Christians and Halloween?

Question

Why do Christian's allow their children to "celebrate" All Hallow's Eve? It has roots in Pagan beliefs.
And why is it okay for that one day of the year that children are allowed to ring on stranger's doorbells and ask for candy? When the other 364 days of the year, we tell them it is bad.

Just looking for real people's opinions and thoughts, there is no right or wrong answer here.

Everyone took this a little too seriously...

And I don't appreciate being called ignorant.
I know the real roots. I merely had a discussion with my husband and how so many people do not know where certain holidays originated or why we celebrate them.

So please, everyone just get off of their high horses.

Answer 1

Good questions!

But do you know how many Christian holidays are based on Pagan holidays? It was a transition to get people away from Paganism to Christianity.

I've celebrated Halloween all my life. Some "Christians" are now transitioning it to "Fall Festival" but it's the same thing/same night/same concept: Dressing up in costumes and asking for Candy.

If my child threw all our eggs out into the yard on any day except Easter, I'd be mad...but it's a tradition. If I was pinched any day except for St. Patrick's day, I'd be mad.

I have no problem with Halloween. I know what's in my heart.

Answer 2

Halloween's roots in pagan practices? True.

The church layered All Saint's Day on November 1st, tying into All Hallow's Eve and imbuing it with Christian significance as an alternative for their faithful? True.

99% of the original spiritual significance lost and/or ignored by this culture, Christian or not? True.

Still has a dark side, bringing out some weird behavior in people, and is religiously significant to a tiny minority of occultists? True.

Should Christians be concerned about participating in a cultural activity whose meanings have been totally lost in the mists of time? Not really.

I often think that the church should go back in time, and resurrect the All Hallow's Eve service, to commemorate All Saints Day, which would normally fall during the work week sometime and prevent good attendance at a service. The teaching could focus on the martyrs whose blood was spilled to water the seeds of the Church. It would still function as an alternative to what the culture is doing, as well as making the congregation literate with the history of their own faith.

Answer 3

Some Christians allow their children to observe Halloween (All Hallow's Eve) as a marking that All Saints day follows the very next day. Halloween is supposed to be the night or eve when all souls awaken. They are then honored in remembrance on All Saints day on November 1st. Unfortunately the two days go hand in hand. You can't have one without the other. However, Halloween is not always looked upon or celebrated in the same way. While some families practice letting their children go trick or treating for candy, other families bring their children to functions held by the church. Some churches will have functions for the children in a controlled environment where they play games or other activities. While some focus on the occult and demons, others seek to celebrate life.

Answer 4

Halloween is a wicken holiday not an evil holiday. It is the day of the dead and Christians believe that demons exist right well that is a day that they are worded off. Pumpkins are carved to scare off ghosts and evil spirits, children dressed up originally to not be recognized by the spirits that are out there, and candy at the doors of strangers was a newly adopted tradition just for fun! The world has become more dangerous and if you ring a strangers door bell everyday of the year you might get shot! People should go with there kids trick or treating, check all of the candy, and try to use as many safety preventions as passable!

Answer 5

WOW - Well, I can say that as a child I remember our church not having any festivals but as I grew up they started having halloween night at church as an alternative way to keep the children safe, ( read below on this ). Today, some churches I believe do this to also intice non belivers so they can see the difference in a good time with friends instead of all the gore. NOW, I must admit I know I am not perfect in anyway, I call my self a promise keeper and do go to church but as for Halloween ?
IT IS MY DAY !
I am a hauntster, I have collected for over 10 years and host a large site at my home every year seeing over 200 kids and adults. So what I look for is the person that is young enough to be scared but has the faith to walk thru it. ( yea, the valley of death, remember what we were taught ) Halloween is my way of release in knowing I am not perfect. I am forgiven; as we all are. I really enjoy it when all year long people talk about what is next or will never forget the last one. Last year we gave out cotton candy and I believe this was a true test for me in how many people did not think twice that I would put something in it to make them sick. This is why children go to the mall now a days.
OH as far as above on read below before I forget, making children safe and your beliefs, Why now when children are missing so offten, are so many people thinking that having a chip inserted in them is the way to go. Talk about halloween being pagan, I think the bible says this is a countable to the beast and numbers. Anyway, I must stay with my thoughts.
No matter what or who you are, inside or out. In the end - only Jesus will make the final decesion as to what we did and if it was wrong. If our roots are strong in the faith, Halloween or the Day Of The Dead will make no difference.

