Halloween

Halloween is a day specifically aimed at glorifying satan.

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by katie:
Halloween is a day specifically aimed at glorifying satan.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Actually, October 31st is a day that was created by God to glorify Himself.

So now, when our culture send children from door to door on that date in search of candy, what is a Christian to do?

Another question: Where has the tactic of withdrawing from the culture gotten us conservative and fundamentalist Christians? Are our churches more holy as a result? Are our families more whole than before? Or are we just more comfortable, now that we live within the compound of separation, than before?

Give me just one believer who is sold out to Christ's terms who is willing to meet a pagan culture in its environment.

 

Jonathan,

Agreed

Sue

 

What good is the "full armor of God" if you avoid the battles. Might as well just leave it on the shelf. You can have fun with the day and still glorify God.
In Christ,
Brian

 

Oh, so I am assuming that when Gay Pride Day comes to your town, or to Disney World for that matter, that you, as a Christian, will go and participate in order to meet the ungodly in their enviroment?

What kind of logic are you spouting Jonathan? You show me one person who participates in Halloween who does it to meet a pagan culture in its environment. I just don't buy those kinds of excuses. Christmas and Easter are holidays in which I can see good . . . a holiday in which God actually does get the glory. That is difficult to see with a holiday such as Halloween.

 

Jonathan
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Actually, October 31st is a day that was created by God to glorify Himself <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The actual day, yes, halloween no. God did not create satan worship.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>meet a pagan culture in its environment. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

So what are you doing about it? Having fun wiht it? If your going to meet it head on, then do something to bring the attention to Jesus. Like hand out tracts. Have a Harvest party in your home for the neighborhood kids, centering it around Jesus.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> Another question: Where has the tactic of withdrawing from the culture gotten us conservative and fundamentalist Christians? Are our churches more holy as a result? Are our families more whole than before? Or are we just more comfortable, now that we live within the compound of separation, than before? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

In the world, not of it.

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by KeeperOfMyHome:
Oh, so I am assuming that when Gay Pride Day comes to your town, or to Disney World for that matter, that you, as a Christian, will go and participate in order to meet the ungodly in their enviroment?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

In a word, "Yes!".

In our town, we have a defacto Gay Pride Day Parade...we used to call it the Independence Day Parade. After the Gay Pride folks began to get involved in the parade, the Christians and other pro-family groups began to withdraw. So now the GP folks own the streets on that day.

My Sunday school class will have a float next year and will be passing out cold cups of water along the route to all of the "queens" and their folks and inviting them to our church's fireworks show on a strategic piece of property we own.

We should absolutely go to where they are and share the best of who we are with them. I should qualify that I would only send those who are sufficiently mature in the faith to do so.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>What kind of logic are you spouting Jonathan?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Not logic but love. The same kind of love that placed Christ in the midst of lepers, harlots, and pseudo-religious folks who were crying out in a lost lonliness. Hey, I'll be the first to admit that this can be scary at times. But it can be an amazingly joyful experience.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> You show me one person who participates in Halloween who does it to meet a pagan culture in its environment.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hopefully you are speaking to one right now. We are either full time ambassadors for Christ or we are not.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> I just don't buy those kinds of excuses.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It appears that I am not one offering excuses. BTW, how do you engage the lost culture with the wonderment of grace on Halloween? If you don't, what is your excuse for not doing so?

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> Christmas and Easter are holidays in which I can see good . . . a holiday in which God actually does get the glory. That is difficult to see with a holiday such as Halloween.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

We are in agreement here. Halloween is a much more difficult time in which to glorify God. But the last I checked, we were called to be ambassadors not only on the easy days.

Here is a thought: I heard a Jewish person say that the worst day of the year was Christmas because there is simply nothing to do.

I wonder how many Christians would be willing to celebrate Christ's birth on the 24th or 26th and spend the 25th throwing a party for folks who don't celebrate Christmas at all. I know that this would be way out of my own comfort zone....you know, tradition and all that.

[ October 09, 2001: Message edited by: Jonathan ]

 

Keeper,

The only reason Halloween seems so evil is because thanks to the enemy, man has made it that way. That day along with all other days still belongs to God. Why must Christians lock themselves in a house in fear of Satan? HELLO....God put us here for a reason and a purpose and it certainly wasn't to be in fear of the darkness but to battle the darkness. By avoiding it, nothing is accomplished.

