Are there some christians who don't celebrate Halloween?

Question

I mean it is suppose to let all of the bad spirits come out. Halloween is generally associated with witchcraft and most christians find that evil. So why do you still celebrate it ? Wouldn't it being going against your religion?

Answer 1

Holloween is short for All Hollows Eve. It is the day before (eve of) All Saints Day, November 1. It began as a Christian holy day, but has been influenced by a Celtic pagan celebration which fell on the same day. Today, it is mostly a commercial holiday so there is no harm in it as long as you don't actually believe the witches and goblins stuff. Some fundamentalist Christians are so up-tight about anything not of Christian origin that they refuse to participate in Holloween celebrations. It's just repressed fear that makes them feel that way.

Answer 2

Some Christians do not celebrate Halloween at all for the reasons that you cite; that is, associations with evil and pagan practices.

Some churches offer an alternative gathering for children and young people so that they have something else to do that night that's fun and different. Others prefer to just let the day go by without any attempts to participate in the celebration.

Some churches, of course, do celebrate the evening before as a commemoration of the saints.

Other Christians would say that Christ has power over evil spirits and that there's no harm done in having a little fun that night.

And others, both Christians and non Christians alike raise some issues about the whole thing--do we want our children eating all that candy? do we want to raise children who ask for treats without instilling some sort of social conscience? do we think it is even safe to continue to allow kids out trick-or treating in light of some of treats being tainted to laced with glass or razor blades?

So, basically what you have is a range of opinions on the subject--you can't really say that there is any one Christian understanding on Halloween.

Answer 3

I do not celebrate it. Halloween has its origins in pagan Ireland. It is a pagan celebration; therefore it is witchcraft. Christians should not celebrate it in in way, shape or form. A lot of churches will hold it as an activity for children, but this is wrong. The practice does not dispel evil spirits, but attracts them. Halloween is contrary to Christianity, but it is a boom to the retail industry, which enjoys more than a billion dollars in high profit sales. American merchants and their overseas supplies are not about to throw away a billion dollars for Jesus. They would rather go to hell instead. The only way to stop the celebration is for people to stop participating in it. Everything in America is driven by money---if the sales are not there, then it is dropped.

Answer 4

Jehovah's Witnesses, as genuine Christians, do not participate in the world celebrations, such as Halloween.
The Encyclopedia Americana says: “Elements of the customs connected with Halloween can be traced to a Druid ceremony in pre-Christian times. The Celts had festivals for two major gods—a sun god and a god of the dead (called Samhain), whose festival was held on November 1, the beginning of the Celtic New Year. The festival of the dead was gradually incorporated into Christian ritual.”—(1977), Vol. 13, p. 725.

Jehovah's Witnesses avoid pagan practices, and follow Bible principles, for example as follows:

Eph. 5:10, 11: “Keep on making sure of what is acceptable to the Lord; and quit sharing with them in the unfruitful works that belong to the darkness, but, rather, even be reproving them.”

2 Cor. 6:14-18: “What fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness? Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Be′lial? Or what portion does a faithful person have with an unbeliever? And what agreement does God’s temple have with idols? . . . ‘“Therefore get out from among them, and separate yourselves,” says Jehovah, “and quit touching the unclean thing”’; ‘“and I will take you in, . . . and you will be sons and daughters to me,” says Jehovah the Almighty.’” (Genuine love for Jehovah and a strong desire to be pleasing to him will help a person to break free from unchristian practices that may have had emotional appeal. A person who really knows and loves Jehovah does not feel that by shunning practices that honor false gods or that promote falsehood he is in any way deprived of happiness. Genuine love causes him to rejoice, not over unrighteousness, but with the truth. See 1 Corinthians 13:6.)

Compare Exodus 32:4-10. Notice that the Israelites adopted an Egyptian religious practice but gave it a new name, “a festival to Jehovah.” But Jehovah severely punished them for this. Today we see only 20th-century practices associated with holidays. Some may appear harmless. But Jehovah observed firsthand the pagan religious practices from which these originated. Should not his view be what matters to us?

Perhaps to a greater extent than you may have realized, many holidays and the customs associated with them have a non-Christian religious background. It is this that makes them objectionable to Jehovah’s Witnesses. We try to follow the principle stated by the Christian apostle Paul.

If you would like further information or a free home Bible study, please contact Jehovah's Witnesses at the local Kingdom Hall. Or visit http://www.watchtower.org

Answer 5

I did when I was young. My children did. My granddaughter did for the years she was young enough to want to. But the evil spirits did come out, not just the year she stopped going house to house but before and since. They haven't left. I am sticking close to my Christian beliefs. In other words -- its about being for the safety and security of Christianity -- not against whatever. There's only so much energy available and using it positively makes more sense to me.

Answer 6

yes there are christians who dont celebrate it because it is a dark and evil celebration, encouraging witchcraft and evil phenomona by portraying as ok especially to children who are very impressionable. most people believe it is just fun but think about it, if it really is to let off the bad spirits, would you want your children playing outside then?

Answer 7

these days they have other things for the kids to do on halloween like church events or the college here have a halloween festival .
it is all in how you do it halloween is evil only if you let it be.

Answer 8

Halloween should not be celebrated by Christians. Anything that has paganism connected with it must be shunned. Would Jesus celebrate it?

Answer 9

just because its associated with wichcraft doesn't mean that's what its all about
Easter started out as a pagan Holiday, that's where it got the name, from the pagan goddes Oestruh she once saved a bird with a broken wing from a clod death because it couldn't fly away from the winter. she saved it by turing it into a bunny, this was a magical bunny though so it could still lay eggs. thats where the easter bunny comes from

Answer 10

I don't celebrate halloween. I think if you remove all the objectionable aspects (ghosts and witches etc) it might be ok, but I avoid it altogether.

That said, I think it's fine that people celebrate it in public schools, just I probably won't want my (as yet unborn) children to participate.