What are your feelings about Halloween?

[rkymtnjesusfreak]

Just curious. We have re-examined what we think about it this year and have decided not to do anything about it. In previous years we did nothing (no costumes, nothing) and usually went out to eat or something to get the kids out of the house. Then our old church in Colorado (we have since moved "home" to Kansas) started having a family fall festival where kids could come in friendly, cute costumes, play games, etc. as an alternative for our church members and those in the community (we were a big mid-town church in Denver). I really didn't have a problem with that. We took our kids for the last 3 years. But this year my husband and I have felt convicted once again to just totally ignore the "holiday". It seems that really, basically there is absolutely NOTHING to glorify God in the observance of the day, even if we change it to something family friendly. From what I have researched, it is basically pagan at it's roots. Anyway, just wondering if there are others who have these same thoughts.

[MrJim]

I don't think much of it. My two boys (9 & 5) have never participated in the holiday. While there is debate as to the merits there seems to be just enough "iffy" stuff in it. So ignore it and it'll go away (but do take advantage of the "After-Halloween" candy sales!).

[aReformedPatriot]

I agree with what Dr. Mohler writes on his blog (http://www.albertmohler.com/commentary_read.php?cdate=2005-10-31):

"Christian parents should make careful decisions based on a biblically-informed Christian conscience. Some Halloween practices are clearly out of bounds. Others may be strategically transformed, but this takes hard work and may meet with mixed success.

The coming of Halloween is a good time for Christians to remember that evil spirits are real and that the Devil will seize every opportunity to trumpet his own celebrity. Perhaps the best response to the Devil at Halloween is that offered by Martin Luther, the great Reformer: 'The best way to drive out the devil, if he will not yield to texts of Scripture, is to jeer and flout him for he cannot bear scorn.'"

[Erinwilcox]

My family celebrates Reformation Day instead. I agree that Halloween is pagan in its roots. But, my mom just brought home tons of bags of 50% off Halloween candy. . .Almond Joy, Heath. . .yummy! My favorites!

[rkymtnjesusfreak]

Great responses. I agree, it is a great time to remind ourselves of the evil side of this spiritual war going on around us every day. We must be diligent to stay clear of it. And kudos to your mom, Erin, on finding 50% off Halloween candy! I am bummed, we didn't find any!! My kids were really hoping that I would come through on the candy end of it all! I would never have a problem with the candy part of the "holiday"!;)

[P_G]

You know

There is a bibilically mandated holiday at roughly the same time as halloween, All Saints Day, Reformation Day And that is Sukkot or the feast of tabernacles.

Starting on 15 Tishri (Hebrew Calendar) whcih was this year October 18 and lasting for 8 days. It is a commanded feast and festival. If you look in the book of John in the 7th chapter you will see that Jesus even enjoyed and participated in this holiday.

There is lots of information on this on the net and it is a grand time.
Gang we I think beleive in what the bible says Why not celebrate the holidays and feasts it says to celebrate?

PG

[CowboyDan]

I have no problem with celebrating Halloween even if you dress up like a demon/devil/evil ect. Its just a costume. You just gotta use your head.

-CowboyDan

[Hisbygrace]

I can remember the many years ago that I went out as a child I never thought about it being a pagan holiday. The church said nothing against it and it was just a fun night to go out and collect candy. But now that I understand it's beginning as a pagan holiday I feel different. My grandchildren still celebrate halloween, but not as a pagan holiday. I guess you could say I have some really mixed feelings about it. But maybe God in opening my eyes to something I have never seen before.

[arunma]

I have no problem with Halloween. At my church's harvest party, almost everyone dressed up in Halloween costumes, and I like to think that we all love Christ. Now, I personally didn't do anything on Halloween, simply because I was preparing for a physics presentation the next day (that, and my small group happens to have Bible study on Monday nights). But I think it's fine for Christians to celebrate it, so long as they do so with other believers.

To be honest, the supposed pagan roots of Halloween don't concern me nearly as much as the drugs, partying, and excessive drinking that goes on during Halloween. Here at the University of Minnesota, there's a tradition for students to drive to Madison, and engage in a rather debaucherous party on Halloween night. Now that is something which I think Christians should never do.

