Halloween

Doesn't that sound just like how the Catholic Church started? At the beginning of the fourth century when Constantine introduced pagan practices into Christendom, in effect paganizing Christianity?

 

Wow, so all this time the Bible has really been about vampires, mummys, walking skeletons, the headless horseman and the wolfman? And here I thought they were all make believe.

Wait, those are FICTIONAL characters, not REAL beings. Since they aren't real, that means, wait for it, they can't be rulers of the darkness or anything else. Guess that means that would be the devil and his crew. You know, REAL beings!

Hate to break the news to you, but sane folks are able to differentiate between make believe and real.

 

Well,

The kids who showed up at our Carnival were Beauty from Beauty and the Beast, Spiderman, Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, a girl in a 1950's poodle skirt... lots of Batmen, Pilots, and Firemen. We didn't have a single skeleton, vampire, witch, etc.

But, yes, Jesus Christ IS real, which was the focus of what we taught, and yes, jackolaterns ARE fake, and they do NOT protect you from evil spirits, which is ALSO what we taught.

Now, if YOU want to put YOUR faith in a pumpkin face with a candle in it to scare away evil - I wish you luck, but as for me and my church - we'll put OURS in Christ, and continue to teach Children to put THEIRS in Christ.

 

I was being facetious to make a point. Of course, many of the things associated with Halloween are fictional, fun, goofy, silly and what-not. I have no problem with masquerade parties, bobbing for apples, or caramel popcorn balls. However, the theme of Halloween is decidedly unChristian. It is even more rediculous to claim that it isn’t than to claim that it is all satanic in all of its facets.

The main theme of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Christ. Now, I know, that there have benn a great many things added which have nothing to do with this theme. That does not stop us from celebrating the main theme in a manner that honors that theme.

The main theme of Easter is to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. Now, I know, that there have benn a great many things added which have nothing to do with this theme. That does not stop us from celebrating the main theme in a manner that honors that theme.

The main theme of Halloween is to dabble, seriopusly or not, with all things of the occult nature. Now, I know, that there have benn a great many things added which have nothing to do with this theme. That does not change the theme. There is no way to honor that theme in a Christian manner no matter how we paint the picture.

 

Actually Halloween started similarly to Christmas and Easter as a commemoration of the Christian dead (especially martyrs) scheduled smack-dab on top of a time of pagan celebration. However, unlike Christmas and Easter, All Hallow's Eve wasn't so successful in taking over that day.

 

No haunted houses. I worked in enough of those to have a memory full of scaring people.

We have had a fall festival as an outreach ministry for the past 5 years. It is for all ages, kids to adult.

 

We were convicted against Halloween - when our children were young.

We started taking them out to dinner on that evening - and had a family time.

We do not hand out candy - if someone knocks at the door - we tell them we do not participate in Halloween - but if they come back another day - we'll be happy to give them some candy.

 

I've struggled with this before. Halloween was something I have fond memories of when I was a kid. Pizza parties at school, watching cute shows on the Disney Channel, dressing up as a princess and the sorts, but this was the cute, kid friendly side of it. There are two sides to Halloween, sure it might be fun when they're young, but what happens when they get older and no longer have an interest to go trick or treating?

At what age does one draw the line? Is it okay when they're young, but once they hit say 14, it's not okay? What if they now want to go to haunted houses, parties with friends, watch horror movies, ALL which are great for one's spirit.

Such is a double standard telling them it's okay up until a certain point, but then as a teen because at this stage the *real* Halloween comes out. The part about mischief, rebellion, goons, drinking, horror movies and the like.

We choose not to make light of this such holiday, it is what it is. I may have lasting memories of Halloween as a kid, but I am in no way going to contradict my principles and standards to give my children a false security. With it's pagan roots, it's not so pretty.

 

Ditto, here, Brother Dan!!

Good to see you posting again, friend!
Bro. David

 

My children and I carved two pumpkins this weekend. One is a happy face, and the other is three crosses.

 

I like that John.

Regarding what to do when they are older - I recruit mine to start serving in Christian Festivals and ministering to younger children.

