Why do so many Christians not celebrate Halloween?

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tryingtofindhim

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#1
Why do many Christians not celebrate Halloween? I have heard the whole its the devils holiday. But my family and I have always been a big its only the devils holiday if you allow it to be. I just would like to know for those people who don't celebrate halloween, what is your reason. I'm just curious.
 
MahogonySnail

MahogonySnail

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Jan 8, 2009
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It's a holiday in America? Do you get a day off?
 
mercyswolf

mercyswolf

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Feb 9, 2009
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A lot of Christians including myself find Halloween to be a pagan holiday. In the last few years specifically it's become more and more goth and the literal meaning of kids going out trick or treating as it were has been taken away from it. *googles for a moment.* It could also have something to do with what the Celts believed 2,000 years ago when they marked their new year on November 1st. "This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain (which is another word for Halloween), when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter." (http://www.history.com/content/halloween/real-story-of-halloween). So getting to the point this is why I don't celebrate halloween. It correllates with the bible in a lot of ways too as I would have to research it further to find out the specifics.
 
MahogonySnail

MahogonySnail

Banned
#5
Jan 8, 2009
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You probably find Halloween is a pagan holiday because it IS a pagan holiday, celts - exactly.
 
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BXblessings2you

Guest
#8
#8
I celebrate Halloween...kinda...I was born on Halloween (It is strange to have been born on the day of the dead)

But, anyway, the concept of Halloween takes our sight away from celebrating the Lord. It does not have Christian origin, promotes mysticism and idolatry, etc. Eating candy, discussing death in the context of truth, all seem that they would be okay [as well as giving thanks for life and love]. But celebrating the day and what it represents does not seem to be. I also think that for many people it would be good to take this day aside simply in order to avoid the temptations associated with it. Have a fall festival, which a lot of churches do. This creates a disconnect from the idea of Halloween. let October 31st be October 31st, as any other day.
 
O

oopsies

Guest
#9
#9
I don't know how I would feel to be born on Halloween! Out of curiosity (because it is so novel), so how do you celebrate your birthday? Do you celebrate it days in advance? Or something else?
 
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BXblessings2you

Guest
#10
#10
Well it depends. I haven't been a true Christian for very long, but in the past my family would celebrate on the weekend to avoid conflicts with school and such. If Oct. 31 happened to be Sat, we'd celebrate on Sat. If it was on Wed, we'd wait till Fri or Sat. When I was young we'd have a party and then go trick-or-treating but I find it difficult to say it was celebrated much differently than birthdays for most children in the U.S. with friends, gifts, etc. I no longer agree with costumed trick-or-treating but that's been out of the question for some years now. This year we'll probably go out to eat, and I'll spend a lot of time praying. I didn't ask for gifts, but I know that the football game I'll be going to in November will be my "present." I'll have to go to church during the super-early service that week. Of course God has already given the best gift...
 
O

oopsies

Guest
#11
#11
Neither have I but it is interesting to know :p You never know when it might show up on trivia! ;)
 
P

Phoenix

Guest
#12
#12
well i dont celebrate it anymore. But Halloween is not the only holiday on October 31st. There is also Reformation Day! Yes! i can't wait
 
D

Dread_Zeppelin

Guest
#13
#13
I dont really care about the history- its a day where I can dress up and have fun with my friends. I dont condone not celebrating because maybe to small christian children there is a mixed message there, but I dont think it effects my faith so I choose to have fun.
 
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Phoenix

Guest
#14
#14
dread. Halloween is a pagan holiday and celebrating it would be bad for any christian big or small. even something that may seem harmless like just dressing up is bad. you have to see the meaning. the costumes were supposed to be scary so the people can scare evil spirits. all America has done is dumbed it down so people will think it's harmless. it is also when the celtics would offer sacrifices animals and sometimes human.
 
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watchmen

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#15
Apr 23, 2009
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Phoenix said:
dread. Halloween is a pagan holiday and celebrating it would be bad for any christian big or small. even something that may seem harmless like just dressing up is bad. you have to see the meaning. the costumes were supposed to be scary so the people can scare evil spirits. all America has done is dumbed it down so people will think it's harmless. it is also when the celtics would offer sacrifices animals and sometimes human.
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I totally agree.
 
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Brackenzee

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#16
Oct 17, 2009
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#16
This is ridiculous, though. For one thing, there is only one instance of human sacrifice recorded in Celtic history, and that's possibly a fabrication created by the Catholic church.

Two, we're not talking about celebrating pagan harvest festivals, we're talking about celebrating the Christian holliday All Hallow's Eve, or Halloween for short.

If you want to argue that we shouldn't dress up in costumes because pagans once used this practice to scare away evil spirits (why scaring away evil spirits is a bad thing is beyond me, but I digress) then you also have to argue that we shouldn't use Christmas trees at Christmas time or honor the Native Americans due to paganism as well.
 
S

Slepsog4

Guest
#17
#17
Halloween is about death. Christianity is about life.

Trick or treat -- is a phrase used to essentially extort candy. "Give me or else!"

The Roman Catholic Church tried to sanitize a pagan holiday of Celtic origin. It has failed.

We are commanded to have nothing to do with the unfruitful works of darkness.

God is LIGHT. In Him is NO darkness... at all!
 
B

Brackenzee

Banned
#18
Oct 17, 2009
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#18
Halloween is only darkness if you're already inundated with the quasi-Christian 'fear the devil' cult that you've obviously been infected with.
 
M

Maddog

Guest
#19
#19
Brackenzee said:
This is ridiculous...we're not talking about celebrating pagan harvest festivals, we're talking about celebrating the Christian holliday All Hallow's Eve, or Halloween for short.

If you want to argue that we shouldn't dress up in costumes because pagans once used this practice to scare away evil spirits (why scaring away evil spirits is a bad thing is beyond me, but I digress) then you also have to argue that we shouldn't use Christmas trees at Christmas time or honor the Native Americans due to paganism as well.
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Completely agree.
 
M

Maddog

Guest
#20
#20
Brackenzee said:
Halloween is only darkness if you're already inundated with the quasi-Christian 'fear the devil' cult that you've obviously been infected with.
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And I think that is quite an astute observation.
 
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