[rkymtnjesusfreak]

I have no problem with Halloween. At my church's harvest party, almost everyone dressed up in Halloween costumes, and I like to think that we all love Christ. Now, I personally didn't do anything on Halloween, simply because I was preparing for a physics presentation the next day (that, and my small group happens to have Bible study on Monday nights). But I think it's fine for Christians to celebrate it, so long as they do so with other believers.

To be honest, the supposed pagan roots of Halloween don't concern me nearly as much as the drugs, partying, and excessive drinking that goes on during Halloween. Here at the University of Minnesota, there's a tradition for students to drive to Madison, and engage in a rather debaucherous party on Halloween night. Now that is something which I think Christians should never do.

You make a great point! I see a lot of celebrating at Halloween outside of the church that is really disturbing. Anyway, it seems like every year my husband and I go through this thought process. But also like you said, at our former church in Colorado, the kids were just enjoying dressing up in a fun costume, playing some games and getting candy at the family fall festival. It definitely wasn't anything that I was uncomfortable with. I guess it is just the part that it always is in place of a holiday that brings no glory to God, as I see it anyway. Oh well, I am glad it is over for another year!

[Gold Dragon]

You know

There is a bibilically mandated holiday at roughly the same time as halloween, All Saints Day, Reformation Day And that is Sukkot or the feast of tabernacles.

Starting on 15 Tishri (Hebrew Calendar) whcih was this year October 18 and lasting for 8 days. It is a commanded feast and festival. If you look in the book of John in the 7th chapter you will see that Jesus even enjoyed and participated in this holiday.

There is lots of information on this on the net and it is a grand time.
Gang we I think beleive in what the bible says Why not celebrate the holidays and feasts it says to celebrate?

PG

Thanks PG. As a Messianic group, do you guys celebrate all the Jewish holidays in the OT?

[JPPT1974]

You make a great point! I see a lot of celebrating at Halloween outside of the church that is really disturbing. Anyway, it seems like every year my husband and I go through this thought process. But also like you said, at our former church in Colorado, the kids were just enjoying dressing up in a fun costume, playing some games and getting candy at the family fall festival. It definitely wasn't anything that I was uncomfortable with. I guess it is just the part that it always is in place of a holiday that brings no glory to God, as I see it anyway. Oh well, I am glad it is over for another year!

I do too see a lot of people celebrating Halloween but for the wrong reasons.
And that they do so for Satanic reasons and not just the innocent fun of dressing up and trick or treating.
We have a church get together alternative for people who want to just avoid the outside of the building and do things for Satanic reasons.
Sad but true.

[strikerchris0411]

Just curious. We have re-examined what we think about it this year and have decided not to do anything about it. In previous years we did nothing (no costumes, nothing) and usually went out to eat or something to get the kids out of the house. Then our old church in Colorado (we have since moved "home" to Kansas) started having a family fall festival where kids could come in friendly, cute costumes, play games, etc. as an alternative for our church members and those in the community (we were a big mid-town church in Denver). I really didn't have a problem with that. We took our kids for the last 3 years. But this year my husband and I have felt convicted once again to just totally ignore the "holiday". It seems that really, basically there is absolutely NOTHING to glorify God in the observance of the day, even if we change it to something family friendly. From what I have researched, it is basically pagan at it's roots. Anyway, just wondering if there are others who have these same thoughts.

Every year someones gonna ask this aren't they?

Not your fault though.

God knows your heart, you aren't there giving food to the dead and all that. Kids dress up, get a little free candy, then the next day move on with their lives.

[XMySouLRisesX]

I beleive its "okay" to at least enjoy the holiday. i mean, our church held a Fall Festival last weekend and little kids were also running around in costumes.. in my opinion, its just another holiday to go out and have fun with ur family and friends. just because its based of evil.. doesnt mean it represents Satan. Just my opinion though. I still go out and have fun. And enjoy it too.

God Bless,
XMySouLRisesX

[strikerchris0411]

don't churches celebrate harvest thoug, or do they call it haloween?

