Christianity and Halloween

 TRUTH FOR TODAY

Jun Malazo

Halloween was first popularized in western societies as a fun holiday to don costumes at parties.  Usually television channels play reruns of scary movies around this time, and it is also when the Hollywood industries would release their latest horror films.  Likely, if you are parent, you are probably scrambling to put together a homemade costume for your little one’s halloween party at school or a trick-or-treat activity in the community. 

Is there anything wrong with celebrating this holiday?  Is there anything wrong with children putting on “cute” costumes and collecting candies all over the community?  After all, from the surface it looks like harmless fun for children.  Is there anything wrong with this holiday that is celebrated just once a year?  Christians are often divided on this issue.  Some say that there is nothing wrong with children putting on costumes and participating in halloween parties.  While others stay away from it not really knowing the reason why.  They just know that there is something sinister behind this holiday.  From a logical point of view, the same people do not see anything wholesome about witches and monsters and the violence that comes along with horror movies.

There are many things celebrated today which people for the most part do not know origin and purpose of.  There are many reasons for this.  One is because, like halloween, the original meaning and purpose has become hidden because of its commercialization.  Statistics indicate that about 15 Billion US dollars are spent during halloween on costumes, candies and other items.  Another reason is that when a holiday is practiced regularly its true meaning becomes disguised throughout time.

Should Christians celebrate halloween?  In this article we will look at the historical background and origin of halloween, and the meanings behind all of its practices.  We will also look at what the Bible says whether Christians should celebrate it or not.

Encyclopedia Brittanica gives us a historical background on Halloween:

“In ancient Britain and Ireland, the Celtic festival of Samhain Eve was observed on October 31, at the end of summer.  It was the occasion for one of the ancient fire festivals when huge fires were set on hilltops to frighten away evil spirits…The souls of the dead were thought to revisit their homes on this day, and the autumnal festival acquired sinister significance, with ghosts, witches, hobgoblins, black cats, fairies, and demons of all kinds said to be roaming about.  In addition, Halloween was thought to be the most favorable time for divinations concerning marriage, luck, health, and death.

Samhain, also spelled Samain, is one of the most important and sinister calendar festivals of the Celtic year.  At Samhain, held on November 1, the world of the gods was believed to be made visible to mankind, and the gods played many tricks on their mortal worshippers; it was a time fraught with danger, charged with fear, and full of supernatural episodes.  Sacrifices and propitiations of every kind were thought to be vital, for without them the Celts believed they could not prevail over the important precursor to Halloween.”

When the Romans conquered the Celtic area (Britain and Ireland) they amalgamated both Roman and Celtic pagan traditions that honored the dead. 

Only after a few short years during the 3rd and 4th century, the Roman Catholic Church came up with a holiday to remember “All Saints.”  It was a day of remembering and praying for the dead saints.  With the support of the Roman government, the Catholic Church was granted the permission to adopt the Roman pagan holiday of honoring the dead as their day of remembering the dead saints. 

The Roman Catholic Church’s agenda was to take over the pagan holidays to turn them into Christian holidays. 

Eventually November 1 was chosen to be the day for “All Saints Day” to replace the Celtic pagan festival of Samhain.  During these festivities, the Catholics celebrated with huge bonfires, parades and costumes, masquerading as dead saints, angels and demons.  Then in 1556, the Scottish term “All Hallows Eve” was used which means “Hallowed Evening” or “Holy Evening.”  The term was eventually shortened in western English as “Halloween” in 1745.

The people during this time celebrated Halloween without knowing its roots over 1000 years ago from Celtic pagan practices.  They had no idea that what the Catholics observe as “All Saints Day” was nothing more than a pagan holiday christianized by the the Catholics themselves.  This is exactly what is happening today with Halloween.  Christians are unknowingly observing something that the Roman Catholic Church has adopted from pagan cultures.

Why do people wear costumes during Halloween?  During the Samhain Festival, the Celts would wear animal skins and dress up like ghosts, fairies, and demons to protect themselves from the wandering spirits.  Today many people just associate costumes with Halloween without considering the original meaning of this custom. 

Over the next few days, you will probably see many children wandering around the community dressed up in their costumes and as they wander from place to place asking for treats.  This is famously called “Trick or Treat.”  In the custom of the Samhain Festival, families would put food and drinks outside the front door to appease the roaming spirits and to keep them from playing “tricks” on them.  

“What is wrong with a little harmless fun?  Dressing up in costumes never hurt anybody.  I don’t want my kids to miss out on what their friends are doing during Halloween.”  These questions and statements have been used by many Christians to justify themselves.  Beside considering the pagan background of Halloween, Christians must also consider how Halloween is celebrated by others whom we do not hear about too often.  There is a subculture that holds Halloween in the highest regard because of what it exalts.

Anton LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan and author of the

 Satanic Bible said, “I am glad Christians let their kids worship the Devil at least one night a year.”  According to him, Halloween is the most important day for Devil worshippers. 

There are numerous men and women that are former satanists (satan worshippers) and now believers in Christ who have testified of the activities that happen secretly in the satanist church during Halloween.  They talked about blood sacrifice and many unthinkable practices that for many reasons I will not divulge in this article. 

I understand that most Christian parents that are allow their children to participate in Halloween celebrations do not do so with the intention of worshipping Satan or advocating evil either consciously or subconsciously. 

Parents, however, need to think about what they are associating with.  Do you ever wonder why during Halloween the displays at the stores have demonic and violent themes?  Do you wonder why most horror movies are released during Halloween?  This is because Halloween is based upon these themes—horror, violence, witchcraft, and demonic activity.

So what are Christians to do?  We need to be reminded that we are children of light and not of darkness (1 Thessalonians 5:5).  The Apostle Paul says, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. “  (Ephesians 5:11, KJV).  The word reprove in this verse means to “tell a fault, or to rebuke.”  As a Christian parent you may not be intending to associate yourself with paganism by allowing your children to participate in Halloween. 

You may not be associating with it, but you are not reproving it either the way the Bible says so.  We are not to embrace these practices as the Bible says, “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil….”  (Proverbs 8:13a, KJV).  We have to remember that God “…hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:”  (Colossians 1:13, KJV).   We are not to imitate the world but to exemplify Christ in our lives as children of light.

How can parents help their children understand the dangers of Halloween?  First, parents must inform their children what the Bible says about paganism and how God forbids the practice of it (Deuteronomy 18:10-12).

            Then parents must diligently stand guard and be praying for the spiritual protection of their children.  Lastly, parents must be willing to suffer whatever consequences that will happen to them by standing against the tide of their community.  The greatest lesson that we, as parents, can teach our children is to stand for Jesus no matter the price. 

           Finally, as Christians we must be reminded that there is battle that is raging. In this battle we have an Enemy that often attacks very subtly.  He will use anything to get ground in our lives and in the lives of our children.  Halloween is one of the tools he uses to control our lives.  In this day when evil is exalted and godliness is shunned, let us make a stand for what the Bible says.