches don't even wear). I don't know. Seems like nothing can be done for fun anymore because of the rampant selfishness. I think that in all things, it is who we put at the center that gives it meaning (I am obviously not referring to integrating occultic practices or anything like that - just holidays). In everything that we do, Jesus Christ is to be the center and the focus. The reason for what we do. And I think that is why we are 'set apart' if you will. Anyway, I'm not sure I am making sense. Just wanted to put in my thoughts on the matter.

Both halloween and All Souls Day in the Christian calendar, come from the Celtic celebrations in Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and the north of Europe. The Celtic new year starts on November 1st. The early Celts believed that the divide between the spirit world and our own was very week at the end of the year. They celebrated end of the year with great fires to ward of evil spirits.

They also believed that one could pass between these world easily and thus did not fear death as others did. But I digress. The Christian priest adopted All Souls day to help bring the Celts into the Christian faith.

As you lads and lasses continue to enlighten me with regards to the origins of halloween, I guess the answer to my question becomes more self evident, especially as I ask the question WWJD (what would Jesus do?)

Just as an FYI, Halloween has become the second most celebrated "holiday" after Christmas. So, it is kinda big here in the U.S. The store aisles for Halloween are just about as big as those for Christmas, and it's not all candy. I think it's a marketing ploy.

so to interrupt the thread...just wanted to add some facts in here.

You know, honestly? Noone really knows what Jesus would do. That's the beauty of it. Sorry, but I just can't stand that saying Hope I am not upsetting anyone, but my very humble opinion is that God is God and as such we cannot know His mind. He can share things with us, but when Jesus walked the earth, no one knew what He was going to do next. It was almost always a surprise. As we are still in the same state of sin and fallenness, I feel that we, too (with the exception of what is outlined in the Bible) do not know what Jesus would have done in this situation.

Like I said - no offense, hope I haven't caused any. That isn't my intention. That statement is just massively over-commercialized here in the U.S.

yes you've offended me and upset me..... "they that love the Lord...nothing shall offend them... somewhere is Psalms.

All we know of Jesus is revealed in His Word, so I guess the more we know His Word, the more we know "WWJD".

Very true, Tassie! You are lucky that many things have not been blemished over there as they have here.

My family has always gone trick-or-treating on Halloween. We do it cause A. It's fun, and B. It is the night before the feast of all saints (which is a hole day of obligation). We don't dress up as anything demon like or anything like that, we dress up as fairies or our favorite movie character. I don't think that there is any problem in dressing up and walking around the town getting free candy. My family is very big into tradition and Halloween is a really nice tradition that we have. I don't think that there are any moral obligations to Christains to avoid the holiday, I believe that if you can celebrate the feast of all saints without worrying about it's pagan origins than I'd say go for it! I'm not a very stron christain though so....uh...yeah. That's what I think.

I think Jesus would not have a problem with it cause most people do not practice any pagan rituals when celebrating halloween (at least my family doesn't) it's all just candy, apples, pumpkins, movies, and costumes. There I have spoken for Jesus, haha! I could get into so much trouble for saying that!!!

I had never though of WWJD that way. You are right, we don't know the mind of God. All we know is what we can derive from the bible.
The saying is commercialized. THough perhaps, I do think the commercializing of Jesus in movies and books like "Passion" and the "Left Behind" series has brought more peopple to come closer to Christ. I know I personally started being more prayerful after reading the "Left Behind" books.

Firstly, I would like to address lumping witches in with "evil" things as much as many do not agree with, or think that, the practice may be wrong. The truth is(as in all religions) there are good people and bad. So a broad generalization of said subculture is defamitory to those good ones(and there are many on these boards). I would not assume to call my blood brother any names that would damage our relationship an so it is with my virtual family. Put yourself in the shoes of a pagan ..if , in a conversation, your beliefs were called evil, the root of all the troubles in the world, etc. Do not condem them or call them evil. Judge actions, not people.


I have had the honor of participating in a few soween rituals. My old roomates were a wiccan, an assatru, a druid, and a healer. I can say I saw no graven images, no blood sacrifices no hex or curse material. We woke up that day and they wished me a happy new year(was a little confused until I researched it), we had a place set up in the backyard( you can call it an altr if you wish, though it wasnt) where we placed pictures and items from loved ones we had lost. A place for remembering and contemplating.
That night some freinds of ours came over. So, there were 20 or so there, and we gathered in the back yard and the Assatru(nordic religion) said the prayer to begin(yes..it was a prayer..albeit to his personl diety). What happened next was simple...fellowship, remembering those that had loved us and those that had been lost. We all sat around for hours and talked about friends, loved ones, even pets that we had lost and how they impacted our lives. I will say that it was one of the most powerful nights I have ever experienced. And yes, at one point, I swore I could feel my brother with me stronger than he had been. I cry ,even now, remembering the fellowship, the memories and the feelings.
There was no malevolence involved. No darkness, nothing that many people have been force fed and perceive soween to be.
Soween originated because the celts were afraid of the spirits. It is very akin to Dios De Morte in Mexico(over 90% catholic) where many dress up in bones and masks to chase away the spirits and leave things out in remembrance of their lost ones.

Most people today couldnt even tell you the proper name for the day. All most know(especially the kids) is that its a neat night to dress up and get candy.

In todays society,its a day for rememberance. A day for stepping back and adjusting your life and lifestyle in such a way that your loved ones that are no longer here would be proud. A day to mourn(yes) but also to laugh, love, and thank god,gods,the great spirit(whomever) for the blessing of having those who have passed and their life and light upon this world.

In regards to the similarites to the holidays, The catholic church aligned its holidays with those of various pagan religions in order to convert.
Christmas-soltice
Halloween-all saints, dios de morte
easter-the vernal equinox and spring festivals
more recent times- St. Valentines days coincides with Lupercallia.. A fertility festival.
Unlike a statement made above, you would not be hard pressed to find a day that isnt a pagan holiday. They are very specific days and coincide with things that happen in nature.(soltice, equinox, seasonal change)


Halloween is (in any country) what you choose to make of it. Most choose to follow the commercialised route and so be it. I have never read anything about anyone wanting to change the day christmas was celebrated even though it falls near a pagan holiday(as a pointed out above so do many others)celebration. Its what you make of it. I will not get into the unfortunate commercialization of christmas but, I will say that the holidays we have now(all of them) are a far cry what what any of them were meant to be.

What would Jesus do? A bold question to say the least. The better question would be: What did jesus do? Jesus went forth amung the "unclean", the thieves, whores and beggars and lead by example. He showed those around him what the embodiment of Love, acceptance, caring, devotion and forgiveness and service to your fellow man was.

John 14:6"Thomas, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man goes to the Father except through me. All who find the Father, first find me. If you know me, you know the way to the Father. And you do know me, for you have lived with me and you now see me."...Many find chirst on their own..but many more find christ through the actions of his followers. If we sit in judgement of those around us, condeming and casting (by proxy) people into hell, what does that show someone who may be faltering and waivering in their own faith(be it pagan ,jewish, etc)? Most come unto the Lord because of great kindness shown to them and personal revelations not browbeating about how evil they are now...but..I digress and I am sorry


*sits back an awaits the flamings*