[Daisysqueaks]

My husband and I struggled with it for a few years. But we feel as long as we do not celebrate the dark, occultic side of Halloween, that it can be fun and memerable for our children. We go to church parties and the kids enjoy themselves greatly. Besides there are many aspects of Christmas traditions that are steeped in paganizm ;) As long as Christ is the center of what you do, I do not think it matters what you celebrate.

[arunma]

don't churches celebrate harvest thoug, or do they call it haloween?

My church called our celebration a harvest party, but practically everyone dressed up in Haloween costumes (yes, some people dressed up as ghosts and skeletons). Heck, even our college ministry pastor dressed up his kids.

[Tenorvoice]

For me I do not see it as "all-hallows-eve" and never will again. It is Reformation day for me. The day that Martin Luther finished and posted his 95 Thesis on the door of the Church there in Germany for all to read. This was the start of the breaking away from the Roman Catholic Church and its teachings to what we teach toady.

I also use it as an Evangelical tool. I do give out candy to those who come to my door on said day, but they also get a Gospel Tract too. Why waste such an opportunity to reach many a young mind and heart for our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now the thing that I do have a problem with is Christians participating in said events, "dressing up" and all these evil spirits, and doing devilish things and what not.

We are called to be in the world but not of the world. We are called to be totally different from the world. To our Father in Heaven we even have a different aroma about it, that is pleasing to him. Now how in the world can you be different from the world if you are doing the exact same things that they are doing????? HUM?????

We as Christians need to quit our belly achin and get off our bums and get out there and PREACH the Gospel to those that are lost and dieing. For that is what we all were, we were all lost and dieing before we recieved the FREE gift of Salvation from our Lord and Savior.

Think about it, if you had the cure for cancer but did not share it with anyone at all, they would probly arrest you or mob you because of it. (think about it)

Now we as Christians have something even more powerfull than the cure for cancer, now don't we??? We have the cure for eternal damnation, and we are keeping to ourselves.

Now lets get out there and work in the field, where God wants us to be!!!

[arunma]

Now the thing that I do have a problem with is Christians participating in said events, "dressing up" and all these evil spirits, and doing devilish things and what not.

Well if you have that conviction, I certainly can respect it. But may I remind you of the apostolic teaching from Romans 14. For the sake of food or wine (or even Halloween costumes), do not destroy the work of God. Remember that even if some believers have different convictions than you, they will stand on the day of judgment, because God is able to make them stand. Do you agree?

By the way, I certainly do appreciate your zeal to preach the Gospel to the unsaved.

[vatuck]

Thanks PG. As a Messianic group, do you guys celebrate all the Jewish holidays in the OT?

This is precisely the reason we don't celebrate Halloween. It is a religious holiday. However, it is not my religion. I also do not celebrate other holidays associated with other faiths. I only celebrate those associated with my faith.

[Dmckay]

Yes, Halloween, has some pagan roots and a lot of occult activity is attached to the day. We can, as Christians, come across as self-righteous and completely ignore the holiday, or we can be creative and use it in a manner to Glorify the Lord. We live in a neighborhood that is older and there aren't too many kids around. For years we only got a handful of Trick-or Treaters. Rather than just give out candy to a bunch of budding young extortionists we decided to make the day a means to reach out to the neighborhood for Christ.

We have a rather large front and side yards. We decided to use our space to create a kind of haunted house for the kids in the neighborhood. With the release of the movie, Pirates of the Carribbean, we had a fun theme to attract the kids. We obtained plastic medical skeletons from an anatomy supply house, dressed them up in Pirate garb and hung them from the trees in our driveway with a sign stating Pirates, Ye Be Warned! like the beginning of Pirates of the Carribbean. Then they pass a bunch of tombstones with names like Capt Jack Sparrow, Capt Bully Hayes, Capt Lil' Kidd, Long John Silver.

Our deck is made up to look like a dock, complete with lanterns, stacked trade goods, and sound effects including waves, seagulls, bouy bells, and crowd noises. One side is walled up and painted to look like a seaport town going off in the distance. On the other side it is painted to look like a jungle as in Shipwrecked or Cut Throat Island, and camoflage netting and a bunch of fake trees and they go through a pretty realistic jungle.