Answer 6

Christians allow their children to celebrate Halloween since many Christian's don't believe the myths "so called myths of Halloween" ... some don't want to accept the fact that sacrifices are done on Halloween etc. Many also say if I don't let my kid go trick or treating they'll be made fun of...instead they'd rather let their child participate in a pagan holiday! Also many Catholics believe it was FIRST an all saints day, so there's nothing wrong with celebrating it, however this way of thinking is false... Well people believe its okay to knock on peoples doors since its a celebrated holiday, and therefore everyone should be participating

Answer 7

A lot of Christians don't celebrate Halloween. But many do alternative activities on/around that day, too. Which, try as some might to make it seem that way, there is nothing wrong with taking something you deem wrong and changing it to make it acceptable.
On another note, there are a lot of America-bashers who still enjoy their day off of work every Fourth of July, and there's rarely any controversy about that. So, in some ways, I see nothing wrong with a Christian taking their kids to Halloween activities, if they aren't celebrating it for pagan reasons and/or doing pagan, evil-glorifying type things.
I do wonder about the candy thing though. I was telling my boys the other day about the importance of not asking people for candy, and then suddenly last Halloween sprang to mind. I was happily sending them to stranger's doors then, for cripe's sake, with their little hands extended! :( I guess it's one of those things they'll get as they get older though, and for now it's my job to keep a protective eye on them in all situations.
I mean, my dad stressed the "no talking to strangers, no taking candy from strangers" thing to us as kids, but then still took us trick-or-treating every year. I don't remember ever being confused, or thinking that my parents were. I happily accepted a bag full of candy one day a year, and avoided strangers like the plague the other 364. ;)

Answer 8

Most so called 'Christian' religions readily admit that Halloween has nothing to do with Christianity but instead is rooted in pagan traditions. Most of the modern traditions of Halloween have their roots in the pre-Christian pagan Celtic religions of the British Isles. For example, about the time of October 31/November 1, spirits of the dead were believed to have passage to the living world. So as to avoid being harmed by these spirits, people would dress up in costumes and walk from door to door in order to 'trick' the spirits. Then those people would go from house to house threatening any who did not give them food and drink, hence the phrase 'trick or treat'. Another pagan holiday is a very similar one called Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, in Mexico. Often people there will go to the graves of deceased family members and put out food and drink in the mistaken belief that these will be consumed by their spirits which have crossed over into the realm of the living for that time period. These observances clearly do not honor God or Christ but rather, dishonor him and his son. The ones recieving the honor from these observances are none other than God's invisible spirit enemies, namely, Satan the Devil and his demons. A good scripture to understand God's view of this is 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. Jehovah God does not want ANY practices associated with false religious beliefs mixed with the worship of him.

Answer 9

Halloween originated back in the Babalonian times with pagan roots. In the Middle Ages there was a superstition that those who had died the previous year without being reconciled to you might rise to haunt you, appearing as will-o’-the-wisps or ghosts. The apparition jarred you so you would release them by prayer and forgiveness. You might also appease them with "soul cakes"—cookies, fried cakes, "treats"—so they wouldn’t do you any mischief with their "tricks." Soon those who were living began to use the occasion for reconciliation. To wipe the slate clean for the coming year, they came, masked and unrecognizable, and boldly bargained for treats.

Halloween has become not only a commercial holiday, but a season of cultural fascination with evil and the demonic. Modern day witches and Satanists still worship demon gods & goddesses, practice bizarre & immoral sexual rituals, and certain groups offer animal and human sacrifices. Have you noticed how costumes and masks are getting generally more bloody, gory, and depraved each year? Do you want your children participating in such a dark and satanic holiday?

Answer 10

Christians celebrate halloween for the same reason they celebrate Christmas and for the same reason they celebrate Easter with a bunny. No one cares about the history of the religion and it's holidays. Its fun to do now. And on Halloween, everyone is knocking on doors asking strangers for candy making it safer, presumably. And honestly, do you Christians really think that God looks down and says "Look at those seven year olds dressed up as Power Rangers getting candy together! There is no way I'm gonna let them into heaven if they keep this up!" Do you really think your infinitely wise and merciful god really that way? Let the kids have their holiday and their Pokemon and their Harry Potter and start to think of what Christ really would have cared about and help feed the poor or something, Christians.