Banarenth

The church that I last attended only had "trunk or treat", pretty much no costumes allowed or anything like that. But I've been in churches that cover the entire gambit. I'm basically fine with the "Fall Festival" thing because it's just a party, not really related much to Halloween at all, no Celebration of the dead or anything.

To contrast it, the Wiccan Samhain is pretty much just like the American Thanksgiving unless they've changed it in the past 2 years.

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Pastor Gary

COMMERCIALISM and the monies that are generated from purchases by those parents who DON'T KNOW and DON'T CARE is what drives the so-called celebration of Halloween these days. If PARENTS would take time out from their busy lives and take the time to STUDY what is involved now, what the origins were and actually sit down and TALK with their kids about it, there would be NO commercial incentive.

Oh, wow - Parents actually talk with their kids? What a unique concept. (sarcasm intended).

KitsapGirl

Great point! My kids don't even care about NOT doing it. It's people outside of our home that press the issue. We have taught our children the origins, and pointed out what it is today...they understood without us having to go into detail.

This "holiday" does nothing to glorify God...in fact, I believe it does glorify satan...even IF you don't celebrate it "that way".

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Banarenth

Hmm...can a Holiday glorify God or Satan? Or is it the people and what they do that glorify?

The primary manner that we celebrate Christmas, the most heavily celebrated holiday by Christians, is still very, very pagan. More than that, the pagan winter soltice BARELY got changed at all from our modern day Christmas, while Halloween is barely at all like Samhain, which as I said before is closer to Thanksgiving than Halloween.

In the end, these are all secular holidays, even when they have been adapted by the church and given a good purpose. Commercialism is the new 'god' and what drives all of these holidays.

So...what makes a holiday good or bad? Is it the origin? Is it the way it's currently used today?

I've always believe that it's the usage of a thing that gives it meaning, not it's origins. So dressing your kids as demons, witches, etc, would be just as wrong on Halloween as any other day.

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KitsapGirl

When you've witnessed what this "holiday" is really all about, there is no going back & closing your eyes...you can't gloss it over anymore.

Yes, every one of our so called Christian holidays come from pagan roots. We even continue to use the original symbols. But halloween has NEVER had anything to do with Jesus, not now, not ever...you cannot spin it to be Godly...even it's neighbor "all saints day" is hard to reconcile with Christianity.

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violet

da_man

To the kids it's free candy and dress up day. It's us the parents who turn it into something bad. I don't think I will base my salvation on whether or not I took my kids trick or treating.

Additionally, I have to agree with Jeremiah that Christmas on December 25 has pagan roots. I think that day was originally celebrated as the rise of the fallen son. But with it being called Christmas it gets people to thinking about Jesus. You ask anybody why there is Christmas they will say because of Jesus' birth.
But I don't think if you ask them why there is Halloween is so we can all go out and try to be evil for a night.

seekinghokmah

Quote:

When you've witnessed what this "holiday" is really all about, there is no going back & closing your eyes...you can't gloss it over anymore.

I keep hearing this kind of statement from people…but no one seems to be able to tell me what their source(s) are for this position. When I look at the actual history of Halloween, Sanhain, Druids etc. I see nothing about devil worship.

What I do find, however, is a lot of unfounded fear and misinformation within the Christian community regarding this subject. Publishers like Jack Chick feed the fire, and so do a number of poorly researched Christian books on Halloween, witchcraft, Satanism, the occult and spiritual warfare.

I live in a city that has a reputation for being a “center for witchcraft”…but if you actually start chasing the sources for that claim, it all comes down to one single book…which was an outright fraud.

I wish Christians would do their own original research more often instead of just accepting what they find on the net, or at the Christian bookstore. There is so much junk out there under the heading of Christianity that resides on the lunatic fringe…and doesn’t belong on our shelves, let alone incorporated into our belief system.

I think it is a valid point regarding the pagan aspects of most of our holidays.
We celebrate Easter without hesitation…yet the very name of the holiday comes from the goddess Oestre, goddess of fertility…hence all the eggs. I think the issue is what it means to us today, but if we are going to reject something based on its past associations we should at least get our history correct.

I am reminded of Paul’s teaching regarding meat sacrificed to idols…we have freedom as believers in knowing that what we eat does not corrupt spiritually, but for the sake of those without such understanding we should behave in a manner that does not cause others to stumble.

My answer to this is to encourage my fellow believers to act on their own conscience as individuals, but if you are going to share your views on the matter with others be accurately informed.

It is for this reason that I respectfully ask, BEG even, that if are going to state that Halloween is rooted in evil…back up that claim and support your view with more than fear, suspicion or innuendo. Where are the facts, what are your sources? Pretty please with sugar on top.J

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Good questions, when answered, innevitably lead to better ones. The light is in the search, and the search itself is the destination.

KitsapGirl

No research needed when it comes home to roost. What I witnessed, and had done to me will stay with me forever. So for someone to attempt to discount what is truth is just insulting.

Halloween was & is a holy day for witches, warlocks and the like.

Jack Chick has nothing to do with what my brother was & probably still is doing.

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da_man

I think my boys will truly enjoy trick or treating. And then we are going to come home read our nightly devotional say our prayers and go to bed.