Is halloween really Evil?

[john832]

How to avoid being called a heathen and a satanist:

1.) Don't celebrate Christmas.
2.) Dont celebrate Easter.
3.)Don't celebrate Valentine's Day.
4.) Don't celebrate Halloween.
5.) Dont celebrate Thanksgiving.

Oh and lets not celebrate Labor Day, Veterans Day, Patriots Day or any of those holidays that are on our calendars either!! One could argue that THOSE days have paganistic origins.. #sarcasm

I'd like to make 1 distinction if I may. Most of those holidays have nothing to do with God, nor profess to do so, therefore making them common, civil holidays.
Halloween is founded on blatant evil and paganism.
Christmas and easter all proclaim to be about worshiping God, yet are founded in paganism.

There's nothing wrong with doing common things. There is something wrong with taking paganism and trying to conform it to Godly.

Deu 12:29 When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;
Deu 12:30 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.
Deu 12:31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.
Deu 12:32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

 

[john832]

What is your heart's intent - What is your motive?

Are you celebrating Halloween as a "pagan"? Or are you just letting your kids have fun dressing up as their favorite Disney character, cartoon character, super hero character, etc.? Or are you teaching your children to worship witches, warlocks, etc.?

Your children probably don't even know that it was once a pagan holiday . . . their just having a day to play dress up, get candy, and maybe scare people! [or at least thinking that they are scaring people!]

Again, What is your heart's intent - What is your motive?

Be careful where you tread with this...

2Sa 6:6 And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.
2Sa 6:7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.

Uzzah's intent was not evil, he still died.

 

[Human]

Philosophical question:

If a person on the 12th November 500 AD, somewhere in Cairo kills an entire village of Shiites during a religious war, and his faction celebrate it for 50 years, calling it the VIctory over the Shiites, then the celebration spreads to a younger generation in Tunis who hear of the great colours and masks and the story of the victory over the Sheeates and want to have a celebration on the 12th of November called The Sheeate Victory, then 50 years later a few of the older men from Tunis travel to Sicily and tell their kids of the celebration who called it Chiato Vitorissamente, who are told of the great parties and the fun, the drinking and the laughing, then a hundred years later every person on Sicily celebrates the Chiato Vitorissamente and an Englishman witnesses it and brings it to England, translating the phrase 'Chiato Vitorrisamente' rightly as 'We fought victoriously', and who calls the celebration the Victory Celebration, and a hundred years later every child n England goes out for Victory Day, knowing practically nothing about the celebration's roots, does it make those children partakers in evil?

Halloween has its roots in a Gaelic folk festival celebrating the end of the summer, when the groundwork has been done and the crops are soon to be harvested. It's a celebration of agricultural bounty at its roots. When Christianity influenced the region, halloween also became a time for praying for the souls of those who have passed away.

It was the church who made halloween an obligatory Christian celebration throughout Europe in those times, not Pagans. It was also the church who eventually linked the celebration with demons, the undead and with necromany, hence the masks.

If you want to do halloween properly, thank God for your crops

 

[john832]

Philosophical question:

If a person on the 12th November 500 AD, somewhere in Cairo kills an entire village of Shiites during a religious war, and his faction celebrate it for 50 years, calling it the VIctory over the Shiites, then the celebration spreads to a younger generation in Tunis who hear of the great colours and masks and the story of the victory over the Sheeates and want to have a celebration on the 12th of November called The Sheeate Victory, then 50 years later a few of the older men from Tunis travel to Sicily and tell their kids of the celebration who called it Chiato Vitorissamente, who are told of the great parties and the fun, the drinking and the laughing, then a hundred years later every person on Sicily celebrates the Chiato Vitorissamente and an Englishman witnesses it and brings it to England, translating the phrase 'Chiato Vitorrisamente' rightly as 'We fought victoriously', and who calls the celebration the Victory Celebration, and a hundred years later every child n England goes out for Victory Day, knowing practically nothing about the celebration's roots, does it make those children partakers in evil?

Halloween has its roots in a Gaelic folk festival celebrating the end of the summer, when the groundwork has been done and the crops are soon to be harvested. It's a celebration of agricultural bounty at its roots. When Christianity influenced the region, halloween also became a time for praying for the souls of those who have passed away.

It was the church who made halloween an obligatory Christian celebration throughout Europe in those times, not Pagans. It was also the church who eventually linked the celebration with demons, the undead and with necromany, hence the masks.

If you want to do halloween properly, thank God for your crops

See post #41.

 

[Human]

See post #41.

I don't think being grateful for an autumn crop (original gaelic meaning of Hallow's Eve) is in any way similar to burning kids on an alter. Your passage is about Gehenna, where Jews used to burn their kids. Interestingly, the Christian church did it to the Gaelics in Ireland for centuries.