Sue

 

"You show me one person who participates in Halloween who does it to meet a pagan culture in its environment."

Hi!

I really enjoy halloween. I usually rent Charlie Brown and the great pumpkin, make cookies, get apple cider, stock up on candy (well my parents buy most of it), and wait for the kids to start coming by. Hey- i like the tract idea...sortof. it is kindof hard to do followup.

Until Next Post, Adam

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by myreflection26:
Why must Christians lock themselves in a house in fear of Satan? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Who says it's fear that causes folks to separate themselves from Halloween? It is quite obvious from Helen's post in another thread that the origins of Halloween were not of a Christian nature, and no matter how hard the Catholic church tried, they couldn't remove the stigma of that particular pagan holiday.

As I said previously, with Christmas and Easter, the love of our God can be celebrated. But I cannot see any redeeming quality to be celebrated at Halloween.

 

Here is what my research has shown about Halloween.

Halloween:
Harvest Festivals, Autumnal Equinox, Samhainexample:
Samhain, or similar holidays in different areas, was a pagan holiday celebrating the end of the harvest, the beginning of winter, and death. Just as crops live and then die, just as the sun rules for a long time and then "dies" until it shines for only a short time during the day, so all humans and animals eventually die. One of the common pagan beliefs was that the spirits of those who died during the previous year could not go to their "final resting place" until they were properly prepared with possessions, wealth, food, and drink (either for themselves or to pay the god who ruled the next world). Until then, their spirits wandered where they had lived and died. A common Samhain tradition was to placate the spirits and send them off on a one-way trip to the nether world by "treating" them. If a spirit was not "treated" well, it would "trick," or haunt, those who had neglected preparing it for leaving this world. (1)

Christian Origin:
"Halloween" is a contracted form of "Holy Evening" and refers to the evening before All Saints Day (November 1), when Christians traditionally remember believers of other times who are especially good role models of faith, and many of whom were persecuted, tortured, and/or died rather than renounce Christ. The Christian Church long kept the Jewish custom of marking a holiday (contracted form of "holy day") for the twenty-four hours beginning with sundown and ending with sundown the following day. That is why even today Christmas Eve is almost as special as Christmas Day; and in eastern orthodox churches, the resurrection (Easter) is first celebrated on Easter Saturday at sundown. Another tradition the Church inherited from its first century Jewish roots was to divide each year into commemorative events, doctrinal remembrances, holidays or seasons so that, throughout the calendar year, the history of God’s blessings would be recounted. This is called the "Church year" or "Church calendar." It took many centuries before most of the dates were standardized throughout most of the Church. Some Protestant churches today do not follow a church calendar except for Christmas, Easter, and perhaps Pentecost (which is also a Jewish holiday, with a different significance). (1)

One of the biblical inspirations for honoring believers of past times and thanking God for their service in His Name comes from Hebrews 11:1-40. The writer of Hebrews encourages us that our faith is completely trustworthy because it is faith in God, who has proven His character and power so many times in the past in the lives of others that we can be confident that He will accomplish whatever He has promised for the future. From this grew the idea of picking a special day during the church year on which to honor believers who were good role models of faith. (1)


(1) What about Halloween?: http://www.equip.org/free/DH011.htm

 

What it all boils down to is simple..who made each day and each night? God did! Halloween is no different just because it is linked to evil things and satan it means nothing.

That is my basic point, you are not associating yourself to satan, the day doesn't belong to him.

Sue

 

LOL Sue . . . we're not talking about "opting out" of a day! Impossible to say the least What we are talking about is choosing to not take part in or celebrate something that is not Christian in nature.

Yes, God gives us each day we have and we ought to be thankful for it. I do agree with that much.

 

I guess I don't see doing the Harvest thing a celebration of something wrong. I see it as a seasonal change from summer to fall and getting prepared for Thanksgiving, but to be celebrating anything wrong, nahh.

Sue

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by myreflection26:
I guess I don't see doing the Harvest thing a celebration of something wrong. I see it as a seasonal change from summer to fall and getting prepared for Thanksgiving, but to be celebrating anything wrong, nahh.