Mine never showed an interest in haunted houses or such things though. For them Halloween has always been about costume parties and candy and family, never about evil spirits or goblins and ghosts.

 

I just saw this on the news
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/10/28/mistaken.suicide.ap/index.html

There is NO other 'holiday' where a suicide hanging from a tree would be mistaken for a decoration.

Down the street from us is a house that really gets involved in the Hallowe'en thing. There are pretend skulls lit and grinning at night, a guillotine with a headless body there and a lot of pretend blood running down on both sides. There is an electric chair with a dummy in it, connected to the 'wires'. There are tombstones with horrid things on them.

THIS is the celebration of Hallowe'en. It is a celebration of death.

We had a horse shot with a BB gun one Hallowe'en. It was part of the "fun." We spent quite a bit of time with the vet the next day getting what we could out of his skin. There were carcasses of dogs and cats in the garbage cans at the local high school the day after Hallowe'en another time.

Have you noticed the types of movies being advertised just before this 'holiday'?

How on earth anyone could think this is some kind of harmless prank day is beyond me. We have learned to keep our animals locked up and our home protected on this particular 'fun' holiday.

 

Helen wrote,

For every prank played on Halloween, a thousand kids and their parents have a good time. NNE has ever bothered me, my family, or any of my properties or any of my neighbors on Halloween. My neighbors decorate their homes profusely and we all enjoy the decorations. The kids really look forward to Halloween. They look forward to buying their costume, putting it on, applying the makeup, and having a good time. I don’t believe that Jesus came into this world to take the fun out being a kid, or to deprive the parents of watching their kids have a good time on Halloween. Lighten up a little, hang up some goblins and skeletons, hang up some orange lights, and maybe your neighbors will have more respect for you and leave your property and animals alone.

 

Good gravy, Craig! Celebrate death so my neighbors will respect me?

I don't think so. Thanks anyway.

In the meantime, we are no longer in California where that happened to the animals.

So you go ahead and and figure that Hallowe'en is necessary to kids having fun.

By your logic, for every drunk driver who kills someone, thousands make it home just fine and we shouldn't pass laws forbidding drinking and driving!

What happened to right simply being right and NOT trying to join with the world so we can be 'one of the guys'?

My dad left me with a lesson that I have never forgotten: if you are not part of the solution, then you are, by the nature of things, part of the problem.

You make your choices and I'll make mine. thanks anyway.

 

Helen wrote,

Let's get real!!! Halloween does NOT celebrate death! Halloween celebrates the opportunity to have fun on October 31st and turn the wickedness of Satan into a good, wholesome neighborhood activity that Americans have enjoyed for generations!

Happy Halloween!

 

Helen wrote,

Having fun by celebrating Halloween is a solution to the problems and the cares of this world brought on by the devil, at least for one night. Perhaps we should celebrate the 31st of every month with 31 days in it!

 

And the devil still has a wild time celebrating on that particular night held in honor of him. Just think--a holiday held in honor of Satan--how glad it must make him!

Our family goes out that night to avoid answering the door, being compelled to hand out candy which we don't have the money to invest in, and then hope that by the time we return, our house hasn't been vandalized as so many others will have been during that night of celebration.

In the country that I am presently working (not Canada), most people have never heard of this absurd celebration (thankfully).
DHK

 

My sister and her husband will be having a Halloween party tomorrow night.

It's usually one of the biggest parties of the year and they've been doing it since 1981. I've only missed one year since 1986.

I'll be going as a Mexican bandito guy.

 

According to Microsoft Encarta, the holiday is hsymbolically associated with death and the supernatural. From what I have learned and read, Halloween does not have any Christian roots (Catholic yes, but not Christian) so therefore I will not be celebrating this holiday.

Matthew 9:36-38 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith He unto His disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest.

Halloween & local festivals bring out the harvest. Let us go into the harvest & reap souls for Christ.

 

Don't participate in Halloween??? How else am I supposed to gather an endless supply of candy to raid when my kids are at school?

Participate in it or don't ... it's called Christian liberty. But don't berate or despiritualize those who do choose to use the time to have some fun with their kids.