The treasure room is filled with cheap brass plated dishes and such from Goodwill, throw in a bunch of cheap fake jewelery and gold coins and it looks like they have struck the mother-lode. We give out bags of gold-foil wrapped chocolate coins, gold-foil wrapped bubblegum coins, and plastic gold coins with Bible verses engraved on them. They also get a parchment treasure map which includes a detailed plan of salvation.

We started out the first year with 37 visitors. This last Halloween we had just under 300 come through. We have even started making the maps in Spanish for the growing chicano population in our area. We have people tell us that they bring their kids from all over the Denver area to see what we will do next. Several of the pastors in the area have contacted us about having families come into their churches as a result of what we are doing.

I figure if they are going to come to my door every year, I'm going to take the opportunity to share the Gospel with them in a non-confrontational way. We have had very little negative feedback.

[Imblessed]

I have 2 boys, 4 and 6. This year they went to our churches harvest party dressed like batman(both of them) and had a blast, playing a lot of games and getting candy and stuff. (this year the church had over 4000 people show up for the harvest party--it was really amazing.) Then, a few days later, they went to the Columbus Zoo for "Boo at the Zoo".

My husband and I agree that traditional trick-or-treating is out, but we are glad there are alternatives, like the harvest party and the event at the zoo---because my boys really like dressing up and getting candy! We've also decided that the boys cannot dress up in scary costumes.

[ZiSunka]

I like the harmless things that can be done to celebrate the fall, like the garden I work in has Pumpkin Walk, where we display hundreds of carved and lighted pumpkins and other fall-themed decorations. We had 3500 people for PW this year and many of them told us how much they enjoyed having a non-halloween related pumpkin festival to go to with their families. It was a celebration of pumpkins and of folk art that can be made with pumpkins.

I also have no problem with trick or treating. It's fun to give out stuff to the kids in the neighborhood. My neighbor across the street gave out boxes of crayons and coloring books that they had bought when they were on sale for 10 cents a piece. Next year, I'm going to try to do something candy-less too.

I hate the sexualization of halloween, with the pregnant nun costumes and the skimpy outfits and the drinking and partying that goes with it. A friend who is a middle school teacher told me that girls come to school dressed like harlots, with the full knowledge and permission of the parents. The school can't send them home to change because the law says that once a child is at school, they can't be sent home unless a parent comes to pick them up and parents can be hard to reach during the day. He said they ended up doing nothing and letting the girls go to their classes, figuring if they didn't make a big deal out of it, it would just go away. He said they also discussed the issues of 1st amendment rights and felt they didn't have the ability to forbid the children from expressing themselves since the school had sanctioned the costume event in the first place.

sigh. I guess the world just keeps getting trampier and the people in charge just keep getting more afraid to do anything about it.

[JPPT1974]

This is precisely the reason we don't celebrate Halloween. It is a religious holiday. However, it is not my religion. I also do not celebrate other holidays associated with other faiths. I only celebrate those associated with my faith.

Me too. As we try to go to church. As an alternative to Halloween. To not be pagan nor satanic. I also only celebrate those associated with my Christian walk.

[NothingButTheBlood]

I have had many Christians tell me they don't celebrate Halloween or do some type of chruch alternative but have no problem telling their children Santa is bring them gifts for Christmas. While I think you can explain to your kids the origin of Halloween and make sure they understand that they are just dressing up to get candy I am debating whether or not I am willing to let my children believe in Santa. I want Christmas to be a holy day with some gift exchanges between family members.

[Jamza]

I think the problem with Halloween is that its got a negative basis to it; what with the celebration of 'spooks' and the slasher movies they show. I think Christians should hold they're own celebrations at the same time. I think we had a Festival of Light or something once. Can't remember what happened.

[53Isaiah]

If you don't regard it unto the Lord, then don't do it. My family observes the birth of Christ on Dec 25, and my best friend does not (Baal, tree worship, etc…).:

Romans 14
5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

[JPPT1974]

Across the street from us
There was another church sponsored event
For the youth
They had hot dogs, chips, and dessert and candy
About 5,000 attended there!
5,000 youth!