 

[john832]

I don't think being grateful to an autumn crop is in any way similar to burning kids on an alter. You're passage is about Gehenna, where Jews used to burn their kids. Interestingly, the Christian church did it to the Gaelics in Ireland for centuries.

Seems interesting to me that people can justify and celebrate almost any holiday except...

Lev 23:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.

You won't find very many people championing the Feast days that God specifically says are His.

 

[KohenMatt]

Excellent point. For many people, any day can be redeemed by God and should be celebrated if done for the right reasons.

Unless it's Passover, or Sukkot, or Unleavened Bread
(Now THOSE ones are evil!)

 

[Human]

Seems interesting to me that people can justify and celebrate almost any holiday except...

Lev 23:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.

You won't find very many people championing the Feast days that God specifically says are His.

Rituals are rituals, whatever faith or place they're from. Do I need to sit in on a Sunday to gain God's favour? lol of course not. Do I have to not wear a funny mask and not eat sweets on the 31st October? Of course not. The whole thread's silly.

So what if I want to celebrate the end of summer? Or wear a mask, eat lots of peanuts and see my friends all dressed up? I don't celebrate halloween to go killing and pillaging, just the same way I don't sit in every Sunday because it's absolutely pointless.

Do you seriously think an all knowing creator is going to want to judge humans because they don't rest on a Sunday? I know another person who didn't do that. I think his name was Jesus.

 

[hopesprings]

I'll be spending my night at church playing games and having chili while my house is dark and empty.

So....you're still going to "celebrate" Halloween, just in a different way?

 

[KohenMatt]

Do you think an all knowing creator is going to want to judge humans because they disobey the things He tells them not to do?

(Disclaimer: I don't use the word "judge" in terms of salvation. I use it in terms of being displeased with His people)

 

[KohenMatt]

So....you're still going to "celebrate" Halloween, just in a different way?

If by ignoring it and leaving my house so I don't have to deal with it is "celebrating" it, I suppose I am.

 

[hopesprings]

If by ignoring it and leaving my house so I don't have to deal with it is "celebrating" it, I suppose I am.

You're not ignoring it. You're meeting at your church to play games and eat chilli. Or...is that something u do every night?

 

[dalconn]

I think modern day halloween is merely a secular event. I do not advocate dressing in evil attire and portraying some dark or evil personality but on the other hand I love to see the little ones at my door dressed as a cartoon character or in some other innocent theme.
I think Christians should follow their convictions and honor Christ in these matters

 

[blue_ladybug]

I think modern day halloween is merely a secular event. I do not advocate dressing in evil attire and portraying some dark or evil personality but on the other hand I love to see the little ones at my door dressed as a cartoon character or in some other innocent theme.
I think Christians should follow their convictions and honor Christ in these matters

​In that case, I will follow my convictions and continue to eat my halloween candy..lol..

 

[notuptome]

Each one must decide if Halloween is evil or not. I do not see Halloween as pure and holy so I find it to be against Godly things. The world is preparing itself for what lies ahead. Death and misery is all that lies ahead for this world.

My hope is not in this world but in the Lord.

I think parents do well to find alternate activities for their children. Harvest related activities are good and do not require costumes that glorify death and suffering.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

 

[KohenMatt]

So....you're still going to "celebrate" Halloween, just in a different way?

You're not ignoring it. You're meeting at your church to play games and eat chilli. Or...is that something u do every night?

So if I avoid something, I'm still "celebrating" it?

 

[blue_ladybug]

Each one must decide if Halloween is evil or not. I do not see Halloween as pure and holy so I find it to be against Godly things. The world is preparing itself for what lies ahead. Death and misery is all that lies ahead for this world.

My hope is not in this world but in the Lord.

I think parents do well to find alternate activities for their children. Harvest related activities are good and do not require costumes that glorify death and suffering.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

Halloween does NOT "require costumes that glorify death and suffering." I've seen kids and adults alike who dress as a ballerina, princess, or even a cat or ninja turtle!! lol.. You don't gotta wear a devil or ghost costume..however this is JMO..

 

[Ugly]

You're not ignoring it. You're meeting at your church to play games and eat chilli. Or...is that something u do every night?

You seem awfully eager to point fingers and judge.
He clearly states that he is leaving his home so that he can avoid dealing with trick or treaters, and going to his church for dinner and fellowship instead. Why are you so adamant about twisting that into something bad?

 

[hopesprings]

So if I avoid something, I'm still "celebrating" it?

you are not avoiding Halloween..you are choosing to do a different activity on Halloween...that in no way means u are avoiding it. Avoiding it would be treating it like any other day. What you are doing is just another example of how Christians take things that they consider "worldly", put their stamp of Christianity on it and now suddenly it's okay.

 

[breno785au]

So do we go through this same discussion ever Halloween? Lol