Sue<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I suppose then that's where the apparent misunderstanding is coming from. In all honesty, I think a Harvest Celebration, which I suppose you could say my family enjoys doing as well, is in a whole 'nuther ball park than celebrating Halloween with all of its unfortunate associations.

We enjoy weiner roasts with my family, taking a day trip to the North Georgia mountains to a state park to hike and picnic, and then visit one of the many apple farms (yummy!!), and then on to Burt's Pumpkin farm where we pick out a little pumpkin for each of the kids.

Now, that kind of thing I can do! That's good family stuff there.

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by KeeperOfMyHome:


Who says it's fear that causes folks to separate themselves from Halloween? It is quite obvious from Helen's post in another thread that the origins of Halloween were not of a Christian nature, and no matter how hard the Catholic church tried, they couldn't remove the stigma of that particular pagan holiday.

As I said previously, with Christmas and Easter, the love of our God can be celebrated. But I cannot see any redeeming quality to be celebrated at Halloween.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

So do I correctly understand you to say that there is a certain level of pagan content to a holiday that you can accept (Christmas and Easter) and above that level you cannot except (Halloween). Of course by celebrating a harvest festival (as a replacement for the candy give away) you are just swapping one pagan rite for another.

I would suggest that you look not at what man intends for evil but what God intends for good.

Look at the opportunites here:

1. Stay at home and give out candy: you have multiple lost folks (and some nonlegalistic Christians) who will come to your door and take what you give them.

2. You walk with your child around the neighborhood and are welcomed at the doors of lost folks (and nonlegalistic Christians).

On what other date are we going to get such an open window to share of ourselves?

 

WOW, I never actually thought of that type of oppertunity but that's very true. Many christians do door to door soul winning and a lot of times it's not accepted as much as people would like it to be, but at this time of year it is accepted to visit people's doorsteps...and share who you are too mmmmm giving me some great ideas &lt;smacking head&gt; duhhhhh

Sue

 

Halloween is a day of the year like all the other days of the year. As long as you don't find a Cat and stake it out on your lawn and dance around it chanting some mumbo jumbo. I think you will be alright.

I don't let my children dress as ghouls and the such. I do let them go to a few preselected homes and of cource church.

 

I think the misunderstanding here is what Halloween is really about. Halloween is an evil holiday plain and simple. Our culture has activities with which we "celebrate" this holiday. Now I will grant you that most people that celebrate it are ignorant or unconcerned with it's origins, but those are the origins like it or not. Now, we as Christians must decide what we are to do with this holiday, since it celebrates things that are contradictory to the Word of God.

1) We can do as we did with other Pagan Holidays and make a Christian Holiday to celebrate in it's stead, but our society is so in love with the traditional "evilness" of this one and most likely will not give it up on a national level. (That can be proven by going to your local Wal-Mart store and seeing all the "Halloween" stuff for sale)

2) We can opt to not celebrate it at all. I don't see God being upset with us for not partaking in activities that derived from evil and wicked religions.

3) We can try to be witnesses during this by offering alternative activities through the Church that glorify God or passing out tracts with candy at home.

I don't think there is anything wrong with either of these options. However, I do think it is wrong to "particpate" in the holiday as it stands. If you are aware of what Halloween is about, then you will not want to celebrate it or take part in it's activities. We are to be separate. If you are REALLY going to witness at every house you get candy from, then go ahead but do not say "trick or treat"! Do not go dress up as anything in the "spirit" of the occassion. There is a difference between witnessing and participating. Jesus ate with the tax collectors, he went to the homes of the sinners but I do not believe you will find one Pagan holiday that he celebrated while he was among them. We can be in their midst and be separate, but we can not be separate while partaking in thier evil deeds.

~Lorelei

PS. Yeah, I repeated myself from the thread in the youth section..so sue me!

 

It's difficult to separate completely from the idolatry of this world:

Days of the week and who they honor:

Sunday Sun Day
Monday Moon Day
Tuesday Zeus' Day
Wednesday Woden's Day
Thursday Thor's Day
Friday Frieden's Day
Saturday Saturn's Day