Halloween has become one of the most popular American Holidays, next to Christmas. Many unassuming individuals see nothing wrong with it's traditions and origins. For those who desire to follow biblical paths, I would like to review some facts to ponder.
As most or all of my material will be, this is aimed towards those who CLAIM Jesus Christ as their Messiah. So if you do not, then please understand this is not aimed at you nor do I feel you are obligated to follow biblical principles.
For those who DO claim Messiah, you have professed to believe and agreed to follow HIS laws and ways. So it is my attempt to help educate individuals with information that I feel is sadly lacking in the body of Christ.
Since the season is arriving soon, my first post will be on Halloween, formerly known in generations past as All Saints Day or All Hallows Eve, this holiday was started by the Catholic church. What is NOT commonly known, or at least admitted, in "Christian" circles is that the traditions the Catholics incorporated into this holiday came from the celebration of Samhain.
Samhain was a celebration of the druids which celebrated the changing of the seasons. During this time, when summer ends and winter begins, it was said (and is still in occult practice today) that the line between the world of the living and the world of the dead were brought very close...only a thin film separated them. Because of this divination and attempting to reach spirits from the other side was a common practice during this festival.
In ancient times the people believed that on this day evil spirits would come down and roam amongst them. Pumpkins or squash were hollowed out and carved with devilish faces. Inside these jack o' lanterns would be placed glowing coals to light up the face. It was believed that these lanterns would ward off the evil spirits.
During the festival the druid priests would dress up in ghoulish outfits and roam around the city. They would demand a sacrifice of foods (a treat) from each house hold to "appease the evil spirits." If the family refused then a human sacrifice was kidnapped from the house (a trick) and burnt at the steak to their "god" Samhain.
Now, for those who doubt this information, it is historically documented. If you doubt do ten or twenty minutes of research on your own. Look up things like Samhain, Origins of Halloween, etc...
I know many will say, "But that is not what the holiday is now..." However, now that we have established the basic traditions and where they came from (this is not all the information on the origions by any means) I would now like to look at some modern activity on this day.
Halloween is well known and has been documented by secular newspapers, police reports, local communities, and other reliably public sources to have high incidents of kidnappings, murder, missing animals, animal mutilation cases, and occult activity. More so around Halloween than any other single day of the year these things escalate.
Many modern witches and covens still believe that the dividing line between the world of the living and the world of the dead is very thin on Halloween. Because of this there is an increase of divination (attempting to contact the dead and spirits of the other world), coven rituals, animal AND human sacrifices, fertility rituals, and a number of other occult practices.
Halloween is revered by most in the occult to be one of the highest holy days in their religion. I have seen and read testimony to this fact and heard first hand testimony from individuals who are former occultists who admit that they and their covens took part in all these things. This too, can be researched but do so with caution. The occult is nothing to dabble with! That is exactly why I believe this is such an important issue... Our modern "Christian" community is ignorantly participating in celebrating the Day of the Devil and justifying it by whatever means they can grasp!
One of the same women who was a former occultist testified that witches at times sit back and laugh at Christians who partake in Halloween because they are celebrating the day of Satan. Not only do I believe this compromises our spiritual condition but it compromises our witness to anyone who has ever been involved in the occult, and they need Jesus just as much as you and I... no more no less. I would not desire for a wiccan to go to hell any more than I would desire a church goer to go to hell.
Now before you fly off the handle at my attack on one of your children's favorite holidays, let me reason with you a bit more before you make your decision. (For the decision is yours alone to make, I simply wish to make you aware of this information. May God use it in any way HE desires, and in that way alone.)
Symbolism in Halloween is another significant argument against participation. Obvious things such as decorating with witches, goblins, the grim reaper (the resemblance of Samhain the god of death), ghosts etc...
A witch is someone who practices witchcraft. For a biblical perspective on what God thinks about the subject, check out Exodus 22:18 or Ephesians 6:12-13. Be sure I in no way advocate the killing of witches, for if that were enforced we would ALL deserve to be killed as well! The severity of these versus should show us God's opinion on the act, however. We also do need to realize that although I would never advocate killing a witch for their practice some of them WILL kill you for their practice. Human sacrifice is a central part of many covens and rituals.
Other symbolism such as goblins or ghosts.... The idea of a ghost being a dead person who has been trapped on earth has no founding in the bible whatsoever. The bible does talk about such things, however... it calls them demons. So by hanging up a "decorative" ghost for Halloween you are in essence decorating your house with images of demons. This does not seem like anything any Bible believing individual should be doing.
The black cat, which is also symbolism out of witchcraft, is a popular decoration as well as bats, in image of vampirism. The broom stick is used in fertility rituals in Wiccan covens and is also used as an emblem of astro projection.
In other countries witchcraft is at times the most prevalent practiced religions. In places such as Africa the culture is steeped in it. And those other cultures, seeing Halloween, the gory masks and devil costumes, etc... know the dangers and in times have warned against them.
Whether you dress your daughter up as an Angel or not... or your little boy goes out as a cowboy.... it makes no difference. They are partaking in the day of the devil. It's a dangerous road to start down. Please consider this information prayerfully.
For a few versus that speak to this subject please check out,
Deuteronomy 9:4-5
Deuteronomy 18:9-12
Exodus 22:18
Leviticus 19:31
Leviticus 20:6
2nd Chronicles 33:1-6
Acts 19:11-20
Galatians 5:19-21
1st Thessalonians 5:22
1st Timothy 4:1
Revelation 21:7-8
(There are many others... simply do a Bible search)
In conclusion it is my personal opinion that Halloween is not a fit holiday for myself or my children to partake in. Churches should not hold "fall festivals" in place of Halloween but should otherwise dedicate themselves to God's work, fasting or praying, and teaching their children why these things are not acceptable for someone who strives to follow biblical paths.
Now, all I ask is that you view and consider prayerfully. My desire is summed up by Jude 1:1-11. Namely that we should all earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. I personally do not believe that any of the saints, apostles, or Jesus Himself would celebrate Halloween...therefore if HE would not then neither should we.
Thanks for reading, please post any comments. I will be happy to converse or answer questions as I am able. I do have a full time job as well as work on the side, so my time is limited but I will do my best if anyone has a desire for dialogue.
Written by:
Jason Hein
